By Doreen Marion Gee

A wise person once said " Give a person a fish and they will eat for a day. But teach them to fish and they will eat for a lifetime." This is exactly the philosophy of the Aga Khan Foundation who hosted the 2008 World Partnership Walk along the James Bay waterfront. The Walk was to raise funds for the Foundation. Their mandate is to effectively help people in some of the most destitute areas on this planet. They do not hand out aid - they provide people with the tools to permanently free themselves from the deadly grip of poverty. The Foundation offers the hope of a better life. However, when we reflect on poverty around the globe, it is important to remember that many people go to bed hungry right here in Victoria. Poverty lives right next door, not just in the mean streets of Calcutta.

NDP MLA, Carole James, is a strong supporter of this cause: " The World Partnership Walk raised an estimated $5.5 million this year in the fight against global poverty. The Walk has helped bring sustainable solutions to poverty in some of the most isolated and poorest regions of the world." On May 25, the sun was hot and the mood was high. The celebrations started at the Cameron Bandshell with many of Victoria's VIPs in attendance : Carole James, Maurine Karagianis, Rob Fleming, Chris Coleman and Jack Knox and Jennifer Crosby, to name a few. Naz Rayani, the Convener of this world class event, spoke to the integrity of their work: " Every dollar goes towards effective and lasting solutions for poor communities." After more talks and a mini-workout, we all hiked down to Clover Point and back with Carole James setting a quick pace. A glorious ocean and a shimmering sky made it a walk to remember.

At the end of the day, I spent some time with Rayani. A kindly and articulate man, he stressed how 100 % of all donations goes towards the people and communities they help. He is excited that this is the nineteenth Walk in Victoria. This is an international event, with walks all over the world and in all cities across Canada. Rayani emphasizes that they have a "hand up" philosophy where they empower people to help themselves and their community. They do this by tapping into the skills and entrepreneurship of individuals to forge a better life for themselves. Aga Khan Foundation Canada is a non - profit international agency that supports social development initiatives in some of the poorest places on Earth. Their aim is to address the root causes of poverty and find permanent solutions in the areas of health, education, and rural development. They give people the training and tools to achieve a better life by helping them finance their businesses, helping them grow crops and build houses and much more. A clear example of their innovative programs is in India , where they are helping villagers to have clean drinking water. The Gujarat Environmental Health Program involves the locals in designing, installing and operating sustainable water supplies and disposing of waste.

Poverty is a very real problem in Victoria. Carol James points out that “new information from Statistics Canada show areas of the CRD have some of the highest rates for child poverty in the entire province." The same report says that BC has the worst rates for child poverty in Canada. Since these kids come from poor parents, this is also a measure of adult poverty. Many would argue that we should take care of our own before we go global. And what is the true nature of compassion - extending a hand to someone or helping them stand on their own two feet?

Photo by Barry Behnke