I was phoned recently by Impact Marathons to see if I had any questions about my trip to Nepal, about visas, vaccinations or anything else. Knowing that I’m going to the back end of beyond to help remote, and in some cases poverty stricken, communities, I asked if there was anything I could bring with me to donate. I imagined I might be told crayons for the school we’d be building. Or sanitary towels for the women and girls for whom we are championing equality. Something I could pop to the shops on the way to the airport and pick up in bulk. Little did I expect the answer to be running shoes. Second hand running shoes thankfully, as running shoes are not cheap things to buy, but none the less…running shoes. It took me by surprise. I suppose that’s a bit of my ingrained prejudice speaking; “these people need simple, cheap things to make their lives better, not the same expensive technical things as I need”. Then, moment of unconscious bias beaten down, I thought about it a bit more. Of course running shoes are needed, everyone deserves access to sport. Sport keeps people healthy. Sport builds and strengthens communities. Sport also gives you opportunities outside of the communities you live in. Even more than that though, when you live in the middle of nowhere, without a car or bike, running to the market or the next village can save an awful lot of time! Running shoes though, are not readily available in your corner shop, and even if they were they’re very expensive to buy when new. For those of us living a comfortable lifestyle of privilege here in the UK though we frequently chuck out our running shoes because we’ve done a few hundred miles in them, or because the latest model has come out, or even because we’ve quit running. So in many of our homes there are a fair few pairs consigned to the back of wardrobes or dumped in the dust of the cupboard under the stairs.
4 Comments
Liz
12/9/2016 04:44:03 pm
Hi Chloe,
Reply
Chloe Agg
12/9/2016 08:07:38 pm
Hi Liz,
Reply
Fred Collin
26/9/2016 08:01:24 pm
Hi Chloe, I know I'm late in replying but I have 2 pairs of running shoes I could donate to the Nepal cause if you are still collecting. I could pop them into your office if that helps.
Reply
Chloé Agg
26/9/2016 08:05:39 pm
Hi Fred,
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorChloe is running 1000 miles to raise money for Global Action Nepal. She's also an engineer and a Mum. Archives
August 2017
Categories |