5k for Charity

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

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1st Annual 5K 

The Muslim Student Association organized its first 5K for Charity in 2016. Proceeds from the each 5K are donated to a different humanitarian organization or project each year. For the first 5K run, the proceeds were donated towards aiding Syrian Refugees. 

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Through this 5K Walk/Run, we collaborated with Muslim and non-Muslim students and organizations at UC Davis and the Davis community, as well as UC Davis administration to build coalitions, provide an opportunity for interfaith collaboration, and combat ideas of Islamophobia, xenophobia and racism by working with individuals who may not have had an opportunity to interact with the Muslim community.

 

Our Inspiration 

 

The Syrian civil war is one of the worst humanitarian crisis of our time. In just five years, it killed over 220,000 civilians and left 23 million others in need of immediate humanitarian assistance. 

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Families struggle for survival in Syria. Many risk their lives to flee the country as refugees, moving into Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, and Europe. Hundreds of thousands of refugees attempt the dangerous journey across the Mediterranean Sea from Turkey to Greece, hoping to find a better future in Europe. Many don't survive the crossing. Those who do make still face challenges — resources are strained by the influx and services are minimal.

As of 2016, there were more than 4 million Syrians that are registered or are awaiting registration within the United Nations High Commission of Refugees. Many of these refugees live in outdoor camps that are run by the local government and the U.N. However, these camps are not fit to serve the growing number of refugees; they lack basic necessities such as clean water and sanitation. 

Recently, the U.N. stated that they need about $7.7 billion to provide support for those affected by the crisis, yet many countries turned their backs on these people in their darkest hour. We decided to help in a way that would raise as much money as we could that would also provide a way to start a dialogue about the refugees' plight. 

 

Support From the Davis Community

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Muslim Student Association (MSA) at the University of California Davis has served as a core representative of the Muslim student body at UC Davis. We strive to educate students on the values and teachings of Islam as well as serve as a center of communication and understanding within our own community. Our events foster in providing a safe space for members of different faiths or of no faith to learn about a misrepresented world religion. We collaborated with the Sikh Cultural Association; Aggies for Humanity; the Arab Student Union; the Pakistani Student Association; the Afghan Student Association; the Middle Eastern/South Asian (ME/SA) campus community; and the Associated Students, University of California, Davis.

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Our Goals 

• Work with and invite students from a variety of organizations; secular, faith-based, academic, ethnic and cultural, etc. 

• Provide a safe space for collaborative efforts on the UC Davis campus that increase awareness of humanitarian issues and bring together students from various backgrounds

• Establish a greater presence of the Muslim Student Association on campus to combat Islamophobia, xenophobia, and racism as well as inform community members about Islamic values.

• Raise funds to aid Syrian refugees

• Establish the 5K Walk/Run as an annual project of the Muslim Student Association

• Select a different cause each year that provides assistance to an important humanitarian cause

 

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Achievements

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• Over 300 people registered to run

• We united many communities to support this cause

• We raised over $10,000

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Facebook Link
https://www.facebook.com/events/524640221021877/?active_tab=discussion

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