I decided that it was time for a challenge... so I'm going to cycle around 70 miles a day every day for two weeks!
I'm looking forward to an adventure and seeing the countryside from a bike - but more than that, I'm doing this for the street children of Latin America.
Dani is an eight year old girl from Oruro, a small mining town in Bolivia.
Her mother is an alcoholic and often leaves her children alone for long periods at a time; because of this Dani spends a lot of time on the streets of Oruro. She lives in extreme poverty, but what she suffers from the most is the lack of love she receives from her mother. She began going to a school funded by Toybox, where she is given the care she needs and is a bright, happy child who now has the hope of a bright future.
Oruro is full of children like Dani, who either live on the streets or are at high risk of ending up there. Children often start life on the street by working to earn money for their family, or by running away from their family situation. Gradually they spend more and more time on the street until it becomes home. Life on the streets is tough; children struggle for survival, are often abused by adults, and become addicted to 'clefa' (glue) as the only way to escape their reality.
Toybox funds a project in Oruro called 'Guardian Angels', reaching children who live on the streets or who are very likely to end up on the streets. The project provides 'angels' who look out for vulnerable children and get them the help they need.
I hope you'll want to be part of making a difference to the children of Oruro.
Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor me: The Toybox Charity 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.
Thank you!
Sarah Duffy
