On Saturday May 7 2011 Tendai successfully completed this immense challenge. He ran from Tower Bridge in Central London to the Bobby Robson statue at Portman Road in Ipswich. He did this in a time of 19 hours & 20 minutes. The run proved to be even more of a physical test and emotional journey than any of us had expected. It was incredibly hard for Tendai, but he did it. His determination & strength to finish never faltered. The support that he received during the build up, on the day itself, and the thought of the children he was trying to help in his homeland kept him running. Thank you to everyone who helped make this such an amazing day to be a part of – A truly inspiring experience.
tinodada newe tendai – “We are proud of you”
Tendai is 7ft tall, wears size 22 shoes and is a very long way from home. He comes from Zimbabwe in Africa and he has never forgotten that fact. In May 2011 he is going to run from Central London to Ipswich in 24 hours, the equivalent of 3 marathons in 1 day to help the children of Zimbabwe get an education.
In 2002 Tendai was brought to the UK to play professional basketball. Due to circumstances beyond his control once here, Tendai has found himself in the situation where he currently cannot return home. He has had to watch from a distance as the people in his country struggle and he has been away from his family for 9 years. One day Tendai will return home, but until it is safe for him to do so he needs to do something to show the people of Zimbabwe that he is still with them.
In May he is taking on a huge physical challenge to try and raise funds to help the people in his homeland. The political situation in Zimbabwe has gained much press coverage, but the way in which the day to day lives of the people is affected is something that few know about. Children, eager to learn, are being turned away from the school gates because they cannot afford the fees. Any funds that Tendai manages to raise will go towards supporting the sustainable projects in Zimbabwe run by the Zimbabwe Benefit Foundation, a registered charity. They aim to get more children access to the education they so crave & deserve, provide essential resources & equipment, & to improve the quality of the teaching. Tendai’s funds will also go towards agricultural education, helping to purchase sufficient seeds & farming equipment to allow the children to be taught to grow & care for there own crops. This will provide a meal for every child, every day, & teach them how to sell on what remains - crucial skills for there futures. These projects will help the children survive today, and give them hope for tomorrow.
Tendai grew up in rural Africa, and helping the children in these areas is particularly important to him. He wants to remind them that although for now he is a very long way from home, he remembers where he comes from. If you can help Tendai get the message to the children of Zimbabwe that they have not been forgotten, please make a donation at www.justgiving.com/greatbigrun or contact us on greatbigrun@hotmail.co.uk for more information.
Thankyou!
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