"We are humans we care for each other:" Local efforts to help stop the spread of Ebola
MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- The Ebola outbreak has been garnering headlines worldwide for months. And while most of the cases have been in Africa, some Racine locals are stepping up efforts to stop the spread.
A local group is hoping to raise about $20,000, part of that will go towards purchasing supplies to help stop the spread of Ebola and provide food for those who are quarantined.
Video of the horror that is Ebola has played across television screen for the last several months, providing a snapshot of the situation in Africa for those here in America. But for members of the Community and Healthcare Interventions for Liberian Development Organization -- C.H.I.L.D., for short -- the crisis feels much more real.
"It has been a very terrible experience because people are terrified seeing bodies being carried almost on a daily basis," said Dr. Veronica Carver, Founder of C.H.I.L.D.
Dr. Carver founded C.H.I.L.D. She also grew up in Liberia, one of the countries at the center of the Ebola crisis. C.H.I.L.D. sends crews to Liberia every couple of years; the part of Liberia they work in has already lost more than 100 people to the virus. For Child, those deaths were personal.
"We're losing people in the village where we support our school, and the two hospitals that we support. We have lost people already that we have been involved with," said Nicole Cannon, President of C.H.I.L.D.
Friday evening, the group hosted its annual fundraiser. Normally the funds go to support teacher salaries and school supplies, but this year they're also hoping to raise more money to help purchase supplies to stem the spread of Ebola.
"The simple thing is a bucket unfortunately people do not wash their hands after they use the latrine so we have buckets that NGO's have introduced into Liberia the buckets have water and chlorine just to wash hands," said Dr. Carver.
The group also hopes to be able to purchase thermometers to identify the sick; and rice to feed those who are quarantined.
"I think people want to know why should America care? We are humans we care for each other," said Dr. Carver.
IF you would like to help out for this cause, you can donate online at liberianchild.org.