Through the month of September 2021 I’ll be taking on a physical challenge of swimming the distance of the channel.

I’ll be swimming 21 miles, which is approx 33,800 metres over the month of September to raise awareness and money for this incredible charity that is so close to my heart.

This is going to be a physical and mental challenge for me personally. For those that don’t know me so well, I spent years of my childhood fearing water and I only learned how to swim in 2018. It’s mad to think that 3 years after overcoming my fear and swimming my first length I’ll be taking on a marathon month of swimming - but why you may ask?

Well, it’s super important for me to take on something I know is personally challenging. Over the years I’ve thrown myself out of a plane, taken on a 12 hour fitness challenge, climbed 24 peaks, trekked Cambodia and the list goes on. But I’ve never done a swimming based challenge and seeing as it’s a skill I’ve recently mastered I thought I’d create a challenge to embrace this life long fear once and for all whilst raising money for the Memusi foundation.

So why the Memusi foundation?

Well the last 2 years my trip to Kenya to support this charity has been cancelled, first in Sept 2020 due to COVID and again this year in Sept 2021 with continued uncertainty around the virus and that part of the world. 

But I just couldn’t wait another year to get out there and help - I thought, what can I do here, right now from the UK to give back and support? So that’s why I’m doing this!

The Memusi foundation exists to provide hope, with the belief that education is the primary route out of poverty for every child. 

At Memusi female hygiene is an integral part of the charities strategy & I am thrilled to announce that the money you donate to this fundraiser will directly be supporting this cause.

The work Memusi are doing on female hygiene is to work to improve period poverty amongst young girls. Supporting young girls through this stage of their physical development as it then has a knock on impact to their education. 

You see it starts off fairly equal with attendance at schools between boys and girls, but as the young girls reach the last 3-4 years of primary school age their attendance drops down to as low as single figures. One of the key reasons that this happens is due to the girls menstural cycle, when the girls start their period.

But why does this happen?

Well in other places across the world this is less common, but there are a number of reasons why this is such an issue where Memusi are working in rural Kenya.

Firstly there is immense shame felt when this happens, it’s an embarrassment. The girls lack the materials to support them during this time. You’d instead have girls using rags, using chicken feathers or perhaps not using anything at all and just sitting on the floor. 

What happens then is girls will either drop out of school altogether through their own embarrassment or at best you’ll have girls that don’t attend school for 1 week every single month in order to deal with this time. 

Just imagine the dynamic of trying to learn when you don’t have the consistency of attendance. 

When somewhere in the world not so far away our sisters are having to choose between shame and education, between period poverty and a future they deserve?

This has to stop and this is why I’ll be donating all funds raised from this fundraiser to support feminine hygiene though the Memusi foundation.

As a woman myself, with nieces, goddaughters & perhaps one day my own daughter I can’t imagine having any of these girls in this position. Having to make this choice, living in period poverty, in shame, where education suffers and basic human rights are denied.

Let’s all make a difference - no matter what you can donate every single penny counts!

Thank you for reading my story & for your support - if you can’t donate then please can I ask you to share this page to raise awareness! Let’s spread the word and raise a fantastic amount of £ for this all important cause!