Story
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #3366ff; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Thank you SO MUCH for visiting my page! </span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #000000; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: small; font-family: Calibri;">This October I’ll be taking part in the AfriKids </span><a title="The Experience Challenge" href="http://www.afrikids.org/main.php?menuItemId=119&option=displaymultistory&storytype=118_&pagetitle"><span style="font-size: small; font-family: Calibri;">Experience Challenge</span></a><span style="font-size: small; font-family: Calibri;">; for three days and nights I will <span style="color: #3366ff;">live and work alongside an indigenous family in rural northern Ghana, experiencing what life is truly like for those living a hand-to-mouth existence. </span>I will share the family’s home, a compound made of little more than mud and tin; wake at the crack of dawn each day to walk the many miles to the nearest bore hole to collect the daily water supply; help to cook, clean and care for the family children and then accompany the family breadwinner to work each day (all in temperatures nearing 40°c!)</span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #000000; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Whilst I know this will be an incredibly eye-opening, and in so many ways, rewarding experience, I have absolutely no doubts about the numerous <span style="color: #3366ff;">physical, emotional and mental challenges </span>I’ll face. In 2010, alongside a colleague in Ghana, I helped to organise the Experience Challenge pilot. Over two weeks I witnessed the tears, trials and triumphs as 48 Deutsche Bank employees gave up their lives in the UK to take part in the Experience Challenge. I was blown away to see how humble and unbelievably hospitable the Ghanaian families were; they welcomed the participants into their lives with open arms, seizing the opportunity to show them their way of life and learn as much as possible about life outside of Ghana too.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #000000; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: small; font-family: Calibri;">Taking part in the Experience Challenge is a once in a lifetime opportunity for me and I would be so grateful if you would consider sponsoring me. <span style="color: #3366ff;">Every penny I raise will go towards the amazing work </span></span><span style="color: #3366ff;"><a title="AfriKids Website" href="http://www.afrikids.org/"><span style="font-size: small; font-family: Calibri;">AfriKids</span></a></span><span style="font-size: small; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #3366ff;"> is doing right now in Ghana <span style="color: #000000;">(trust me, I’ve seen it!); from resettling children and young people who have been trafficked to larger cities back into their homes, providing them with vocational training and support in setting up their own businesses so they can grow into independent adults, to taking children out of mining and placing them in education, ensuring their health and happiness is no longer at risk.</span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #000000; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">To give you an idea of the difference your money can make:</span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 42pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">· </span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">£6.00 is enough to register a family under National Health Insurance for a year, ensuring they receive the healthcare they need;</span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 42pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">· </span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">£7.50 is enough to buy a school uniform for a child so they can go to school and receive the education they deserve;</span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 42pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">· </span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">£41.00 is enough to provide school notebooks, pens and books for 18 former street children;</span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 42pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">· </span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">£50 is enough to pay the school fees for a year for a former street child;</span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 42pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">· </span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">£200 is enough to provide transport to and from school for the residents of Mama Laadi’s Foster Home.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #000000; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">So, please dig deep and bring a big smile to a little face in Ghana!</span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">(And don’t forget to look at the above pics to get a glimpse into where I’ll be!) </span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Thank you x</span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: black; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><em><span style="color: black; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: small; font-family: Calibri;">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.</span></span></em></p>
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