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2007 Highlights

Partnership Walk were held in four major U.S. cities to raise awareness and funds for sustainable solutions to poverty in some of the most marginalized communities in Asia and Africa. Net proceeds from each tournament go towards promoting basic education, health care, rural development and income-generating activities in poverty-stricken communities in Pakistan, Tanzania, India, Kenya, Afghanistan and other countries. Partnership Walk campaigns have attracted more than 212,000 people and raised over $26 million in its 11-year history in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houston and Los Angeles.

Atlanta • Piedmont Park • Saturday, November 10, 2007

Over 5,000 gathered together for the Atlanta Partnership Walk on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. Community leaders, citizens from all walks of life and hundreds of students from local schools and universities – such as Emory School of Nursing, Georgia Institute of Technology and Oxford College – enjoyed a day of stirring speeches and entertaining performances to celebrate the diversity of )world cultures. Atlanta’s Global Village in Action challenged walkers to learn hands-on how AKF’s innovative solutions reduce poverty in poor regions struggling to live on only a dollar a day. Through obstacle courses and creative interactive games, visitors to the Village discovered how AKF’s milk feeding program encourages Afghan parents to send their girls to school. They learned how microcredit is a powerful way to help the poor lift themselves out of poverty. Interactive games showed progress in East Africa with sustainable health programs and building safer homes with seismic-resistant construction in Pakistan.

Masters of Ceremonies
Dale Russell, Senior Investigative Reporter, Fox 5

Chicago • Millennium Park • Sunday, October 14, 2007

3,000 people including 77 teams from corporations, universities, schools and community groups came together at Millennium Park in downtown Chicago to enjoy a day of learning and fun. Among other fine performances, the ever popular Jesse White Tumbling team electrified the crowd. Hand Prints, a colorful display of children’s expressions, reflected support for the Walk by many metro area schools. Along the Walk route, walkers with “passport” in hand traveled to East Africa, India, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Egypt experiencing the culture, music and food of each region. Visitors to Village in Action exhibits discovered the valuable initiatives that AKF USA has undertaken in the past 25 years from girls education in Afghanistan to microcredit in India to improvements in water and sanitation in East Africa.

Distinguished Guests
Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White
Senator John Cullerton
Mayor of Skokie George Van Dusen
Consul General of India Ashok Kumar Attri
Consul General of Pakistan Dr. Aman Rashid
Chicago Tribune Reporter Monica Eng

Masters of Ceremonies
Bill Moller, Host, WGN-Radio
Judie Garcia, News Anchor, WGN-TV
Dr. Sandy Goldberg, Health and Nutrition Reporter, NBC TV Channel 5

Dallas • City Hall Plaza • Sunday, October 14, 2007

In Dallas, 6,000 people demonstrated their support to end global poverty including teams from Electronic Data Systems, Accenture, American Airlines, Prodea and University of Texas at Dallas. Walkers enjoyed interactive and educational activities including the Silk Road exhibit, microfinance maze, chai-khanna (tea house), Aga Khan Development Network gallery, global marketplace and Power of Ten game. The SHOES exhibit - Students Helping Others Empathize Selflessly - encouraged visitors to “step into the shoes of another” and featured compelling stories of AKF beneficiaries. Along the Walk route, exercises of carrying water and firewood mirrored the challenges of communities in Central Asia and East Africa. Other attractions included entertainment for the kids from Radio Disney, a theater highlighting AKF’s achievements, and stages presenting the music, dance and cultural performances of Africa and Asia.

Distinguished Guests
Mayor Tom Leppert
Congressman Pete Sessions
Texas Secretary of State Phil Wilson
Plano Mayor Pat Evans
Carrollton Mayor Becky Miller
Irving Councilwoman Beth Van Duyne

Masters of Ceremonies
Brenda Teele-Jackson, ABC
Brad Hawkins, ABC
Bob Ray Sanders, Fort Worth Star Telegram

Houston • Sam Houston Park, Downtown • Saturday, November 10, 2007

A record 10,000 people, including 67 teams joined in solidarity to celebrate the Walk. Distinguished guests Texas Secretary of State Phil Wilson, U.S. Congressional Representatives Sheila Jackson Lee and Al Green, and Sugar Land Mayor David Wallace enthusiastically acknowledged the significance of AKF’s work. On the Walk route along Allen Parkway, participants enjoyed exhibits depicting projects in Pakistan, India and Central Asia intermixed with cultural performances and interactive games. Visitors took part in a mock village meeting and tested their skills at conflict resolution. Walkers were introduced to the microfinance bank, a marketplace and an Afghan classroom. They learned how the Foundation’s projects promote safe motherhood, hydropower, water & sanitation programs, and improved farming practices.

Distinguished Guests
Texas Secretary of State Phil Wilson
Congressman Al Green
Senator Rodney Ellison
Mayor of Sugar Land David Wallace
Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee
Sugar Land City Council member Tom Abraham

Masters of Ceremonies
Greg Hurst, KHOU Channel 11
Melissa Wilson, Fox Channel 26 

Los Angeles • Memorial Coliseum • Sunday, October 14, 2007

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa addressed 3,500 people gathered for Partnership Walk, congratulating the Foundation on its ongoing impact and welcoming participants to join in a commitment that improves conditions for humanity. L.A.’s Village in Action spotlighted AKF’s projects that encourage self-reliance, including a child survival program in India focusing on improved health of young children and mothers. The Walk featured five villages with interactive and educational displays showcasing projects from Kenya, India, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and the USA. Visitors enjoyed cultural stages with food and performances, live broadcast by KISS FM, entertainment by the Lakers cheerleaders, chai khanna (tea house), games, and a global marketplace.

Distinguished Guests
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa
Eric Garcetti, President, L.A. City Council
Bernard Parks, Los Angeles City Council member
Leroy D. Baca, L.A. County Sheriff and Matt Dababneh, representing
Congressman Brad Sherman
Mayor Pro Temp J.R. Revickzky of Hermosa Beach
Alex Padilla, Lieutenant Police Chief of Santa Monica
Calvin Beard, Captain, California Highway Patrol
J.Curtis Mack, President of the World Affairs Council
Jan Perry, Los Angeles City Council member
Dean Roy Young, Consul General of Belize

Masters of Ceremonies
KNBC morning news anchor, Chris Schauble
Beverly White, NBC-4

Partnership Walk’s Ambassador 1000 Program

Partnership Walk’s Ambassador 1000 program recognizes walkers who collect individual sponsorships totaling $1,000 or more. A record number of Ambassador 1000s showed their enthusiastic support at Partnership Walk 2007, with 205 individuals collectively raising over $300,000. These individuals demonstrate true commitment and passion for increasing awareness about how Americans can take a step to end global poverty.

Partnership Walk Teams Program

The Partnership Walk Teams program encourages friends, students, colleagues, and neighbors to raise funds and participate in the Walk as a team. A record 305 teams proudly showed their support, raising over $166,000. In addition to corporate and university teams, boys and girls scout troops participated passionately as well as numerous primary and secondary schools throughout the nation. Partnership Walk T-shirts and mouse pads were presented to those teams with the most registered walkers and with the highest dollar amount collected in each city.

Village In Action Highlights 

Atlanta 

Atlanta’s Global Village in Action challenged walkers to learn hands-on how AKF’s innovative solutions reduce poverty in poor regions struggling to live on only a dollar a day. Through obstacle courses and creative interactive games, visitors to the Village discovered how AKF’s milk feeding program encourages Afghan parents to send their girls to school. They learned how microcredit is a powerful way to help the poor lift themselves out of poverty. Interactive games showed progress in East Africa with sustainable health programs and building safer homes with seismic-resistant construction in Pakistan.

Chicago 

Along the Walk route, walkers with “passport” in hand traveled to East Africa, India, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Egypt experiencing the culture, music and food of each region. Visitors to Village in Action exhibits discovered the valuable initiatives that AKF USA has undertaken in the past 25 years from girls education in Afghanistan to microcredit in India to improvements in water and sanitation in East Africa. 

Dallas 

Walkers enjoyed interactive and educational activities including the Silk Road exhibit, microfinance maze, chai-khanna (tea house), Aga Khan Development Network gallery, global marketplace and Power of Ten game. The SHOES exhibit - Students Helping Others Empathize Selflessly - encouraged visitors to “step into the shoes of another” and featured compelling stories of AKF beneficiaries. Along the Walk route, exercises of carrying water and firewood mirrored the challenges of communities in Central Asia and East Africa. Other attractions included entertainment for the kids from Radio Disney, a theater highlighting AKF’s achievements, and stages presenting the music, dance and cultural performances of Africa and Asia. 

Houston  

On the Walk route along Allen Parkway, participants enjoyed exhibits depicting projects in Pakistan, India and Central Asia intermixed with cultural performances and interactive games.  Visitors took part in a mock village meeting and tested their skills at conflict resolution. Walkers were introduced to the microfinance bank, a marketplace and an Afghan classroom.  They learned how the Foundation’s projects promote safe motherhood, hydropower, water & sanitation programs, and improved farming practices.  

Los Angeles  

L.A.’s Village in Action spotlighted AKF’s projects that encourage self-reliance, including a child survival program in India focusing on improved health of young children and mothers. The Walk featured five villages with interactive and educational displays showcasing projects from Kenya, India, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and the USA. Visitors enjoyed cultural stages with food and performances, live broadcast by KISS FM, entertainment by the Lakers cheerleaders, chai khanna (tea house), games, and a global marketplace.