Katy Norman does Norwich Half Marathon
for Little Big Africa
Sunday November 29th, 2009

Donation Total So Far:

£560.00

It appears to be the new craze, to put on your running shoes and sports kit (or fancy dress!) and run like the wind until you can't anymore. Unfortunately, a 10.8 miler in training for the Bristol half disagreed with my achilles tendon and I was unable to make it to the start line on September 6th as planned. But my ambition is still alive and I will be running 13.1 miles to complete the Norwich Half Marathon on Sunday November 29th, 2009.

But why am I doing this? For the pain? No. For a personal challenge and sense of achievement? Partly. To raise money for people much less fortunate than myself? Yes. 

Why Little Big Africa?
The summer of 2007 is a memorable one for me. It was spent in Lwemuna, a remote rural village in east Uganda, volunteering on a Water, Sanitation and Health development project in collaboration with LBA. We constructed a 10,000 litre water tank for Lwemuna Primary School so that the children & teachers had access to clean, safe drinking water, meaning time previously spent collecting water that was often unsafe to drink, could be better spent in school. We protected an existing water source, which now provides clean, safe drinking water to Bukhadala village, greatly reducing the risk of water-borne and water-related diseases. We taught important lessons on water, sanitation and hygiene to P3-P7 classes, which they proved they had taken on board by singing our educational song back to us at the top of their voices as we walked away from school on our very last day.

I am still in touch with people in the village. I receive texts from Patrick, the deputy headmaster at the school, sharing news that the water tank continues to function well, but of the increasing hardships felt due to commodity prices doubling and sickness among his family and friends. Lydia and Rogers, two of the most welcoming people I have ever met, who spent much of their university vacations helping us, email telling me they had to miss a term because they couldn’t pay the fees and how their father, Davis, continues to wish Lwemuna Church (adapted from a classroom) will be rehabilitated.

I’ve decided it is time to do something to help. Running the Norwich Half Marathon, I hope will provide much-needed funds in order to help these, and others, in Lwemuna Village. From first-hand experience I know, Little Big Africa is an extremely worthwhile cause.

How to Donate
If you would like to make a donation, simply press the ‘donate’ button below and email Debs to let her know it is me you're sponsoring, with your name and donation amount and any message, so that I can be sure to pass on my thanks and let you know how I did on the day!

I can ensure you your money will be going to an invaluable cause, and I will be able to give you more details of exactly what you're donation has or will be spent on shortly after the marathon when we have a donation total.

And, if you are not allergic to Sunday mornings, it would be great to see you along the route for support!

Many thanks
Katy Norman

15 May 2009

A Big THANK YOU to all the following who have donated so far...