More than 200 people attended the event at the Dahesh Museum

At the Dahesh Museum in Manhattan, Kwesi Blair welcomed participants and explained that in Kiswahili Harambee means "all for one.

" He added, "It is the word that resounds when collective efforts are made for common good, such as helping a family in need, or building a new school or church. Everyone does what they can, whether through their own personal efforts, prayers, donations, etc." Linda Corbi, Harambee’s International Programs Coordinator, said that 45 million children in sub-Saharan Africa do not have access to basic education. "It is projected that in 2015 there will still be 380 million people living on less than $1 per day."

Corbi said that the new fund-raising campaign for 2006 plans to raise $1 million in 2006 for the following projects. “The news we most frequently hear about Africa –She said- are bad news: war, hunger, epidemics, corruption… But this is not the whole picture. There is another Africa, made of normal people and good professionals. They are already working to build a better future for Africa” and she explained: “One of the greatest problems in Africa is the lack of hope that effort is worthwhile, so many people think only of the present. That's why education is the key resource we can make available to Africa. Education has two interrelated results: training and helping people make plans for their own future”.

"Africans need help to be able to determine their own future," said Susan Kynua, from Kimlea School in Kenya. She told some stories about African women who changed their life thanks to educational programs they attended: “What Africans need is to be empowered, they need an opportunity, people want to change their life and this is why I am here to look for your support. Harambee is a chance for us to help Africa build a better future by funding educational programs”.