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MY 40TH BIRTHDAY CHALLENGE
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- £16,000 To Educate 10 Girls For The Next 10 Years
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- To coincide with my 40th birthday in September 2010, I set myself a little challenge.
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- By my 41st birthday, I aimed to raise £16,000 to sponsor the education of 10 girls in India for the next 10 years.
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- And we did it!!
WHY?
I’m a passionate supporter of youth projects and in recent years have volunteered my time and expertise to support various projects in the UK and abroad to help young people advance their careers.
During these experiences, I’ve met young people in the developing world (particularly young woman) who struggle because they haven’t had the foundation of good education.
So when I recently saw my young neice Rhianna (pictured on the left here) get excited about reading a whole book one morning, it struck me how her life would be so different to the many young girls like her in the developing world – simply because she could read.
Which inspired me to set up this challenge and raise funds for the Room To Read Girls Education Programme.
WHO ARE 'ROOM TO READ'..?
Room To Read build schools and libraries in the developing world along with running programmes to help girls complete education.
Their Girls Education Programme identifies girls at risk of dropping out of school and ensures that they have the opportunity to complete secondary school. Currently, the majority of participants are ages 7 to 12.
WHY GIRLS?
- For every year a girl is educated beyond the average, her wages increase by 15%
- Infant mortality rates decrease by 8% for each year a woman stays in school
- In India, woman with a secondary education are 70% less likely to be married as children than illiterate girls in the same community
WHY INDIA?
Of all the world's illiterate people, 35% live in India.
Why £16,000?
- So by raising £16,000 we can collectively support 10 girls for the next 10 years
SO DID WE RAISE THE FUNDS?
The intention was to make this a fun community challenge:
Dec: Charity Poker Tournament raised £1,600 (click to see photos)
Apr: Sky Divers raised £2,200 (photos)
May: Two Charity Walks raised £1,500
Sept: The 3 Peaks Mountain Trekking Challenge raised £7,000 (photos)
THANK YOU!
A big thank you everyone for their support, donations and encouragement. It's been a fun year.
WOW! CAN WE STILL DONATE?
Yes....just donate below. But do it quickly, as we're about to close the fundraising on October 10th!
