Street Child US

I'm running a half marathon to raise money for Street Child of Sierra Leone! I will match every dollar donated up to $2,000. Thanks for your support.

Since Street Child was founded back in 2008, it has impacted over 1 million children worldwide. In Sierra Leone alone – the organization’s birthplace – it has reached over 246,000 children.

This will be my second time running this race. Last year, I ran the half marathon and shared the experience with dozens of local Sierra Leonians as well as fellow runners from all over. We were each there to share our love of adventure and charity. It is truly the experience of a lifetime.

I had always wanted to visit Sierra Leone for many reasons. My father, Arnold Haffner (pictured above, right), lived in Freetown from 1969 to 1973 after escaping the Biafran War in his birthplace of Nigeria. He regards his time in the country as one of the most enriching periods of his life. My great-grandfather, Sheridan Haffner, emigrated from Sierra Leone to Onitsha, Nigeria in the early 1900s.

You are helping Street Child ensure children are safe, in school and learning.When Street Childs work began in Sierra Leone in 2008, it was the poorest nation in the world. Today, children continue to face significant barriers to learning, with 36% of children never completing primary school and many more leaving school without foundational literacy and numeracy skills. Without intervention, children risk getting stuck in a cycle of illiteracy and poverty.The communities we serve need us to act. We are determined to do just that. We have the experience. We have the skills. We have the plan. Now we need you.Your support of the Sierra Leone Marathon is critical to the work we do as it is with your support we have been able to support over 749,920 children into education and support 89,773 families to set up businesses so they can afford the cost of educating their children long-term. By leaving a gift in your Will you can enable this work to continue, giving children an education, and supporting their families through business.