I will soon be sailing / racing 10,000 miles from the UK to Uruguay and then to South Africa with the Clipper RTW race ; in equal measures dreading the discomfort as much as looking forward to the accomplishments. I am exceedingly lucky to be able to undertake such a challenge. Indeed I have to count myself fortunate in so many ways. I have a brilliant (and worryingly supportive!) family, a great home, a great life and have met some wonderful people during my career.

Clipper have UNICEF as an official race partner and each boat has been challenged to achieve a target on their behalf; I would like to do something in addition to this.

My time in Singapore was peppered with extraordinary experiences and people. None more so that a group of people I had the good fortune to meet in Nepal. The Mitrataa foundation mission of : “Inspiring Nepali children and women to take control of their futures through their passions and skills, hand in hand with our belief in them and their dreams”, through education, resonates with me and the company I worked with in Singapore.

As I spent more time getting to know how Mitrataa worked I became more convinced that the link between donation and delivery of benefit was direct and that the person who had established the organisation, Bec Ordish, was utterly committed and truly inspirational in the lengths she would go to, to enable children (from very young children to young adults) to have their best possible chance to reach their dreams.

It was however only in 2016, when I was fortunate enough to lead a group of volunteers from Wiley to Nepal to deliver some training modules that I witnessed first hand the need, the innovation and the rewards that Mitrataa delivered. $10 buys books, $100 pays for a teacher for a month for 25 children

Unicef look after the physical needs of needy children whilst Mitrataa ensure children are empowered and able to reach their potential.

www.mitrataa.org
www.unicef.org.uk