Gruelling fundraising race to support families in Kenya

Neil Sampson from Upper Beeding is set to take on a gruelling race in aid of Team Kenya

The race starts on the Friday night and takes in the South Wales valleys and the Brecon Beacons and racks up a total 6,500 metres of ascent which is higher than Mount Kenya, the tallest peak in Kenya.

Neil said: “Long distance running has been a hobby of mine for over 10 years but this will be my most demanding challenge yet. I have a 40 hour cut off to finish the race which means that I could be running through two consecutive nights without any sleep.

“I work as a Product Manager in Brighton and live in Upper Beeding with my wife and three kids who are all very supportive of my challenge. My wife Lisa Sampson is no stranger to physical challenges, having spun up to 80 hula hoops simultaneously when she reached the semi-finals of Britain’s Got Talent last year. We’re an active family, and it’s great that some of that excess energy can be put towards a good cause!

“I’m raising money for Team Kenya, a small UK based NGO, founded in 2008, that works in partnership with local Kenyan charities to educate girls, empower women and reduce extreme poverty in rural communities.”

Since 2008, Team Kenya has built a strong relationship with the community of Ndhiwa, Western Kenya and the Ndhiwa Community Empowerment and Development Project (NCEDP). Team Kenya work in partnership with NCEDP and together have transformed the lives of over 10,000 children and their families in Ndhiwa. Around the world over 66 million girls are out of school and women are unable to take their place as respected and equal members of society. Team Kenya believes that when a whole community works together, they can break the intergenerational cycle of poverty, especially when girls and women are given the same opportunities and rights as boys and men.

The charity’s founder Val Wilson said: “It’s not about prioritising girls over boys, it’s about creating a level playing field for all, so everyone, regardless of their gender, can contribute to lifting their community out of poverty.”

To sponsor Neil visit www.justgiving.com/neilrunsforkenya