Nigeria Emiko has witnessed the work Unicef does around the world.

The Brock University international student from Nigeria often saw Unicef volunteers handing out medical supplies, giving vaccinations and providing educational materials.

That’s why when he came to Brock to study economics, he decided to join Unicef Brock, a chapter of Unicef Canada.

“I wanted to help people,” he said, adding the organization allows him to be a philanthropist with real impact.

Unicef Brock is holding a fundraiser Feb. 12 called Roses For Refugees.

The organization’s co-president Chantal Christian said half of the money raised at the fundraiser will go to Unicef and the rest will be donated to a local private sponsorship group that is helping a Syrian refugee family.

“Rather than just focusing on the international relief, we want to also help people in our own community,” she said.

The roses are being sold just in time for Valentine’s Day and there will be plenty of red ones available along with other assorted colours.

They sell for $3 each, six for $15 or a dozen for $30.

Unicef Brock will have a table set up in A-block of Mackenzie Chown starting at 10 a.m. on Feb. 12. They’ll be there until the roses, bought with a donation from the Brock University Students’ Union, are sold out.

Emiko and Christian said the group hopes to raise $1,000. They are confident the Brock community will support the fundraiser.

“We usually sell out,” Christian said. “A lot of times Brock staff and students come and just donate money and don’t even take a rose.”
The group wanted to raise $3,000 during the 2015-16 school year.

They’ve far surpassed that already, raising $8,000 in November when Emiko and three other members — Patrick Foster, Jad Nasser and on the last day of the three-day journey Stephanie Mannella — walked from Brock to Toronto.

That fundraising effort raised $4,000 and the government matched the funds. All of the money went to Unicef Canada’s campaign to help in the refugee crisis.

“A lot of the money we are fundraising is going to refugee camps in Jordan and the Middle East,” Christian said.