Committee for Ethiopia Plans Benefit Concerts at Harvard

A City-of-Cambridge-sponsored Ethiopian concern committee will hold two benefit concerts this month at Harvard to raise money for the famine-stricken nation.

Officials from the Cambridge Cares and Shares Committee, founded last month to raise funds and concern for the ailing African nation, say they hope for a sellout crowd when the committee brings dancers, a symphony orchestra and gospel singers to Sanders Theater on January 13 and 20. All proceeds will go directly to Grassroots International, a non-profit emergency relief agency based in Cambridge.

All the performances and the use of Sanders Theatre were donated, while the City of Cambridge paid for publicity materials, said committee co-founder Lori Ohliger. She added that she had been surprised by the uniform generosity, especially that of Harvard.

"We asked for one date and they offered us two immediately--you don't expect that of Harvard," she said.

Hard-Hitting

Ohliger, a freelance writer in Cambridge, said committee members chose to turn over the concert proceeds to Grassroots rather than other relief organizations because it sends aid specifically to two of the hardest-hit famine areas, Eritrea and Tigray.

Ohliger added that Grassroots is unique because it sends supplies directly to the people, bypassing the Ethiopian government, which she said neglects the two regions.

Ohliger and Ken Williams, an employee at the Cambridge Public Library, started the Cambridge wide hunger action project last month. "We thought to ourselves--how can we sit around and just talk about seven million people dying?" Ohliger explained.

With the sponsorship of City Councilor Saundra Graham, the project gained momentum when the City Council voted to make January 18, 1985, "Cambridge Cares and Shares Day" calling attention to the Ethiopian crisis.

No Difference

Ohliger said that the project was geared toward involving everyone in Cambridge. "We want to show that there's no difference between Cambridgeport and Harvard--we all have to work on this, she said.

Williams agreed, adding "we've managed to draw a lot of people from all different areas, which makes it really nice."

In addition to the proceeds from the concerts, which will cost $5 per ticket, the committee hopes to raise money from local corporations, city workers, and church collections.