On Saturday, Penn students meditated for a cause in the Houston Hall of Flags.
The Penn Pakistan Society collaborated with power yoga instructor Kelly Seng in an event called “Yoga for Hope” to raise awareness about Pakistan’s second consecutive year of flooding.
Basil Khan, a Wharton senior and president of the Penn Pakistan Society, addressed the group of about 20 participants before the event began. “Unfortunately, this year’s floods didn’t receive much media coverage,” he said. “Our goal is to create awareness in the Penn community.”
According to Khan, the floods have affected approximately 8.1 million Pakistanis, especially those who make their living from livestock and crops. “For two years in a row, these people haven’t had livelihoods,” he said.
Not only is this the second year that Pakistan has suffered floods, but it’s the second year that the Pakistan Society has used a yoga event to raise awareness. Seng led several events last year for free to help raise awareness and donations. When comparing this event to last years’, she said, “In all of them, people were all in good spirits.”
Seng became involved in teaching these classes through several of her regular Pakistani clients. She made Yoga for Hope accessible to people of all levels by giving modifications of each pose. During the class, Seng not only directed from her mat but walked around the group giving personal instruction and correcting poses.
Saffa Khan, a College sophomore, said, “[Seng] was very thorough.”
The group did not charge for the event, but they did put a voluntary donation box outside after. Wharton sophomore Phoebe Liu said, “I plan to donate money to the people who suffered … and I want to say thanks to everyone for doing this event.”
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College sophomore Rodolphe Dougoud came because of his involvement in taekwondo. “[Yoga] was much harder than I thought — it was much more physical,” he said.
College and Wharton junior Jing Yuan had done only a little bit of yoga before this. She also said, “It’s good they’re bringing awareness about [the floods].”
The Pakistan Society is planning more events to raise money for relief in Pakistan, which they plan to donate to UNICEF at the end of the year. “This was sort of to kick the whole initiative off,” Khan said.
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Gallery: Photos of ‘Yoga for Hope’
