The sixth annual African Soiree to benefit UFAR (United Front Against Riverblindness) is set for Saturday, March 21 from 5 to 9 p.m. in the Mackay Center at Princeton Theological Seminary.
The evening includes an African market (opening at 4:30 p.m.) followed by a showing of African fashions from FEBA (Woman Cradle of Abundance), a buffet of international and African food and a live auction.
The auction will feature Congolese works of art. Traditional Congolese art was affected by influence from abroad that came during the era of colonization, but the individuality and variety of tribal customs has been preserved. Kuba art includes masks, woven textiles, pottery, beading, figurines and statuettes.
UFAR is an African-inspired, Lawrenceville-based nonprofit that aims to eradicate onchocerciasis, a major public health problem in the Kasongo region of the Democratic Republic of Congo.More than one-third of the 60 million people in the DRC are at risk for getting riverblindness, which caused by a parasite and transmitted by black flies that live near the river. Medicine is provided free by Merck & Co., but distributing it poses a challenge. UFAR uses a community-directed approach to treat more than two million people each year. Annual treatment for each person is required for ten years to eliminate the disease.
Tickets are $70.
The Mackay Center is located at 64 Mercer Street in Princeton.
More information is online at riverblindness.org.
