Reaching out across the ocean

Christine Carrillo

A country stricken by 25 years of civil war and a people left

without adequate shelter, land or the basic means to sustain

themselves will receive much needed relief thanks to a group who

wants nothing more than to help.

Three students from Corona del Mar High School will be among 25

people to travel to Angola, in Southern Africa, next month with 24

tons of supplies in tow to give aid to some of the millions of

villagers left with nothing.

Alicia Karras, 14, Parker Hardt, 18, and Nick Lutton, 17, who will

celebrate his 18th birthday in Angola, will travel through the

Namibian Desert, which is filled with landmines, to deliver supplies

for about 10 days.

A fourth student, 18-year-old Aaron Karras, will stay in the

United States to document the trip and maintain the Web site.

Working with the Yebo!Africa team, a charity organized by James

Pryor in England to send a convoy of tools and equipment to those

living amid civil unrest, the students will help feed, house and

teach the people of the war-torn country how to plant and farm for

themselves.

“We would like to go down there and spread the word of peace,”

Pryor said. “[To say to them], ‘you’ve chosen the side of peace, and

we haven’t forgotten about you.’ ... I think it will be a wonderful

experience spreading the peace message.”

Pryor and a group in England collected supplies that they will

ship off to Africa early next month. The Corona del Mar high students

will continue to raise money until Feb. 23, at which time they hope

to reach their $75,000 goal. The group will use that money to buy

generators and additional supplies when they arrive in Cape Town,

South Africa in early March.

The students, who will be documenting the trip as part of their

senior projects and fulfillment of their community service

requirements, view this experience as life altering.

“We’ll be really thankful for what we have here,” Alicia said. “I

think we’re basically going to change Angola because they have

nothing there.”

As the youngest people to travel to that area of the world giving

aid, the students will be escorted from one village to another in

accordance with a slew of safety precautions.

“You need to give back,” Nick said. “We’re not just helping five

or six people, we’re helping a country. ... It’s personal, and that’s

what makes it a great trip.”