UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) aims to give children from all over the world a voice through the organization’s mission of providing education and basic rights to all children.
The UNICEF chapter at Iowa State was founded in 2013. UNICEF’s goal is to bring awareness to the organization’s cause and aims to show not only college students but all people that there is an important role to play in saving children’s lives across the globe.
Lal Siama, president of UNICEF and a senior majoring in electrical engineering, said one of UNICEF’s main goals is fundraising for their cause while also trying to make their initiative more well-known and to get students involved.
“We try to make the public know about us in various ways. We participate in club fairs and in the sustainability live green event that’s out by the library so that people can become aware of our existence,” Siama said.
According to Siama, fundraising is the main way UNICEF members get involved through various outlets.
UNICEF’s main fundraising takes place during the fall at Iowa State football games, where members work in the concession stands with a percentage of the proceeds going to the organization.
Pooja Kasiviswanathan, vice president of UNICEF and a senior majoring in microbiology, said one of their main missions is spreading awareness about the organization.
“It’s really surprising to see how many people are unaware of UNICEF and what it stands for. We want to spread the word about gaining more knowledge,” Kasiviswanathan said.
Each year, UNICEF has two missions for each semester. In the fall, they focus on fundraising, and in the spring, educating their community. During club meetings, members watch videos about UNICEF and see how their work is helping firsthand.
Kasiviswanathan said it is important that people understand what UNICEF’s mission is and how children should have access to health care and education.
“We owe it to ourselves to educate ourselves with these types of organizations because it makes us better human beings,” Siama said. “This is like a baseline of what we can do to contribute to society in so many ways. A lot of us believe that children are the next generation, and if we can contribute in some way to the betterment of the next future, then we have fulfilled our duties as human beings and as humanitarians.”
Kasiviswanathan is a pre-health major, and said she joined UNICEF because health care and UNICEF have a lot to do with children’s health being similar in basic human rights and education.
Siama said he joined UNICEF to give his time and energy to an organization where he could really give back to the mission.
“I was really blessed growing up. I came from a developing country where I was exposed to these types of issues such as natural disasters, hunger and all those things,” Siama said. “So it’s always been ingrained in me to go after clubs or other organizations where I can give my time and energy back in some way, shape or form.”
Kasiviswanathan said the organization makes her feel powerful because UNICEF statistics show how globally their organization has created change.
“From a leadership point of view, I think it’s really beautiful to just look at my team members because what I’ve really noticed is the people that join us have such beautiful kind hearts, the right heart for this type of work. It just makes you grow as a person to even be in their presence because they want to learn and spend their energy to advocate for this cause,” Siama said.
UNICEF holds meetings at 6 p.m. one Thursday a month in the Student Innovation Center in room 133.
To learn more about UNICEF visit their website or contact Siama.
