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AROUND THE WORLD 3: Students Walk for Hunger in Africa

Children in Gambia took part last week in a walk-a-thon to raise awareness for the 300 million hungry children all around the world. Called “Walk the World,” this program was founded in 2004 and is hoped to become an annual event. The program raised $1 million from donations which will help to fund the UN’s World Food Program.

A similar walk-a-thon took place in Germany and Italy. The children who participated in Gambia will also be receiving some of the funds to fight hunger. Gambia is a country on the west coast of Africa where as many as 30% of the people who are living there are illiterate. Most are low-income and often suffer from malnutrition. The population in Gambia is so high that food demands can not be met by the country's food supply.

One of the ways that this program will help people in Gambia is to provide better lunches at school for children. Because of this, children will be more likely to attend school and will also be getting a good meal. In a way, the “Walk the World” program will also be fighting illiteracy as well.

In 2004, Gambia was the first place to ever host the “Walk the World” event, and it has become a success. Gambia ranks 161 out of 174 needy countries in terms of hunger and development, and World Food Program organizers hope that with the help of these walk-a-thons, they can have world hunger almost erased in the next ten years.

--Written by Wendy Owen

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