Its a 9-day hike starting in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan starting July 31, 2009. Almost 72 hours of hardcore hiking! Its a once in a lifetime opportunity. So please dig deep and contribute geneorously.  Its for an amazing cause.

Focus Humanitarian Assistance is an international group of agencies established in Europe, North America and South Asia to complement the provision of emergency relief, principally in the developing world. It helps people in need reduce their dependence on humanitarian aid and facilitates their transition to sustainable, long term development.

FOCUS is an affiliate of the Aga Khan Development Network (www.akdn.org). Underlying the establishment of FOCUS by the Ismaili Muslim community is a history of successful initiatives to assist people struck by natural and man-made disasters in South and Central Asia, and Africa.

For more information on FOCUS visit www.akdn.org/focus

Some of the past projects which FOCUS has undertaken include:

South Asia Earthquake: Responding to emergency needs, providing shelter, food and medicines to isolated and vulnerable communities affected by the earthquake in both Indian- and Pakistani-administered Kashmir
USA - Hurricane Rita and Katrina: Assisting in the relief efforts providing medical aid, clothing and facilitating access to state services
Indian Ocean Tsunami: Providing relief and recovery programmes to communities affected by the 2004 tsunami in Andhra Pradesh, India
Afghanistan: Providing emergency relief in transit camps and, later, assisting returnees from Pakistan secure shelter and means of earning a livelihood
Madagascar: Providing assistance to communities when it was hit by a severe cyclone