And I acknowledge now that I've put off posting this for a while. But anyhow..... an event fro this May 25 (a Sunday)

For the past 19 years, on the last Sunday in May, the Aga Khan Foundation Canada (AKFC), which is a registered Canadian charity that has its balance sheets and projects reviewed by the the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) as well as UN bodies, has held a fundraiser called the World Partnership Walk. This fundraiser started in Vancouver but has spread to other cities across Canada.

The Walk raises money for the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), of which the AKFC is a part. AKDN is an group of agencies that promote "sustainable and equitable social development." The projects that they run in developing countries are not handouts; the AKDN finances projects which help build self-sufficiency in impoverished areas. More recently, the AKDN and some of its "sister agencies" have been asked by the US and the UN to perform relief work in Afghanistan. The UN, the Canadian and American governments, and the World Bank have all recognized the importance and the effectiveness of the AKDN in carrying out its mandate in developing countries. Evaluators commissioned by CIDA have concluded that AKFC's "stewardship and utilization of donor funds is impeccable".

The Walk is a special fundraiser for two reasons. Firstly, all of the money collected goes directly to projects. Not one cent is given to administrative costs. Secondly, every dollar collected is matched at least 1:1 by CIDA. This effectively doubles contributions.

Last year, the Walk raised $2.75 million, which was then matched by CIDA.

So get out there and make a difference! There are Walk Locations in Vancouver, Victoria, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Kitchener, London (Ontario), Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal. If you don't live near one of these cities, you can participate in a "Virtual Walk," which is something new this year.

www.worldpartnershipwalk.com
www.akfc.ca
FAQs

And a brief video

Video (high speed).

(requires RealPlayer)

[Edited to add the date. D'oh! ]

[ 12 May 2003: Message edited by: SamL ]