SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, October 19, 2014. Today nearly 1,000 participants raced to end global poverty in the annual San Francisco Partnership Walk/Run at Central Park – Lake Elizabeth in Fremont, CA. The San Francisco Partnership Walk is an initiative of Aga Khan Foundation U.S.A. (AKF USA) to raise awareness and funds that reduce poverty, hunger, illiteracy and poor health in Africa and Asia.

The charity event raised $316,000 for AKF USA programs worldwide. 100% of the funds raised at Partnership Walk/Run go directly to projects supported by the Foundation; not a cent is spent on administration.

The event was a day of fun for the whole family. Attendees enjoyed a lively entertainment program celebrating a rich diversity of cultures. This year’s speakers included Mrs. Almaz Negash, Managing Director for STEP UP Silicon Valley and Mr. Michael Collopy with Architects of Peace Foundation. They both spoke about the Aga Khan Development Network’s emphasis on human dignity, treating all with respect and compassion, and the importance of service to your community. Mr. Collopy put the spirit of the walk into words, saying “service to others means courage, empathy, compassion, and respect.”

One of the most inspiring features of Partnership Walk was the Village in Action, where participants enjoyed interactive exhibits spotlighting the Foundation’s practical solutions for alleviating poverty from Afghanistan to Zanzibar. This year, the Village was organized by student groups from five local high schools: Notre Dame, Monte Vista, California High School, Harker, Cupertino High School, and Mission San Jose. Each school focused on one of the five main work areas of the Aga Khan Foundation: education, health, rural development, the environment, and civil society. Highlights include a schoolroom in the Kyrgyz Republic and the story of how mobile accessible healthcare (eHealth) helped a family in rural Afghanistan save their baby’s life.

Read the full press release here.