Ethiopian Review

Addis Ababa – This Sunday, thousands of people around the globe will join the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and its major corporate partners, TNT, Unilever and DSM, in a walk to raise awareness and money to feed hungry school children in some of the poorest countries in the world.

“Walk the World comes at a time of unprecedented challenges for the hungry and the poor,” Josette Sheeran, Executive Director of WFP was quoted as having said in a press release WFP sent to WIC today.

“Children are suffering because food prices are still high in many developing countries, and the global financial crisis is now hitting family incomes hard,” he added.

“End Hunger: Walk the World”, an annual event now in its seventh year will see people walking for hunger in 70 countries.

It will begin in Australia with a climb up the Sydney Harbour Bridge and continue through all 24 time zones. It will be marked by pop concerts in Indonesia and traditional Maasai dances in Kenya, and will conclude on the Pacific island of Samoa.

In Ethiopia, the Walk will take place in nine major cities including the capital, Addis Ababa and thousands of people are expected to take part.

“We believe that hunger is not acceptable in today’s world,” said Mohamed Diab, Representative and Country Director of WFP Ethiopia.

“All those who take part in and support this Walk will show their sympathy and solidarity to raise funds to give hungry school children their deserved daily meals.”

WFP’s Food for Education Programme in Ethiopia currently assists over 480,000 children in 915 schools in food insecure areas of Afar, Oromiya, Amhara, SNNP, Tigray and Somali regions.

“End Hunger–Walk the World”, provides a powerful demonstration of public support for WFP’s fight against hunger. In some countries, children who have benefited from the WFP school feeding programme will also walk in solidarity.

This year, there is also an online walk at wfp.org/walktheweb. People are invited to make a donation online; each Euro or local currency equivalent is counted as a mile walked. The objective is to go the 25,000 miles around the world.

Donors can upload a photo to join the crowd of walkers on the web page, and to show that they’ve taken a virtual step to end hunger.

- WIC