What am I doing?

I aim to raise £500 for Zambia's Crown of Life School by running the equivalent of a marathon over the month of May. I am literally starting from the couch so this is a real challenge as I lost my running mojo a long time ago.

Why am I doing this?

I believe that children and young people everywhere should have the best start in life. My career as a counsellor has been devoted to supporting young people in the UK to overcome life's challenges to be the best that they can be.

In recent years I have been experiencing a strong calling to do something to help children and young people in other countries that are faced with a very different set of challenges due to poverty. In March, God opened a door for me to do just that.

In July I will be heading out to Zambia on my first mission trip where I will be physically helping to build a new toilet block for the growing number of students at The Crown of Life School, (anyone who knows me knows how I feel about hygienic and private toilet facilities!) I'll also be privileged to spend some time with local partners that work alongside the disadvantaged and marginalised people in Lusaka.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for any donation you are able to give and please remember to add Gift Aid if you can 💕

With love

Tina

Crown of Life School serves the nearby shanty compound of Ngombe and the surrounding rural communities, which are being overtaken by the outward growth of Lusaka. The school has an excellent academic record, with most pupils passing their grade 7 examinations (end of primary school) in recent years. School fees are about £7 a month for primary grades and £10 for secondary, but many parents cannot afford to pay. In fact, about a third of the pupils attending the school do not pay fees and many pupils are supported through sponsorship schemes.

In 2023, Mission Direct plans to build a second toilet block at the school, to provide better facilities for the increased number of pupils. The estimated cost is £15,000.