Thank you all for taking time to visit my JustGiving page.

Well, it's been a long time coming and I think that the time has come that I do what I have been pledging to do for some time now, and finally give something back.  Everyone has their own reasons on why they decide to do something like a charity challenge and why they chose a particular charity and here are mine:

Why Afrikids? - Because I've always wanted to do something for the children in Africa. Giving a child a better opportunity in life is what can change the world tomorrow.  With Afrikids, I can also see exactly where the money I have raised is going and I get to have direct interaction with the people's lives who we are making a difference to. Nothing can be more rewarding than that.

To take part in the challenge, I must raise a minimum of £1,000.  Please remember that anything being donated by Deutsche employees, will be matched by the Bank.  To give you some examples of how your money can make a difference, please see below.  It's surprising how so little money can make such a difference to someone's life and future:

If I raise £1,250 - This could pay for the salary of an IT teacher for one year!  A child could learn essential skills and therefore break the poverty cycle.

If I raise £1,500 - This could put FIVE older children into secondary school!

If I raise £2,000 - This could pay for health insurance for an entire school (250 children) for an entire year!

 

Why this particular challenge? - Because me, being me, do not like to make things easy on myself. I will be going to a remote village in the Northeast of Ghana and staying with a local family but living in a tent.  I have selected to be a market worker, which although sounds simple in itself, involves and 8 mile walk in the searing heat at dusk and again at dawn (carrying from water to charcoal to shea nuts!) to and from the market.  I will be seeing first hand, what it means to live below the poverty line and how much work needs to be done just to keep the family alive.

This challenge is going to push me both mentally and physically.  During the programme, I will need to come up with innovative ways to improve the standards of living and opportunities to the families and their children of the village.  

Why now? - For those of you who know me well, you know that it has been a hard half year for me (and it's not getting any easier!).  I say that, but in the grand scheme of things, what I've been / going through, isn't really that bad if you think about the way some people have to live their lives. Sometimes it's quite easy to lose focus on what's important in life and I think that maybe I have started down that road. There is no better time to remind myself how privilaged I actually really am and at the same time, do something positive and improve a child's chances at life.   

As a final note, the plane tickets to Ghana along with what I'll be needing whilst I'm there (food etc) have been paid for out of my pocket so anything you give goes directly to the charity and the cause.  

I am excited and scared at the same time.  I know some of you will think that I am mad, but haven't I always been?? :)

So please dig deep and donate now.

Thank you!!