Kaitlyn DeJonge, Windus’ flute teacher, was volunteering in a program called Poetice, an international organization that helps children from Zambia through creative means. GVSU will host a Poetice Benefit Concert Friday at 7 p.m. in the Cook-DeWitt Center to raise funds and awareness for this cause.

Poetice, a combination of the words poetry and justice, uses art and other means to improve the lives of orphans and other vulnerable children of Zambia.

“Poetice is a non-profit organization started by people in Grand Rapids,” DeJonge said. “They help with child sponsorship and awareness in Zambia.”

DeJonge is one of five students organizing this benefit concert as a part of a management team-building course. Her involvement in Poetice started earlier this year when a friend told her the organization was looking for music students willing to go to Africa and teach children.

“I have had an interest in Africa for awhile now and have traveled there in the past,” DeJonge said.

Along with six other students, DeJonge spent two weeks in Zambia teaching at a music academy organized and funded by Poetice.

“Every day we went into the village,” DeJonge said. “We made music and shared it with the people of the community.”

AVERT, an international HIV/AIDS charity, estimates that one in seven adults in Zambia are living with AIDS, one of the highest rates in Africa, with a life expectancy of about 39 years. Because AIDS is the leading reason for Zambian children to be orphaned, prevention and education are part of Poetice’s initiatives.

Poetice also fights against human trafficking, another large issue in Zambia.

“Although I have a personal relationship with Poetice, I am just one member of a five-person team, and everyone has worked extremely hard for this concert,” DeJonge said.

The team consists of DeJonge, Jacob Brower, John White, Lucas Palmer and Patrick Fritz. All team members are GVSU students in professor Monica Allen’s team building course this semester.

“The class itself gives us a way to interact with new people and structure an event that we probably never would’ve without signing up for the class,” Fritz said. “In the end, I feel it’s a great way for the students to reach out and understand what is actually going on in the world.”

Allen’s course encourages team building through problem solving and creativity.

“I find that it is very important to teach our GVSU students how to have a lasting impact in their communities and how to reach out to others to help them accomplish their goals,” Allen said.

Friday’s concert will include several of GVSU’s performing groups, such as the GVSU Trumpet Ensemble, Hyperbaton Saxophone Quartet, GVSU Brass Quintet and Voices of GVSU Gospel Choir. A local rock band, Dockside Fever, will also perform.

Poetice requests a $5 donation that will go directly to the organization to continue the help efforts.

For more information go to poetice.org.

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