This March Anouk, Nancy, Ollie and Tony from CARE’s Lendwithcare team are going to run (Tony will most likely push baby Milo in his pushchair) the length of Sudan to South Sudan (approximately 201km) in solidarity with the thousands of women and girls around the world facing growing levels of crisis and conflict. The need to stand up and fight for a fairer and more just world has never felt more urgent! The world is facing deepening, multiple and over-lapping crises and it is women like Nyala from Sudan who are often bearing the brunt of these humanitarian crises. The cost of war for women like Nyala and her children has risen enormously because of the erosion of International Humanitarian Law and the normalisation of starvation and gender-based violence as a weapon of war!

But it doesn’t have to be like this …

The plan:

🏃‍♀️ Each Monday this month, we’ll run together as a team for 30 minutes a day

👣 We’re turning our Wednesday coffee break into a walking one

⌚ And whatever distance is left will be covered in our personal time through a combination of walks and runs

Our running stories:

Nancy: In a bid to get fit whilst working and looking after two young children, I embarked on the couch to 5k journey back in October 2023. The plan worked and at the end of the nine weeks I had gone from running for a total of 3 minutes to a full 30 minutes! However, it has been a struggle to maintain momentum and over a year and a half into my running journey it still doesn’t come easily to me … I find it hard to fit in regular runs, to keep going for a full 30 minutes and to exceed the 5k mark! This is exactly the challenge and motivation I need to push me to my running limits and raise vital funds for women like Maria who face unimaginable difficulties and suffering!

Anouk: In 2024, after years of going to the gym, I started to struggle with my motivation and finding enjoyment in my regular routine. After seeing my flatmate join a few run clubs and complete her second semi-marathon, I decided it was time to start running myself. I started by going to run clubs and slowly built-up my stamina and confidence which led me to run my first 10k race in September! Since then, I’ve taken quite a relaxed but also consistent approach to running, which mainly consists of joining my Monday run club and the occasional lunchtime run when the sun comes out. I’m looking forward to taking on this challenge to spend time running with colleagues, increase my time spent outdoors, and of course, to support the thousands of women like Maria who are facing crisis and conflict around the world.

Tony: I worked on the Walk In Her Shoes campaign for CARE nearly ten years ago. I’ve always believed in the power of Walk In Her Shoes to shine a light on the stories of women around the globe, and to raise vital funds for CARE International UK. I’m excited that Walk In Her Shoes is back after all this time, and I’m committed to walking in solidarity with women like Maria. I may even manage the odd run, if baby Milo lets me!

How you can help:

We're raising money for CARE International UK so that women across the world can feel safe. Can build a life. Can shape a better future.

- £14 could help provide a childbirth kit.

- £35 could help feed a women and her family for a month.

- £58 could help train a community health worker to support women who have experienced violence.

Any support is sincerely appreciated 🧡