It’s easy to forget, as Binghamton University students scramble to find jobs and make tuition, that more than a billion people around the world are living in poverty. One organization, however, is trying to bring more attention to this cause.

The organization, Nourish International, began in 2003 as a student group at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Since then, it has grown into a group of small businesses called “ventures” that run Nourish chapters in college campuses across the country.

So far, there are 21 chapters, but if all goes well, BU may soon become the 22nd.

“We’re trying to start a chapter up there this year,” said Brennan Eberle, the founder of the Chapel Hill chapter. “There’s a huge application process going on.”

Eberle said the organization is focused on working directly with people to find solutions that can provide them with tools to make their communities better.

“For example, last year we went down to a community and helped install a water distribution system, as well as a community recycling program,” he said.

Nourish International has run 14 different projects so far in countries such as India, Guatemala and Uganda.

“For the student, it’s a great learning experience for international development,” Eberle said. “It’s good exposure to different cultures.”

Eberle explained that running a chapter on campus is very business oriented and that students actually run a small business.

“It’s good for business majors and entrepreneurship. There are lots of different ways you can take it,” he said. “For example, I organized a charity poker tournament last year — we did it and made $12,000. You learn how things like that are organized, but it depends on what level you involve yourself in the program.”

Students who wish to take part in the program will receive professional training to become a chapter founder, Eberle said. They will also learn ways to support and improve this new venture, such as how to build membership and raise funding.

“Our chapter is engaged in a lot of different fundraisers,” said Amy Zipursky, the co-chair of Nourish International at UNC. “We run weekly lunch fundraisers, monthly breakfast fundraisers, comedy nights, global music dance parties and we’re also in the process of organizing international projects for this coming summer.”

Participants will gain not only small business skills, but also a better understanding of serious global issues and how to solve them. Interested students should visit nourishinternational.org or call Nourish International at (919) 747-3642.