I've had 'run a marathon' on my bucket list for a long time, and after quite a few failed ballot attempts, I've finally been given the chance to run the London Marathon on April 23rd (the day after Eid)! The fact that I'll be fasting during the last 4 weeks of training only adds to the challenge.
Beyond the personal challenge, I'm seeing this as an opportunity to raise funds for struggling families around the world. I've worked at The Zahra Trust since 2021 and when visiting our countries of operation, I continue to be blown away by the work of the trust and the huge need that continues to exist. The Zahra Trust supports countless orphans and widows in several countries around the world.
I could bore you endlessly with stats, but just one will suffice to make the point: A staggering 16.2 million people require urgent emergency assistance because of food insecurity and malnutrition.
Depending on how much money we're able to raise together, I hope to do the following:
- Support orphans' education in Afghanistan (£5,000)
- Provide 5,000 meals to struggling families in Yemen in the month of Ramadan (£5,000)
- Build a water well to provide safe and clean drinking water for an isolated community in Pakistan (£1,500)
- Support the children's cancer ward in Karbala, Iraq (£3,500).
If through your incredible generosity, we're able to raise the above, then the next milestone will be an additional £18,000 to build a house in Yemen for a family in need!
