Ashinaga Fundraisers in the UK Smash Their Fundraising Targets

In September, on a beautiful autumn day in London, 26,000 runners lined up to take part in a half-marathon to raise money for charities.

They poised, waiting for the countdown: “5… 4… 3… 2… 1…” – and they were off!

Although the countdown only took five seconds, the actual wait was much longer. The Hackney Half-Marathon, taking place annually in East London, was one of the many events postponed by Covid-19: an eighteen-month delay, disrupting plans, and interrupting training.

But for Edoardo and John, running to raise money for Ashinaga, the half-marathon was worth the wait.

“There was an amazing positive energy during the race, with many people by the side of the roads cheering the runners at every mile,” said Edoardo. “There were thousands of people running, and it felt like being part of a big family. I loved it, and I will definitely do it again next year.”

Edoardo had two reasons for taking part. First, he said, “I have seen how much passion Ashinaga put into their work to help talented students. They deserve all our support, and I was honored to be able to do my small part.” The second reason was more personal: “I had never run a half-marathon before, and I loved the challenge!”

John also enjoyed the race, saying, “It felt great to be a part of an event that brought people together for a positive purpose after so long in lockdown and isolation. The atmosphere was incredible, with members of the public lining the streets and offering support and great music and entertainment along the route. It was inspiring, and I really enjoyed it.”

Edoardo and John raised an incredible £1,509.38 between them, with Edoardo’s employer, Fitch Ratings, generously donating another £2,000 on top. This means that the grand total raised by both runners was £3,509.38 – an inspiring achievement!

Running for a Cause: Access to Education for All

When John was looking for charities to raise funds for, picking Ashinaga was an obvious choice. He said, “I am vice-principal of a sixth form college, and so I work every day with students hoping to gain access to higher education, and I know the power of education to change lives. The opportunity to support a charity that aims to provide access to education to students from around the world who would otherwise not be able to access it was a no-brainer, and I was delighted to support Ashinaga and the important work they are doing.”

Today, up to 20% of children aged under 16 around the world are not in school. A lack of teachers, learning materials, and facilities make learning a luxury for many. Some of them, aged as young as ten years old, must balance a full-time job with school attendance. As a result, they are unable to reach minimum proficiency levels, even though many of them are nominally in school.

This learning crisis is one of the most significant global challenges to achieving the UN Sustainable Goals. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated this crisis by shuttering even those few insufficient schools and further disrupted learning across the globe. 

With the support and generosity of fundraisers such as John and Eduardo, Ashinaga can address some of these challenges by offering some orphaned children an opportunity for lifelong learning through more than 20 educational and leadership programs. This support has enabled Ashinaga to support over 110,000 students since its inception and 6,551 youth from 49 countries in 2019 alone.

There are plenty of ways to support Ashinaga without having to put your running shoes on. If you are interested in taking part in a marathon or half-marathon or have another idea for raising money, consider fundraising for Ashinaga. Otherwise, please help us support the next generation of orphaned youth through a donation today. That simple action can help us reach the next 10,000 students.