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The High Point High School Student Government Association continues to think globally in its fundraising and community service efforts, turning its attention to raising awareness about the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Previous SGA outreach efforts have aided families as close as Beltsville with canned food drives for High Point families and as far as the Philippines with school supply drives. On March 6, High Point hosted a two-hour "Rock Your Conscience" benefit concert about the war-torn country in central Africa.

Students have also been running smaller fundraising campaigns for the Congo such as "your change for change," where students' spare change is collected during lunch, and the bake sale "cookies for the Congo."

"Every year our student government takes on a global issue that we try to raise awareness for," said SGA Vice President Keshema Davidson. "We saw how horrible and traumatic the situation there was."

The Congo, formerly known as Zaire, has been ravaged by several foreign countries for its natural resources, which include diamonds, copper, gold, uranium and tantalum, a mineral used in electronic devices such as cell phones.

Approximately 5.4 million people have been killed in the Congo since 1998 according to a recent report by CBS, and entire villages are often displaced. According to several reports, more than 100,000 women have been raped, one of the reasons the SGA members feel so strongly about the cause, Davidson said.

"When you look at the pictures and see the information, you can't just stand back and watch this happen," she said.

The concert featured performances by an Indian and African Dance group and a performance by the High Point choir, as well as poetry readings, spoken word and testimonials about the Congo.

Some of the money raised through the campaign is going to Panzi Hospital of Bukavu, the only hospital in the Congo dedicated to treating women who have been raped. The SGA is also donating to Friends of the Congo, a Congolese advocacy organization which helps organize fundraising efforts.

The students raised $610 at the concert through donations.

Davidson stressed that awareness is the most essential part of the campaign.

Principal Michael Brooks said he left the concert more educated about the Congo.

"It was an educational concert," he said. "It was a performance as well, but there was more of the educational component and learning about what is taking place with the Congolese people in terms of humanity."

High Point teacher and SGA advisor Lu Morrissey said students take the spare change at the end of each day and give it to the treasurer, who turns it in to Friends of the Congo before the SGA counts it. Morrissey said the SGA has raised more than $1,000.

Morrissey and Davidson say the focus is on reaching people, not raising money.

"I do feel the goals are being accomplished," Morrissey said. "The thing about awareness is, for every one person you make aware, they make other people aware."

E-mail Jonah Schuman at jschuman@gazette.net.