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'RUN KENYA'
Hi, I'm Chris. Beginning in July 2010 I'm taking on an endurance challenge never before attempted and making a documentary film.
I'm running 1,100 miles solo across the whole of kenya. Covering more than 30 miles every running day.
I'm doing this challenge to raise awareness, support and money to help some of Kenya's poorest children living on the streets, and to push my own physical and mental limits.
In April 2008 I began working in Kenya on a unique performing arts project for street children called 'Hear Our Voice' www.hearourvoicekenya.com. The project is part of the wider work of the brilliant charity Action for Children in Conflict http://www.actionchildren.org.
'Hear Our Voice Kenya' helps to rehabilitate street children by giving them the opportunity to create pieces of theatre, songs and poetry about their experiences of life on the streets and, to date, around 200 children have been supported by the project.
I spent 15 months in Kenya working with street children and it was one particular conversation with a street boy called Michael which has always stayed with me.
In our conversation Michael asked if I understood Kenya for children like him. He talked about the journey he is on in his life, about the ocean and his dreams and he told me I should take a journey - I thought his words were profound and touched on something important.
I have been long distance running since I was a teenager - marathons and ultra marathons - and Michael's words had struck and inspired me - I thought, maybe, I could take a journey, maybe I could run across Kenya - I would learn and understand as I go, and maybe I would discover what Michael meant.
I will be taking on an endurance feat never before achieved - I will run 1,100 miles across the entire breadth of Kenya, through 12 towns and cities, over 7 weeks.
I will draw on my previous working experience to help tell the stories of street children across Kenya. I will meet with children on the streets, talk to them and learn about their lives. I will meet with individuals and organisations working to support street children in the community. I will also distribute the 'Hear Our Voice' book to schools, communities and organisations throughout Kenya. This book is an educational resource which will allow these organisations to develop the 'Hear Our Voice' project with the street children in their communities. By the end of the run this distribution will allow 'Hear Our Voice' to benefit and support as many children as possible across the country.
Through taking on this journey I hope to fulfil what Michael said and I will raise awareness, support and money to help some of Kenya's poorest children growing up on the streets, whilst enabling the successful work of 'Hear Our Voice' to grow and continue to help children have brighter futures.
The documentary film of this challenge will raise awareness, support and money around the world through T.V broadcast and DVD release. All profits from sales of this film will go directly to supporting street children in Kenya.
Many thanks for taking time to read this and for donating to 'Run Kenya'.
Very best.
Chris x
