On Friday, April 25, the Graduating Students of Lindsay Place High School in Pointe Claire (on the West Island of Montreal) will be holding their first ever 24-hour Famine. The purpose of this event is to show solidarity with people in need and to raise funds to purchase medical and technical equipment for Highlands Hope, an association of nurses who work as HIV-AIDS counsellors and caregivers in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania.

Earlier this school year, two Secondary V Economics classes were visited by well-known Quebec broadcaster, Mr. Royal Orr. Mr. Orr is a member of Canadian Friends of Highlands Hope Hospital, an organization that includes Mr. Terry Mosher (Aislin of The Gazette) and Lindsay Place High School Vice Principal Mr. David Abracen.

This group works to build partnerships between Highlands Hope and Montreal health care institutions, such as the McGill School of Nursing and the Family Medicine Group at the McGill Faculty of Medicine. It also furnishes medical equipment and underwrites the cost of staff training.

Last year, one of our Secondary V Economics class donated a laptop computer, which was taken by members of Canadian Friends when they visited Tanzania last summer and given to the Highlands Hope nurse-counselor network. This year's class is determined to maintain this tradition, and so they will be holding this upcoming Famine to raise funds which we be used to buy requested medical and technological equipment. This equipment will be taken directly to Highlands Hope by members of the Canadian Friends organization.

The Secondary V students are seeking donations from the local community and will be gathering to fast together as a gesture of solidarity with the nurses of Highlands Hope and the people of Njombe and Makete Districts, especially persons living with HIV-AIDS.