Jesuit Mission Australia has launched a new supporter event to help change the lives of children and at-risk communities in Asia and Africa.

One Foot Raised challenges participants to walk and raise funds for Jesuit Mission using a peer-to-peer online platform. Participants can sign up as a school, parish, a group of friends, or as an individual, with the option to walk 6 kilometres, 23 kilometres, or 100 kilometres for one day, one week, or spread it out over the month of July, coinciding with St Ignatius Day on 31 July.

The initiative is seen as an opportunity to draw further inspiration from St Ignatius the Pilgrim. “We walk because Ignatius walked, we walk because Jesuit missionaries walk alongside the marginalised, and we walk because many children in Jesuit Mission supported schools walk long distances each day to gain a quality education,” the organisers said.

Children and young people living in refugee camps, like Paw Meh in Thailand, will receive support for education and other life-changing opportunities from the project.

All proceeds from One Foot Raised go directly towards supporting at-risk communities in over 10 countries in Asia and Africa, including Cambodia, Timor-Leste, India, Myanmar, Thailand, Malawi, and more.

“Let’s walk in solidarity with our sisters and brothers overseas, many of whom have to walk for hours to access water, a quality education, and healthcare. Together we can help change their situation for the better,” said Helen Forde, CEO of Jesuit Mission.

$100 can provide a week’s supply of food and water for a refugee family, while $250 can fund a child’s school fees in a village for one year.

Interested groups and individuals can register at onefootraised.org.au to take the One Foot Raised challenge.