Help me get to Tanzania - One step at a time!

Help Me Get to Tanzania – One Step at a Time! ‍

Hi! I’m Alethea Cox – a teenager with a big goal and a pair of running shoes - and that’s my dad in the photo because he's going to Tanzania too - and we’re running a half marathon together to help make it happen! This summer, I’ve been given an incredible opportunity to join a mission trip to Tanzania with my church youth group and an amazing organisation called Go Make a Difference (GoMAD).

We’ll be spending 3 weeks in Musoma, working alongside local communities to:

Build water tanks and improve access to clean water

Support basic medical care

Help with children’s work with the local church

Assist in an ex-leprosy community

When I first heard about the trip, I was SO excited! A chance to serve others and grow in my faith as a young Christian - but then came the reality check: I need to raise £1200 to cover my travel, vaccines, and accommodation. Understandable, but daunting.

I knew I couldn’t just ask my parents for the money — I want to pay my way, so I decided to fundraise the best way I knew how: with a challenge.

The Challenge: Run a Half Marathon!

Running 21k felt totally impossible at first (I couldn’t even run 2k!), but I’ve been training hard, one cold morning and a muddy trail at a time. I’ve already run my first 10k — and I’ll be running the St Albans Half Marathon route this Summer before I head to Tanzania - I’m just a bit too young for the official race!

It’s been tough, but I’ve grown a lot — in my determination, my resilience, and it was sheer will-power waking me up before 6am in the dark through the winter months for a training run. I've even cried actual tears due to set backs in my training ... who would have thought you could get so emotional about running?! I've had to push back the date of my final run from early June to late July - due to persistent injuries that have arisen from my training. I'm currently unable to run according to my training schedule as I'm waiting on specialist orthotics for my feet - they've been in major pain and this has set me back - hence the change of date. But I will get there!

How You Can Help

Any amount you give will go directly towards my personal trip costs. If I’m lucky enough to go over my target, extra funds will support our wider team’s total goal of £26,000.

If you’re not able to give right now, sharing this page with friends and family would mean so much to me!

Thank you for reading — and for supporting this journey that means the world to me.

Alethea

Learn more about GoMAD at https://www.gomakeadifference.co.uk/about

Trip Date: August 2025

Fundraising Target: £1200 by July 2025