The African Student Association hopes to bring African culture to NIU’s campus while aiding Uganda’s victims of the AIDS epidemic.

The organization is sponsoring the “Taste of Africa” from 4 to 10 p.m. Saturday at the Newman Catholic Center.

The event will feature African dishes, live performances and an awards ceremony recognizing exceptional NIU students, staff and faculty.

Olumayokun Osinubi, ASA president and a senior health administration major, said she expects more than 200 people to attend.

“Taste of Africa will feature foods from countries all over Africa and beyond,” Osinubi said. “People will get to sit down and watch the show while enjoying the food.”

Admission includes food and is $5 for students with an NIU student ID, $6 for non-students and $2 for children. Proceeds will benefit the ASA’s Uganda Project, which funds the building of an orphanage in Uganda for children who have lost both parents or guardians to the AIDS epidemic. There are more than 11 million African children who have lost either one or both parents to the epidemic, according to the UNICEF Web site.

Nini Lawani, ASA and a senior health administration major, said she is pleased with the event yet troubled about crowd expectations.

“I remember one year when people expected a whole meal,” Lawani said. “This is just like the Taste of Chicago. You don’t get a whole meal.”

Osinubi said she is excited about the event and her group’s efforts to help Ugandan AIDS victims.

“We just really want to help people,” she said. “It is important for people from Africa to give back.”