Story
Jamie and I went on holiday to Cape Town. We knew about the past issues South Africa had with the Apartheid, but had no idea that we would the level of poverty that we saw. We also saw such a high level of blatant racism and segregation, that we were truly heartbreaking. There are millions of people living in slums which go on for miles, with corrugated iron shacks with no clean water or santiation and so many HOMELESS CHILDREN! The worst part was they were next to million pound houses owned exclusively by white people who got their because of the Apartheid. There is such a lack of privilege for people who are non white, with no way to move out of the slums.
We have always felt privileged to have been born in England and felt I had such a high level of opportunity, but visiting Cape Town has given me a phenomenal smack in the face about how different this is to countries like South Africa.
We have been so inspired to try and do something to help in any way that we can. After carrying out a lot of research since we got back to England it is clear that the lack of opportunity for people living in the Townships will keep the current level of racial segregation. We have found a fantastic UK ased charity called SOS Africa (http://www.sosafrica.com/) who are funding high level education and after school support for disadvantaged children from the Townships in order to give them a good quality education and help them to have another option than joining a gang to survive.
In December I killed myself by running a 5k. This time to up the ante I am going to have a weekend of psychological and physical trauma. I'm going to spend 24 hours in Shepton Mallet prison on 27th May to be treated like a real prisoner, then I'm going to run 10k to once again kill myself. Ive got a month to train- it's gonna be a hard one!!!!
Anything you can give to help will be immensely appreciated!!