MORE than 500 amateur athletes are set to run in the first official marathon to take place in Makeni, Sierra Leone on 9 June 2012, in a bid to raise money for vulnerable street children across the country.
The Kiln Sierra Leone Marathon, led by British charity Street Child of Sierra Leone (SCoSL), is the flagship event of the charity’s Golden Jubilee Appeal, and aims to raise at least £250,000 to help the country’s children off the streets and into education.
2002 saw the end of a brutal civil war in Sierra Leone, which left thousands of children without homes or families. While Sierra Leone is today emerging from the devastation it suffered and is beginning to establish itself as an adventure tourist destination, it is estimated that more than 48,000 children are still living and working on its streets.* More than half of the population is under 18 years of age and only 40% is literate.
Street Child of Sierra Leone was set up in 2008 – the year in which Sierra Leone was ranked the world’s poorest country – and works tirelessly to get these children off the streets and into schools through its projects, which started in Makeni.
More than 250 runners are expected to travel to Sierra Leone to take part in the Marathon, with a further 250 local runners expected to participate. A half-marathon and 5k race are also open to runners.
The money raised by the Marathon will go towards building and supporting 50 schools in rural villages, reuniting 500 boys and 500 girls with families, and helping 5,000 children through education in Sierra Leone, as part of SCoSL’s Golden Jubilee Appeal to mark Sierra Leone’s 50 years of independence.
Ben Fogle, celebrity adventurer and patron of the Kiln Sierra Leone Marathon, said: “From my own experiences of being entirely self-sufficient in Taransay, I witnessed what many newspapers described casually as ‘hardship’ - but nothing compares to the unimaginable difficulties that these children face fending for themselves on the streets. They desperately need our help and this Marathon is fantastic opportunity for us to help give it to them.”
Tom Dannatt, founder of SCoSL, said: “While we absolutely want to showcase what a wonderful country Sierra Leone is, it’s not just the taking part in this challenge that counts. We have 250 running places up for grabs for people who are keen to make a real difference to Sierra Leone by raising money to help give these children a much brighter future.”
The Kiln Sierra Leone Marathon will benefit from the support of charity patron General Lord Richard Dannatt, former head of the British Army, who is overseeing the Marathon team’s work with the local authorities in Makeni and organisations including the Red Cross and local corporate partners. Together, they will provide medical and operational assistance to help ensure the safety and well being of runners and volunteers.
Charles Franks, chief executive of Lloyd’s of London insurance underwriting business Kiln Group, which is sponsoring the Marathon, said: “This is an exciting opportunity for Kiln to play its own small part in supporting Sierra Leone on its road to prosperity, as the country celebrates 50 years of independence. Sharing the same anniversary – Kiln celebrates its own 50th anniversary in business next year – we are determined to run and raise as much as we can, and engage the support of the insurance market for this important cause.”
To support the Kiln Sierra Leone Marathon, a number of British schools have signed up to dedicate their sports days to fundraising for Sierra Leone on 9 June 2012. Jonathan Mountstevens, assistant head teacher at Sir John Lawes School in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, said: “Children in the UK are extremely privileged to be able to access education freely. By dedicating our sports day to fundraising for this important initiative, we can help give those children who have never seen the inside of a class room a truly precious gift. The future of Sierra Leone depends on its children.”
ENDS
Media relations
Megan Lees McCowan
Street Child of Sierra Leone
Tel: +44 207 614 7685
@street-child.co.uk
Laura Guerin
Kiln Group
Tel: +44 (0)20 7767 2111
Mob: +44 (0)7557 152 722
NOTES TO EDITORS:
About Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone emerged from a decade of civil war in 2002 and is in the process of reconstruction.
It was ranked the world’s poorest country in 2008 – the year in which SCoSL was founded.
*More than 48,000 children live ‘street-centred’ lives in Sierra Leone (Street Invest/Street Child of Sierra Leone estimate).
50% of its population is under the age of 18 (UNICEF, 2009)
40% of its population is literate (World Bank, 2009)
Sierra Leone has experienced substantial economic growth in recent years, although poverty and unemployment remain major challenges.
About Street Child of Sierra Leone
Street Child of Sierra Leone was founded by Tom Dannatt in 2008 after witnessing first-hand the appalling conditions the street children are faced with on a daily basis.
Tom has built a team of Trustees who have a wealth of experience spanning humanitarian aid, child protection, human rights, international law, UK charity law, NGO work in Sierra Leone, commerce and business-administration. We believe our board of trustees is strongly placed to provide clear direction, energetic leadership and rigorous over-sight of all of Street Child's activities. Street Child of Sierra Leone aims to provide the social and financial structure needed to help give the street children a variety of things that all children deserve – an education, healthcare, a place to live safe from abuse and poverty.
Over the last three years, Street Child of Sierra Leone has helped 1000 children off the streets and into homes and schools. Of the first cycle of street children from 2008-2009, over 75% are still in homes and in school three years on. The charity has helped over 3,000 children back into school. 90% of the funds raised by SCoSL go direct to projects in Sierra Leone.
SCoSL is a registered charity no. 1128536
About Kiln
Kiln is an international insurance and reinsurance underwriting group with a portfolio of specialist risks. Since 1962, it has built its business on the strength of its underwriting and its relationships.
Kiln is part of the AA- rated Tokio Marine Group. Its UK operating company, R J Kiln & Co Limited, currently manages five syndicates at Lloyd’s and, in terms of capacity, is one of the largest agencies trading in the Lloyd’s (re)insurance market. In addition to the UK, Kiln has offices in Hong Kong, Singapore, South Africa, France, Germany, Belgium and Brazil.
A recognised leader in each of the seven main business areas in which it operates: property and special lines, marine, reinsurance, accident and health, aviation, life and enterprise risk, Kiln syndicates benefit from a security rating of ‘A+’ (Strong) assigned to Lloyd’s by Standard & Poor’s.
BIOGRAPHIES
Tom Dannatt: Founder and Director of Street Child of Sierra Leone
Tom founded SCoSL and leads the organisation on a day-to-day basis - alongside the specialist recruitment business he has run since 2002, JohnsonMagill. Tom is ultimately responsible for all aspects of the organisation's performance - the project work and income-generating businesses in Sierra Leone, fund-raising and charity administration. He travels to Sierra Leone regularly and is in touch with our work in the field most days. Tom holds a MSc in Human Rights and is also a qualified barrister.
General Lord Dannatt: British Army Chief of the General Staff 2006-2009 Lord Dannatt is one of the best known Generals of our times, and highly respected by his peers and the general public. He was appointed Chief of the General Staff, the professional head of the Army, in 2006. Included in his many prestigious appointments over the years, is the ceremonial position of Constable of the Tower of London, which he took over in 2009. He is Chairman of the Durham Global Security Institute, a Trustee of the Windsor Leadership Trust, a Founder Patron of the Service charity Help for Heroes and of course, Street Child of Sierra Leone.
Ben Fogle: celebrity adventurer
Ben Fogle is a presenter, writer and adventurer. His achievements include racing 160 miles across the Sahara desert in the notorious Marathon Des Sables. He has rowed the Atlantic Ocean in 49 days and crossed Antarctica in a foot race to the South Pole. He has presented numerous programmes including BBC’s Animal Park, Wild In Africa, Countryfile, Crufts, One Man and His Dog and Extreme Dreams. He writes regularly for the Sunday Telegraph and the Independent and has written five bestselling books. He is an ambassador for WWF, Medecins Sans Frontier and Tusk, a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and the President of the Campaign for National Parks. Ben is a special correspondent for NBC News in the United States, reporting from all over the world for Today, Dateline and MSNBC Nightly News.