Organisers of Waters Wilmslow Half Marathon are delighted to donate the left over race bags to children in Kenya who are using them as school bags.
Last Summer a group of 13 rangers, young leaders and leaders went on a trip to Nakuru in Kenya having raised the funds to cover the costs themselves.
They spent two weeks in August 2018 teaching children English, maths and science as well as playing games in a non government primary school called The Walk.
Lesley Saunders, Leader of Wilmslow District Rangers, explained "The children all live in temporary shacks on the local town dumpsite. In addition to teaching we supported the schools Feeding Programme and took clothes and educational resources out with us in our double luggage allowance!"
She added "Last year we helped at the Half Marathon and asked if we could take some of the bags out to Kenya as we knew that plastic bags are against the law. We used them to pack loads of resources which we took out there for lessons etc. Then we left them with the children as we came to realise that they could use them as school bags!
"I once again helped at the Half Marathon this year (because I am fundraising to take my Wilmslow Rangers to Switzerland in July). My Husband and I are travelling to Kenya in August and will be visiting The Walk school in Nakuru, so again this year I asked if there were likely to be any spare bags – this time I was able to show the pictures of where they will be ending up!
"The bags are empty, but the children will be able to put them to very good use. These children have so very little and the school provides them with an opportunity to have more life choices as they grow up. I taught in the top class and the students were so diligent even though it was their summer holidays. Some of them even had to care for baby siblings and attend classes."
