SolidariTee, a student-led fundraising campaign, has set up a group at the University of Birmingham

Written by Ollie Davis
Published

The campaign raises awareness of the continuing refugee crisis. SolidariTee sells t-shirts to help fund legal aid for refugees living in temporary camps who cannot afford legal representation in the asylum-seeking progress.

Started in 2017 by a University of Cambridge student, Tiara Sahar Ataii, SolidariTee is a response to the decline in media coverage of the refugee crisis and a need for raising continued awareness.

We’re all based in Selly Oak so delivery to University staff and students is very easy

So far, SolidariTee has teams of student representatives in 25 universities across the UK and is in the process of applying for UK-charity status. Abroad, they’re also forming teams in the U.S., France and Australia, which will provide the campaign with an international reach.

Kitty McCarthy, head of the SolidariTee fundraiser in Birmingham, has said ‘We’re all based in Selly Oak so delivery to University staff and students is very easy and can happen anytime – get in touch and we can meet on campus or arrange delivery.’

Costing £10 each, the t-Shirts are being sold in two distinct designs created by Sudanese artist Dar Al Naim who uses motifs of ‘figures, boats and water – reminiscent of the photos pervading the media on the refugee crisis.’

With 85% of the total cost going directly to legal aid, Kitty told Redbrick, ‘I love that the fundraiser is entirely student-run [and that] such a high percentage of the cost goes straight to tackle the crisis at its roots.’

Awareness is the first step to solving the crisis

Over the past two years, the campaign has sold 3,600 ‘SolidariTees’ and 600 ‘SolidariTotes,’ with donations and sales totalling nearly £48,000.

The SolidariTee Secretary, Maddie Hancock, had this to say about recently joining the executive team: ‘I’ve become a lot more able to adapt to situations too. Ultimately, what keeps me motivated is meeting inspirational, like-minded people who share our values.’

Kitty also said: ‘Awareness is the first step to solving the crisis. Follow the SolidariTee National social media pages for infographics and myth busters to expand your knowledge of the crisis.’

Mouki Kambouroglou, Vice-President of SolidariTee, told Redbrick that news regarding the refugee crisis has ‘been decreasing for the past two years – unless you’re looking at a very specialised news source you won’t find much about the refugee crisis.’

To combat the rise of ‘echo chambers’ and ‘voluntourism,’ SolidariTee’s two main objectives are to demonstrate solidarity and dispel harmful myths whilst making a material impact through funding sustainable method of assistance.

Anyone interested in getting involved can contact Kitty McCarthy via email (KXM516@student.bham.ac.uk) or on Facebook.

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