I'm taking part in the 24 challenge as part of Emerging Influencers - a six week leadership programme for 17-23 year olds - to raise money for Tearfund. I'm going to cook 24 meals from 24 countries Tearfund works in to raise awareness of the situations there, and then walk 24km of Cornish coastline in 24 hours.

Why the 24 challenge? In Yemen, 24 million people are in need of humanitarian aid as a result of civil war which has crippled the country's water, sanitation and health infrastructures. This crisis has been exacerbated further by the Covid-19 pandemic; the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine estimate there to have been at least 1 million cases in Yemen. Throughout the pandemic, Tearfund's partner staff have been working to deliver hygiene kits and food baskets.

Akil* lives in the Abyan area of southern Yemen. As a shepherd he doesn’t earn enough to care for his family of nine.

Tearfund's partner saw his need and began to provide monthly food baskets for him and his family.
 
‘We suffered a lot before you provided us with the food baskets,’ Akil told Tearfund's partner staff team. 

‘After we received them I could buy medicine for my disabled granddaughter and also a water tank. Most importantly, my children do not go to sleep hungry anymore. It is all because of you. May God bless you! We hope you continue providing us with the food baskets, they help us a lot.’

The money I raise will go towards Tearfund's work in Yemen, and over 50 of the world's poorest countries, to provide humanitarian aid and help communities to lift themselves out of poverty.

Please consider donating to this worthy cause, I'll be posting updates throughout my fundraising journey and would love you to follow along - 

- Kerenza x

Follow my journey on Instagram @kerenza_hurr