WALK A SIGN OF OPTIMISM
In a world wracked by wars, insurgencies and religious strife — 59.5 million displaced persons, 19.5 million outright refugees, 10 million stateless persons, and the numbers increasing by 42,500 a day, says the United Nations refugee agency — any glimmer of good news is welcome.
And the Aga Khan Foundation has some. It notes that worldwide, a billion fewer people live in poverty than 25 years ago. The World Bank forecasts the number of people living in extreme poverty is likely to fall below 10 per cent. It’s evidence that, even with its problems, the world is on track to ending such poverty by 2030. Of course, there is still much to be done.
It’s to celebrate the altruists everywhere who are shouldering that burden that the Aga Khan Foundation Canada sponsors its 32nd World Partnership Walk on Sunday. This year’s event (in 2015, it drew 40,000 participants in 10 cities across Canada) begins in Vancouver at 8:30 a.m. Festivities open with a VIP breakfast at Lumbermen’s Arch in Stanley Park. The fivekilometre Walk to End Global Poverty begins at 10:50 a.m., rain or shine. There is entertainment, team and kids’ activities all day, as well as an exhibition on global development.
Every nickel raised (the walks raised $7 million in 2015) goes directly to fund programs in some of the poorest regions of the world. Programs include training for health professionals and community leaders, upgrading and building of new health facilities in poor and remote areas, helping communities develop food security and nutrition, empowering women with education, and providing communities with the knowledge, skills and resources they need to give children a healthy start.
In Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya, Aga Khan Foundation Canada is investing in improving school systems with the support of Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development.
In isolated Afghanistan, a small hospital with half its beds under tents is being transformed into a modern health facility that will serve 400,000 people, mostly women and children. In Mali, Mozambique and Pakistan, 4,000 health workers get training in maternal and child health services for remote regions where health care is scant. In Mozambique, bicycle and motorcycle ambulances provide life-saving transport during obstetric emergencies.
If you are one of those who dreads the nightly news because it all seems to be bad, this is a good news story that should hearten everyone, and is evidence that with your help, the glass that so often seems to be half-full is actually filling. See you there on Sunday.