On August 16th, I'll be racing an IRONMAN 70.3, a 1.9 km swim, 90 km bike ride, and 21 km run, to raise $3,000 for Humanity Effect.

But first, let me tell you what's actually happening on the ground right now, because it matters.

Humanity Effect works in Makoko, a floating community built on wooden stilts above a polluted lagoon in Lagos, Nigeria, home to roughly 200,000 of the world's poorest people. For the past three years, they've been running two schools, an orphanage, and a medical center there, providing over 750 children with daily education, and giving 30+ orphans a safe place to live with housing and meals. In a community where fewer than half of children can access schooling, that work is the difference between having a future and not.

Then, earlier this year, it all came under threat.

Without warning, large-scale demolitions began tearing through Makoko as part of a development plan to replace the community with luxury condos and hotels. Tens of thousands of people, including many of Humanity Effect's students, had their homes destroyed or set on fire. Families were left sleeping in canoes. Schools were suspended. Children from the orphanage had to be urgently relocated to the mainland to get them out of harm's way. The crisis drew international coverage from the New York Times, NPR, and The Guardian, but the people of Makoko still need help.

That's what this race is for.

Humanity Effect is entirely volunteer-run. Donations raised through this campaign will go towards the long-term funding of their new orphanage project on the mainland by covering housing costs, food, furniture, and everything needed to give these children a stable home and the chance to continue their education.

This campaign is personal to me because Humanity Effect was founded by one of my closest friends, someone I've watched pour everything into building something real for people who needed so much help. Watching that commitment over the years is what made me want to find my own way to contribute.

My goal is $3,000. Every cent goes directly to the charity. I will not personally receive or handle any funds for race expenses.

Over the coming months I'll be sharing the journey (updates on how to follow coming soon): the training, the setbacks, the progress, and everything in between. But if you take one thing from this page, let it be the story of Makoko and the people who refuse to give up on the kids there.

If you can donate, please do. If you can't, sharing this page gives a voice to a community that desperately needs one.

Thank you for being part of this,

Sasha Kovacevic