Running for gorillas and clean water in Uganda

In two weeks I’m heading to Uganda to run my first ever 50K to fundraise for sustainable water solutions for the communities that surround the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest- home to the half of the world’s remaining 1,000 endangered mountain gorillas. I’m hoping to raise $2500 for for Just A Drop and The Gorilla Organization

I will be running with a small team of 3 Europeans and 25 Ugandans. This is the last in a series of physical challenge fundraisers organized by the founder of That Gorilla Brand that have raised and contributed $190,000 to water projects impacting 7500 people in the villages surrounding Bwindi. We will also be making a film to raise awareness about the importance of access to water and the issues facing mountain gorillas.

In this region where people live on $1/day (and school fees cost $0.30 per day) Ugandans (mostly women and girls) spend up to 4 hours per day walking to water sources, preventing them from pursuing an education or making a living in a way that doesn’t harm the forest. Providing easy access to clean drinking water empowers women, breaks the poverty cycle and alleviates pressure on the gorillas’ forest habitat.