By Liz Coffin-KarlinContributing Writer
Twenty-two Northwestern students joined thousands in Chicago’s Lincoln Park Sunday in a walk to raise money for international development in the Third World.
McCormick senior Karim Ukani, who runs Students for Partnership Walk at NU, led the group of students in the annual fundraising project that benefits the Aga Khan Foundation USA, an international agency that funds economic and cultural projects in developing nations.
The NU walking team joined groups from universities and other organizations from around the Midwest, which raised money to walk. All of the day’s profits went directly to Aga Khan Foundation initiatives to empower individuals in disadvantaged countries by expanding opportunities for self-reliance.
“Instead of just handing out stuff, (the organization) works there with the people,” said Ukani. “That was something I wanted to work with.”
The theme of this year’s walk was “Diversity is Strength” and focused on “cultural pluralism as a cornerstone for developing a more peaceful, prosperous, and secure world,” according to the walk’s Web site. The organization funds programs designed to improve health, education and income opportunities in developing countries in Asia and East Africa.
The walk occurred simultaneously in five U.S. cities – Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houston and Los Angeles – as well as on other days in the United Kingdom and Canada. Since 1995 and the first walk in Los Angeles, 30 walks have taken place, raising $22.5 million and drawing 185,000 participants.
This year’s Chicago events included fundraising, interactive exhibits and entertainment from groups such as Brown Sugar, an NU a cappella group. A program on international cultural diversity was hosted by several local journalists, and a “Village in Action” exhibit showed the results that Aga Khan Foundation USA provides to rural areas.
SESP sophomore Nikolai Smith heard about the walk through an electronic dorm mailing list.
Although the walk was different from what he expected, Smith said the experience was a good one.
“So many big names are backing (the Aga Khan Foundation), but I didn’t know about it,” he said. “It was good to see that people care about it.”
The organization collaborates with agencies such as the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Rockefeller Foundation and the U.S. State Department to fund their grants.
Weinberg sophomore Azmina Lakhani has participated in the walk for the last three years. She said the organization’s approach to development is unique.
“(The organization) is different because it’s looking for sustainable solutions,” she said. “So it’s a bit more real to me.”
Reach Liz Coffin-Karlin at [email protected].
