20 At 40

On May 25th 2008 I’ll be running the Brussels streets to raise money for street kids!

Running 500 metres for each year of your life is a reasonable goal. You would think.

That  said, I will be running all mine on the one day.

Thankfully, it is all for a good cause - I’ll be running the Brussels 20k in support of RETRAK’s fantastic work with street children in Uganda, Ethiopia and Kenya.

Its been a while since I did anything as active - hence the ghostly wheezing apparition  you may spot pounding the streets of Brussels in early mornings over the next  twelve weeks in an attempt to erase the effects of ten years of pork pies and beer in three months (the pork pie and beer pictured on the left are awaiting me after the 20K - or at least the beer is, the pie here having mysteriously disapperared after the photoshoot).

RETRAK, which was brought to my attention by a friend of ours here in Brussels, do excellent  and much-needed work on behalf of some of the world's 150 million street kids.

Most of the children on the streets in the countries where RETRAK works have run away from abuse and neglect at home. They  find that they are even more vulnerable to abuse on the streets and are treated as worthless and despised by society.

RETRAK aims to help street children to get back on track; to find new lives in family and community where they can be given the opportunity to develop to their full potential.

RETRAK uses sport, feeding programmes, and medical outreach to make contact with street children and to build trusting relationships. Once a relationship is built each child is helped to think through what they would like to see change and then helped to reach their goals. Some are reunited with family. Others are placed with foster families. Many are supported as they return to school or enter vocational training. Older children may even start their own businesses or attend college or university.

It costs very little to make a huge change to a child’s life. For example:

£10 (€13 or $20) will feed 20 children for a day in Uganda.

£20 (€26 or $40) will provide a school uniform for a child in Ethiopia.

£50 (€65 or $100) will fund an away match for our street boys football team against another club.

£75 (€98 or $150) will provide business training for a young person in Uganda.

Yohannas is 16 but has lived on the streets of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for 8 year after running away from a very abusive father. When he first joined the RETRAK project he was a violent, disruptive, angry boy. But after being shown acceptance and concern by RETRAK staff he began to calm down and expressed a real interest in vocational training despite having had no formal education. He was helped to learn his numbers and letters and in October 2007 he started an apprenticeship at a local metal work workshop where he’s doing well. RETRAK rents a room for him nearby. It is his first proper home for 8 years.

It’s kids like Yohannas you’ll be helping when you sponsor me.

You can learn more about RETRAK at www.retrak.org

By the way, donating through my Justgiving site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor me: RETRAK will receive your money faster and, if you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you.

So, please be generous and help me to raise a significant amount for this fantastic organisation.

Many thanks for your support.

Mark