Thank you for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Please sponsor me to run the Virgin London Marathon on 17^th April 2011. I am raising money for a women's empowerment group in Rwanda called ASPIRE.

Aspire was founded and is led by an inspirational local woman, Peace, who observed that poverty, a lack of education and being unaware of their rights and unable to express themselves, meant that many of her female neighbours were trapped with little chance of changing their circumstances. Peace sought to change this pattern.

The Aspire programme helps hundreds of Rwandese women rebuild their lives in the wake of the genocide, war and poverty that has shattered their country. Aspire equips women with the knowledge, skills, esteem, friendship and confidence to become self-sufficient, improving their families’ standard of living. By working together, the women of Aspire make their own choices and take control of their future.

In the course of one year Aspire trains 50 women in literacy, numeracy, nutrition and health, family planning and women's rights. The women go on to form business co-operatives, creating a network of mutual emotional and financial support, and they pass on their knowledge to their children and their communities. By working together, the women of Aspire make their own choices and take control of their future. In the words of one graduate, Mary: "My life before joining Aspire was hard and I struggled alone. Now I am proud of myself, there is always food on the table and I have managed to provide for my children."

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.

Please dig deep and donate generously for my marathon run and support these incredible women in Rwanda.