By Mikayla van Loon
Putting one step in front of the other has never been more meaningful than during the Walk My Way fundraising event coming to the outer eastern suburbs of Melbourne for the first time.
The Australian Lutheran World Service (ALWS) event raises funds to help send refugee children in East Africa to school and this year it will be hosted at Luther College in Croydon Hills on 21 October.
Community engagement manager Aaron Glover said the first event was held in Adelaide in 2017 to raise support and awareness around the “challenges these children face overseas”.
“We work in 15 countries overseas and we have a particular focus of working in refugee camps in East Africa,” he said.
“What we try to do through our work is grow the capacity of the local people to better their future so they can develop themselves and education is a powerful way to change the future for a young person in those camps.”
Ensuring inclusivity and equity, Mr Glover said there is a focus on providing the same opportunities for boys, girls and children with disabilities.
This year, Mr Glover said the aim is to raise $50,000, something he noted would have “a transformational impact for so many children”.
“What people really love about Walk My Way is it’s a very practical way to respond in love to a situation that can seem quite large and challenging, but it’s a practical way that people can do something to make a difference even if it’s just for one child,” he said.
“We walk 26 kilometres on the day, if you do the big walk, and $26 will give education to a child in a refugee camp for a whole year.”
The end result is seeing the young people who are supported take on exciting pathways for themselves.
“The team we work with on the ground run the Kakuma Refugee Camp, and so we do see children receiving that education and then being able to go on and pursue a career that can sustain them and their family,” Mr Glover said.
“We’ve seen young people become teachers in those refugee camps and then teach other children.
”So since Walk My Way started, there’s been over 60,000 children that have received the blessing of Australians giving generously and I guess our hope with Walk My Way Melbourne is we just see that impact continue to grow.”
For Mr Glover, he said it is incredibly heartwarming to know how generous Australians are in giving and “reaching into their pockets and caring for young people they will never meet”.
The Walk My Way event is open to anyone who wishes to contribute, starting at Luther College, walking along the Eastlink and Mullum Mullum Creek Trails, before finishing at Whitefriars College.
There is also a 13 kilometre trail walk option as well as the 26 kilometre.
“It’s a great event to do with friends and family. If you do the full walk, 26km, that’s a long time to talk and to connect.
“If you’ve got some friends who you haven’t caught up with for a while, it can be a really special day. It’ll be fun to be a part of and it will make a big difference for the children.”
To find out more information about the walk and to sign up, go to www.melbourne.walkmyway.org.au
