Once again, students have shown what they are capable of.
After the catastrophic flooding in Valencia, which cost over 200 lives and destroyed the houses and property of thousands, a group of Maastricht students came together not only to raise awareness for this tragedy but also to provide necessary aid. Thus, they set out to organize a donation campaign that had its creative peak in a joint jam session on the night of the 12th, when the Landbouwbelang (LBB) hosted an event that deserved to be transmitted on television. Along with rocky tunes, more than 1000 Euros were raised for the victims of the flooding, and civil courage was proven.
I spoke to one of the founders of DANAMaastricht, the group behind the campaign.
What is the goal of this project?
DANA: Here in Maastricht, we are far from home. Helping the victims is still possible, though, even from here. By collecting donations and making everything Euro count, we can still achieve something big, something substantial to contribute to helping Valencia and its people. Also, we aim to spread the word - not just among the Spanish but also among the international community here in Maastricht. Such an event cannot go unnoticed, and we wanted to take part in making it known all around the world. Maastricht is the perfect place to make our and Valencias' voices heard.
How and why did it originate?
DANA: “Many of our friends have been working as volunteers in the most affected regions. So, we felt that we, too, had the possibility and duty to do something to assist the people. Going to Valencia itself was no option, but helping seemed very much possible. In such an international, young city as Maastricht, we felt like a campaign could be very successful, knowing that there exists a strong sense of community among the students.
So, we initially reached out to the Spanish student community in Maastricht; very quickly, we received positive feedback from students across all faculties. We then went on to create a social media profile and reached out to various venues for planned events. It then took its course, and we were able to already create two fundraising events!”
Who will be the beneficiary of the fundraising?
DANA: “ Our main beneficiary is the Valencian Food Bank, which helps to remedy peoples´ barest needs. All the donations received through our Go-Fund-Me on our Instagram will reach them directly. Currently, we are jointly deciding how to effectively allocate the donations received during our events; every member of the project is encouraged to suggest destinations.
Mainly, we are considering assisting organizations providing much-needed infrastructural help, but on request of our partners, the money will also benefit Valencian musical societies. The range of our beneficiaries is as extensive as the damage suffered by the Valenciáns.”
What impact can student initiatives have?
DANA: “This initiative has surprised all of us regarding its success. Maastricht, being a student city, turned out to be the perfect place for a student-led fundraising campaign. This initiative has brought people together to help Valencia and does its best to assist those in need. Thus, it shows what a student initiative can do: unify the people for a common cause and do good!”
What has been the response?
DANA: “Overwhelmingly positive, there have been more participants and more money raised than initially assumed! Not just Spanish supporters but people from many more countries have attended our events and donated to Valencia. Unfortunately, we notice that attention is slowly decreasing as time goes by. We see that this is inevitable, but we encourage you to keep up the support!”
Are there any future events planned?
DANA: "Yes! After the success we have had at our jam session, we are trying to keep the momentum going. What this session did, apart from raising funds, was make us figure that music was the best way to convey our message and get people to come together. Also, we would like to express great gratitude to LBB for co-organizing all of this. So far, there is no fixed follow-up event, but we will try our best to keep bringing together more talented musicians and great people for the sake of Valencia. And just recently, students of the Maastricht Conservatory have announced a solidarity concert on the 8th of December - as things stand now, we will be there to spread awareness for the cause! Any news on coming projects will be shared on our social media (@danamaastricht)!”
A Message
Dear readers, two weeks ago, southeast Spain suffered the worst floods in decades. All of you have seen footage of cars wrecked, houses flooded, and people suffering. Here, in Maastricht, we are lucky to host an engaged initiative that supports people in their barest needs.
If you want to make a personal contribution to the well-being of thousands, don’t hesitate to support DANAMaastricht in their upcoming events! By your sheer presence while enjoying an atmosphere of culture and music, you are contributing to the cause! By your donation, you are contributing to the reconstruction of one of Europe’s most beautiful regions. And for all of you who simply cannot enjoy attending these awesome concerts, don’t worry! Beneath, you will find links to their Instagram profile and a QR code for donations of any size.
We, the author and DANAMaastricht are very grateful for any support!
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