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

 

In December I will be travelling to my home in the Upper East Region of Ghana to take part in a 35km (22 mile) run in 36°c heat to raise money for child rights NGO, AfriKids.

 

As some of you may know, I am one of AfriKids first ever beneficiaries. When both my parents died not long after my birth I was labelled a “spirit child” through a local cultural belief that a child can harbour evil spirits. After a number of attempts on my life, I was rescued by Sister Jane, a partner of AfriKids who ran a babies’ home nearby. Thanks to the love and support given to me by Sister Jane and AfriKids, I was cared for, received an education and was fortunate enough to discover that I have a passion for and talent as an artist.

 

In 2008 I joined the British Army, my way of saying thank you to AfriKids for helping to turn my life around. I got back to the UK from Afghanistan in November and a Telegraph journalist attended the medal ceremony in Chepstow to capture the occasion and write the following article about my story:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/telegraphchristmasappeal/8901780/One-young-Ghanaians-battle-against-a-soothsayers-curse.html

 

Whilst, thanks to AfriKids, the belief in spirit children has almost been completely eliminated in the Kassena Nankana District of Ghana’s Upper East Region where I was born, there is still a lot of work to do to ensure vulnerable children receive the opportunities in life they are entitled to.

 

So, I will be running from AfriKids Ghana’s Head Office in Bolgatanga to the Angus Child Rights Centre in Sirigu, kitted out in my army gear, to raise the funds needed so AfriKids can continue its work. Once I have completed the run (and have caught my breath!), I will speak at a Grand Durbar which will be attended by the AfriKids Ghana team and hundreds of children and families from the surrounding communities to signify my return to Ghana and this day as the launch of the final phase in abolitioning the Spirit Child Phenomenon.

 

I would be so grateful if you could sponsor me.

 

Thank you,

Paul

 

www.afrikids.org