As a reaction to the summer reading Half the Sky by Nicholas Krisoff and Sheryl WuDunn, Bricks Breaking Boundaries has been formed on campus.

The organization aims to enhance education in Cambodia by building a primary school to target the problem of gender inequality. According to members of Bricks Breaking Boundaries, support from the campus, as well as the community, is needed to make this vision a success.

Kathryn Fraboni, a freshman in environmental technology and member of Bricks Breaking Boundaries, said the project stemmed from the idea to apply the summer reading to the students’ lives.

“Last year, a few associate deans of the university, Jo-Ann Cohen, associate dean of the College of Physical and Math Sciences, and Ken Esbenshade, associate dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, came to the Caldwell Fellows with a vision of making the freshmen reading a more intimate and involved project,” Fraboni said.  “The idea was to have a campus wide fundraiser in support of Greg Mortenson’s Central Asia Institute. In light of the Haiti disaster, we did not want to host a competing charity, so the idea was put on hold until this year.”

According to Fraboni, the economic condition of Cambodia enhances the need for such a program.

“Cambodia has one of the lowest per capita incomes in the world; a major drawback associated with their poor economy involves the lack of functional primary and secondary schools. Without schools to educate local villagers and provide future jobs, many villagers send their children elsewhere in order to find work and support their families,” Fraboni said.  “Often times families cannot afford to send multiple children to school, therefore the boys attend school while the girls are sent away from home in search of work.”

LaSonya Harris, a freshman in biochemistry, said the program is beneficial because it promotes education.

“I think it’s good that we’re trying to reach out to others and help them because education is important,” Harris said.

Fraboni said the lack of education for girls condemns them to the life of sex trafficking. Their inability to obtain education leads to this unfortunate plight.

“Many of the girls are given false promises of job opportunities and find themselves forced into prostitution in foreign areas,” Fraboni said. “Sex trafficking is rampant in third-world countries and many girls are easy to abuse because they are uneducated or desperate for money to support themselves and their families. By providing a school equipped with teachers and learning material, we can educate both males and females at a young age and increase their chances of success. “

Chris Miller, a sophomore in history, said programs like these are always necessary.

“These programs are important because you can never help people enough and there are and will always be people that need help,” Miller said.

Bricks Breaking Boundaries will be partnering with nonprofit organization Assistance for Cambodia in order to raise a minimum of $13,000 for the school, according to Fraboni.

“One advantage of this organization is the support for a sustainable relationship with the school. The Assistance for Cambodia organization is very happy to include their supporters in the building process, opening of the school, and continued contact,” Fraboni said.

Harris said our campus should promote these programs in small areas before reaching abroad.

“We should start in small areas around us. Although there are many places abroad that could us our help, there are still areas around us that need funding,” Harris said.

According to Fraboni, funding for the cause will occur through fundraising and campus involvement.

“Money will be raised through campus wide fund-raisers and donations. Currently we are brainstorming larger campus wide fundraisers in order to raise awareness and get students involved in fighting for the cause,” Fraboni said. “Though we are striving towards a funding goal, it is important to mention that our mission is twofold with our primary goal being to spread awareness about gender inequality. We will be continuously working towards educating NC State and surrounding communities about this imperative global issue.”

Miller said it is important for the community to show concern for people through supporting causes like these.

“It is important because anytime you can help out other people that really need some help is crucial in this day and age,” Miller said. “I think that a community that helps others makes that community strong. It shows that there are people out there that care, which is really important.”

Fraboni said everyone is welcome to help with this cause.

“We are not restricting our fundraisers to just Bricks Breaking Boundaries students, but to all NCSU students and anyone in the community willing to participate,” Fraboni said. “We are always looking for new members who are willing to volunteer their time in helping raise