Thank you to everyone who supported me in quest to cross the Greenland ice-cap. The trip was a big success, and I returned to the UK on 7th May having completed the East-West ice-cap crossing of 560km (350 miles)
The trip took 28 days to complete and was done as part of multi-national team of 5 plus our experienced guide. We pre-dominantly skied whilst hauling our sledges with all food, fuel, clothes, tents and other equipment. Each sledge weighed approximately 85kg (187 lbs) at the start.
By crossing the Greenland ice-cap you have helped me raise money to support Action for Children in Conflict (AfCiC). AfCiC works to help kids in Kenya who have somehow ended up with the wrong start in life. Conflict isn't necessarily the result of war, and can equally be the product of poverty, desperation and despair that create situations where children suffer violence and neglect. AfCiC works to create places of safety for these kids, and where trained workers can provide a climate of support and befriending that have been lacking in their lives.
I have asked AfCiC to use the money I raise for a specific project which is already in operation; the Interim Care Centre (ICC) - see photos. The ICC is an interim residential centre for the most abused and vulnerable street boys who cannot immediately rejoin their families. 20-25 boys are recruited every six months through referrals from a combination of other AfCiC programmes, and local Kenyan authorities and community stakeholders. Most boys stay for 6-9 months. On the streets, these children have experienced drugs and other substances and suffered from many forms of neglect, exploitation and abuse. By carrying out intensive rehabilitation, non-formal education, counselling and family reintegration work, AfCiC’s social workers prepare these boys for re-integration into society and pave the way for a successful and sustainable return home and into education.
As well as being a tangible project, it is also badly in need of support. Food prices have been rising dramatically in Kenya over the past couple of years, making it harder to find the funds to meet the basic needs of the children resident at the ICC. It is an exceptional project, with an incredible team of staff working round the clock to support the centre. The fact that it is 'interim' is a key factor that makes it stand apart from the usual institutional children's home set up, which is so common in Kenya and elsewhere.
Thank you so much for taking the time to visit and read this page, and rest assured that every penny donated served as additional motivation for me as I stared into the ice and snow abyss of the Greenland ice-cap, putting one foot in front of the other, counting the days, hours and minutes till I would be back home again.
For more information about AfCiC, please go to:
http://www.actionchildren.org/who-we-are/overview.php
Einar
And now for the "small print":
Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.
