On 23 April 2023, I will be running the London Marathon to raise money for Awamu, in memory of my sister-in-law Nansamba Kyegombe.

We sadly lost Nansamba to cancer in 2021 after a long and brave battle. Instead of flowers, Nansamba requested donations to a cause close to her heart: improving the lives of the most vulnerable young women and girls in Uganda, which has since developed into a beautiful collaboration with Awamu.

Awamu invests in the education, skills and healthcare of girls and young women in the slums of Kampala, Uganda. Including through the development of the Nansamba Learning Centre and Safe Haven - a befitting legacy for a strong and inspirational woman, who continues to help and inspire others.

I decided to combine a lifelong ambition to run the London marathon with a desire to fundraise in memory of Nansamba. However, it has already been a long journey even before I get to the starting line! As Awamu does not have a charity place in the London Marathon, I had to run a fast enough time at another qualifying marathon to earn a "good for age" place. And so, a large part of 2022 was dedicated to training and running the Brighton Marathon in order to be able to apply for and then finally get my 2023 London Marathon place!

I would be extremely grateful for your support through a donation to Awamu. I have set myself an initial target to raise £100 for every mile I will run. Which my employer will then match up to a further £1,000. 

Every little counts:

£15 could buy a pair of school shoes

£25 could buy a year's supply of sanitary items for a girl - making sure she never misses a day of school simply because she has her period

£35 could buy a school starter pack to give a girl everything she needs to return to school (bag, pens, exercise books, study equipment)

£60 could buy a school uniform for a girl returning to school

£110 could buy a sewing machine to help give vulnerable girls the skills to earn a living and look after themselves and their families

£900 could pay for a specialist teacher in the Nansamba Community Learning Centre for a year

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.