Finley's Kenya Expedition 2026 - Camps International

Hi,

My name's Finley and I'm a Year 10 student with a clear goal ahead of me. I currently attend Our Lady of Sion School in the South-East of England.

Recently, our school has been presented with a spectacular opportunity with Camps International. One that consists of a 4-week project dedicated to improving and saving lives, wildlife and the environment in Kenya. Kenya is one of the poorest countries on the planet. With a staggering life expectancy of 61, 2.6 million people fall into poverty or remain in it due to ill health. - This is why I feel so strongly about this expedition and why your donations are going to be put to their best use.

As you may know my Dad runs ALOT. I am going to set myself the formidable, but I feel very much achievable challenge of running my first marathon in 2026. Yes that's right... 26.2 miles. Of course it would be foolish not to build up to such a task slowly and meticulously. Thus it is my intention to train towards three individual races spread across the next 18 months.

Mission 1: 10k ~February 2025

Mission 2: Half Marathon (13.1 miles) ~May 2025

Mission 3: Marathon (26.2 miles) ~April 2026

The total fundraising target is £4700. This funds:

Accommodation

Flights

Food

Specially trained Camps International Staff

Local Kenyan workers

And loads of other stuff!

The fundraising goal is broken down into 3 instalments.

1. £1000 by Feb 2025

2. £1000 by Aug 2025

3. £2700 by May 2026

For now lets just concentrate on the first target! 10K!

I'm new to running but I'm absolutely determined and focused on achieving this. My training starts now.

In addition to this I have other fundraising ideas

Dog Sitting

Car Washing

Gigging with my band

Asking the old folk of Worthing if they need any jobs doing,

basically anything that is going to help me reach my target.

This will be an unforgettable experience that will no doubt enrich my soul.

All I'm thinking about now is that first target of £1000

(Sorry, but I maybe harassing you for more money whilst I'm in training for the second and third missions!!)

Please help in any way you can, however small. I will be forever grateful, (and so will be the people of Kenya!)

I will ensure to keep you all well informed with regards to my training journey.

Your donations go towards an amazing cause; while I attend the expedition I will participate in 4 key areas.

-The Community Project, this will be where me and my team from my and other schools will be working to our limits in constructing classrooms, building toilets and showers, improving clean water supply. We will also be learning cultural aspects of Kenya from the wonderful foods I hear of (and hope to try with your help) up to playing football with the native children and exchanging language teachings!

-Protecting wildlife, this is where I will work alongside locals to protect all sorts of wildlife, elephants are often at risk in these areas. And so, we may be participating in constructing and installing safety fences to prevent the beautiful animals facing harm from farm land and other regions; we will also be working with the local schools in teaching them about how precious our world and its wildlife is.

-Environmental work, this will potentially be the most tiresome work all while making memories that will last a lifetime. In the past, students have lugged tons of rock to create rooms for vehicles and pathways, built roads, and even dewormed goats!

-The Trek, this is a 5-day adventure, one not designed for the weak, it is a trek up Mount Kenya - the 2nd highest mountain in Africa. As we venture up, the views we will witness will be spectacular, magical, and life-changing really. The finale of the trip, will be the sunset we view at earlier than 5AM at the summit of Mount Kenya.

£5000 is the amount I must fundraise to work with a community facing drought, infertile soils and crop damage due to wild animals and other causes. Your donation is more than the money, it is a show of your respect and empathy for dying people, a show of your kindness and gratitude for the fortunate world we live in - outside of poverty and suffering.

As one society we can start to improve our world - and it starts here with any donation, a donation that will make its mark. Making communities bloom, wildlife flourish and the people of Kenya really get to live life. I don't want to sit back and let suffering happen, especially when offered the opportunity to do my part in stopping it. Equality is a far away goal, but the biggest successes follow the smallest steps.

Support me, and do your part for the people of Kenya, do your part for their country, do your part for our world. And most importantly, do your part for yourself.

Thank you, Finley x