Could you travel 124-miles on just £7.50, using only your imagination and charm?
That’s the challenge a Dundee charity has set for people in the city.
African families face a 124-mile journey on a budget of £7.50 to get life-changing surgery for their children.
While £7.50 may not seem that much – the price of two coffees in the High Street – the average pay for families is around just £1 per day.
Scraping together over a week’s worth of wages to help their children is a struggle for many African families.
That’s why Dundee-based Kids Operating Room (KidsOR) have launched their new challenge, urging people to fundraise on the way.
Teams of three to five people, will set off from either Edinburgh or Dundee on April 7.
Ambassador Mark Beaumont
The challenge is headed by Scottish cyclist Mark Beaumont.
He said: “I am delighted to be a part of this fun, interactive way of supporting KidsOR’s amazing work to provide safe surgery throughout Africa.
“Business Breakout is the perfect chance to get employees who have been working from home for the best part of two years back together, while raising money for a worthy cause.
“All ages and abilities are welcome to take part – how creative can you be with £7.50?”
KidsOR giving families hope
Garreth Wood, co-founder and chairman of KidsOR, said: “This challenge will share the struggles families face when travelling in the hope of getting safe surgery.
“There are 1.7 billion children globally who do not have access to surgical care when they need it.
“KidsOR is addressing this by installing state of the art operating rooms and training surgical teams.
“Initiatives like this are fundamental. Funds will go directly to transforming the lives of children and how they access surgery.
“£7.50 may not seem like a lot of money here. But to a family living on less than £1 a day in Africa, it is a huge expense.
“It is often a heart-breaking risk spending money to travel, when at the end of the journey the child may still not be able to access surgical care. Or they may wait weeks or months hundreds of miles away from home before receiving treatment.
“Kids Operating Room will not stop until every child can access safe surgery.
“This challenge is also a great opportunity for employees to get together in-person to enjoy themselves, re-establish rapport and hone their entrepreneurial skills.”
Prize for furthest distance travelled
Each team is encouraged to aim for a fundraising target of £10 per mile.
The team who manages to travel the furthest will be given a £1,000 voucher to spend in Tiso.
Chris Tiso said: “The team is looking forward to taking part in the charity’s first year of this challenge. We are proud to be donating the top prize too.”
KidsOR was founded by Nicola and Garreth Wood in 2018. It aims to install 120 paediatric operating rooms across Africa by 2030.
For more information on KidsOR, please visit: www.KidsOR.org
