Helping homeless children in Abyei area

Many homeless children are orphaned because of the war and some are as a result of hardships in the aftermath of the war.

The homeless children now living in the Abyei and Agok areas are estimated to be approximately 280.  

They spend their time begging and at night some of them are given shelter in the market of Abyei by the local police who have a post there. 

These children have no access to health care because they have to pay a fee to use the public health system, they do not go to school and there is no established social assistance in the area.

Source:  Sudan Journal blog (a police officer's nine months in Sudan) by Kirk da Silva, Friday, October 16, 2009 - RUN TO ASSIST HOMELESS CHILDREN IN ABYEI AREA:

Children as is usually the case in all conflicts make up a large cross section of the victims and that is no different here in Abyei. Many homeless children are orphaned because of the war and some are as a result of hardships in the aftermath of the war. The homeless children now living in the Abyei and Agok areas are estimated to be approximately 280. They spend there time begging and at night some of them are given shelter in the market of Abyei by the local police who have a post there. These children have no access to health care because they have to pay a fee to use the public health system, they do not go to school and there is no established social assistance in the area.

I would like to ask for your help in raising funds to assist the homeless children in Abyei Area. On December 1st 2009 I will run from Abyei to Agok, a distance of 34 kms and I am looking for sponsors to sponsor me per kilometer. The money collected will be placed in trust with the local catholic church in Abyei and with the Order of Mother St. Theresa an organization the has been in the area for approximately 8 years. (there are no banks in the town) and used to help set up a network of assistance for these children.

If anyone is interested in sponsoring/donating please let me know through my email address and I can put you on the list. For those of you who know where to find them, my wife and people at work in Orillia also have sponsor forms, FYI. Thank you in advance.

By the way, I have never run this far before, I do a bit a running and have been involved in track and field back in high school but just so everyone knows this is going to be quite the challenge for me. I am confident though that come 01Dec09 the first 34 kms I put on my new pair of running shoes will be in the red dust of Sudan. (I might be looking for a new pair of lungs after lol)