ADVENTUROUS RUNNERS WANTED...ADVENTUROUS RUNNERS WANTED ... Kenyans have made an international name...
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ADVENTUROUS RUNNERS WANTED We are recruiting one or two runners to join a small work team heading to Kenya in early Oct. Kenyans have made an international name for themselves as some of the best long-distance runners in the world. Most of these Kenyans come from one tribe – the Kalenjin in Kenya’s Rift Valley (mprnews.org/story/npr/241895965). Despite their international fame, most Kalenjin live in subsistence villages where life is terribly difficult. We want to help the Kalenjin capitalize on their running success and bring greater economic opportunities to their communities by starting a Kalenjin Running Camp for running tourists – each participant being assigned their own Kalenjin coach. Running training will be combined with cultural activities to make this a top Bucket List item for runners. We have a small team assembled to work on the cultural activities and marketing, but, aside from our team head and host, Kalenjin Abraham Kosgei, we are lacking runners! We are looking for someone who: • Is an avid mid or long-distance runner (speed and talent not required, but a love for running is) • Has a low-key, flexible personality with a sense of adventure (this is a work trip in a developing country, not a pampered tourist trip) • Has a compassionate heart and a desire to make a positive impact among the Kalenjin • Can spend the first two weeks of October in Kenya This person/s would be responsible for evaluating potential training routes and developing three levels of training goals. Each team member is responsible for his/her costs, which primarily will be the roundtrip flight to Nairobi and transportation within Kenya (we will rent a van and team members will split the cost equally). Villagers will host us, so, aside from a hotel room in Nairobi as we arrive and depart, our other costs in Kenya will be minimal. Other team members include: • an engineer who is helping with a water project (we need to bring running water to the village before tourists arrive for the running camp), • one of the co-founders of Crooked Trails (crookedtrails.org), a travel organization that uses tourism to benefit local communities • the President of Global Pearls (globalpearls.org), an international development organization that empowers locals to address needs in their communities • Abraham Kosgei, a Kalenjin runner and our host, who developed and runs the Santa Fe Thunder Half-Marathon (santafethunder.com) Attached is a list of possible activities we will engage in while in Kenya which we will evaluate for inclusion in the camp program. Who says “work” can’t be fun?! If you are interested or want more information, contact Lisa at [email protected]
Transcript of ADVENTUROUS RUNNERS WANTED...ADVENTUROUS RUNNERS WANTED ... Kenyans have made an international name...
ADVENTUROUSRUNNERSWANTEDWearerecruitingoneortworunnerstojoinasmallworkteamheadingtoKenyainearlyOct.Kenyanshavemadeaninternationalnameforthemselvesassomeofthebestlong-distancerunnersintheworld.MostoftheseKenyanscomefromonetribe–theKalenjininKenya’sRiftValley(mprnews.org/story/npr/241895965).Despitetheirinternationalfame,mostKalenjinliveinsubsistencevillageswherelifeisterriblydifficult.WewanttohelptheKalenjincapitalizeontheirrunningsuccessandbringgreatereconomicopportunitiestotheircommunitiesbystartingaKalenjinRunningCampforrunningtourists–eachparticipantbeingassignedtheirownKalenjincoach.RunningtrainingwillbecombinedwithculturalactivitiestomakethisatopBucketListitemforrunners.Wehaveasmallteamassembledtoworkontheculturalactivitiesandmarketing,but,asidefromourteamheadandhost,KalenjinAbrahamKosgei,wearelackingrunners!Wearelookingforsomeonewho:
• Isanavidmidorlong-distancerunner(speedandtalentnotrequired,butaloveforrunningis)
• Hasalow-key,flexiblepersonalitywithasenseofadventure(thisisaworktripinadevelopingcountry,notapamperedtouristtrip)
• HasacompassionateheartandadesiretomakeapositiveimpactamongtheKalenjin• CanspendthefirsttwoweeksofOctoberinKenya
Thisperson/swouldberesponsibleforevaluatingpotentialtrainingroutesanddevelopingthreelevelsoftraininggoals.Eachteammemberisresponsibleforhis/hercosts,whichprimarilywillbetheroundtripflighttoNairobiandtransportationwithinKenya(wewillrentavanandteammemberswillsplitthecostequally).Villagerswillhostus,so,asidefromahotelroominNairobiaswearriveanddepart,ourothercostsinKenyawillbeminimal.Otherteammembersinclude:
• anengineerwhoishelpingwithawaterproject(weneedtobringrunningwatertothevillagebeforetouristsarrivefortherunningcamp),
• oneoftheco-foundersofCrookedTrails(crookedtrails.org),atravelorganizationthatusestourismtobenefitlocalcommunities
• thePresidentofGlobalPearls(globalpearls.org),aninternationaldevelopmentorganizationthatempowerslocalstoaddressneedsintheircommunities
• AbrahamKosgei,aKalenjinrunnerandourhost,whodevelopedandrunstheSantaFeThunderHalf-Marathon(santafethunder.com)
AttachedisalistofpossibleactivitieswewillengageinwhileinKenyawhichwewillevaluateforinclusioninthecampprogram.Whosays“work”can’tbefun?!Ifyouareinterestedorwantmoreinformation,[email protected]
KENYATRIP–Oct2-14,2017–TENTATIVEPLANSACTIVITIESINLAKENAKURUAREA–ondrivefromNairobitoMatunget
• BABBOONS–BabboonPointatLakeNakuruNationalPark• ARCHEOLOGICALSITE&MUSEUM–HyraxHillMuseum&MountLongonotPROJECTWORK
• WATERPROJECT-Checkonprogressofwaterproject–RAM,pipes,Eucalyptustrees,coffee&mangoes…• RUNNINGCAMP–Meetwithvillagerswhoareinterestedinparticipatingandplanhowitwillwork,discussincomemanagement,visit/chooselandandplanlayoutofcamp,checkout
primaryrunningroutes(KerioValleyNationalPark),trainingplanACTIVITIESINMATUNGETaredesignedforparticipantstogettoknowtheKalenjincultureandwayoflife.
• PRESCHOOL–organizesportsactivitiesforthepreschoolers,teachthemalittleEnglish,andservethemanutritiouslunch.
• ELEMENTARYSCHOOL–walkafirstgradertoschool(andrunback).Itis4-6kmeachdirection,andthesetinychildrencompletethewalkeveryschooldayontheirown.
• AGRICULTURE–workinthefieldsalongsidetheparents–dependingonthetimeofthevisityoumightbeplanting,tending,orharvestingthecrops.Visittheirhoneyprocessingarea(harvestingoptional).
• WATER–joinagroupofladiesastheywalktotheriverandhelpthemcarrycontainersofwaterbacktothevillagefortheir(andour)dailyneeds.Bytheend,yourbackwilltellyouwhywearesoexcitedaboutbringingrunningwatertothevillagers.• COOKING–learntocookatraditionalKalenjinmealsoyoucantreatyourfriendsbackhometoatasteofAfrica.• STORIES&DANCE–gatherfortheeveningentertainmentofstorytellinganddance–oneofthemostbasicwaysthe
Kalenjinpassontheirculturetofuturegenerations.• RIMOIGAMERESERVE–Openedjustoverayearago,thisisalmostunknowntotourists,
yetitishometothelargestherdsofelephantsinEastandCentralAfrica.Otheranimalsincludetherarewhitecrocodile,dikdiks,babboons…
ACTIVITIESINTHEBARINGOAREAcombineabitmoretourismwithculturallearnings(thesearetentative).
• LAKEBEGORIA–thislakeisfamousforitsspectacularthrongofpinkflamingoesanditshotsprings.Itisthemostpopulartouristattractioninthisregion,andwithgoodreason.
• LAKEBARINGO&RIVERMOLO–LakeBaringoisconsideredoneofthebestbirdinglocationsintheworld,withover470speciesspottedhere.TakeaboattriponLakeBaringoandupRiverMolotoviewthebirds,aswellascrocodilesandhippos–twoofthemostdangerousanimalsinAfrica.
• GIRAFFEISLAND-Rothchildsgiraffe,warthog,impala,hyrax,monkeys,pangolin,hippoandostrichexistinthissmallpreserveonanislandinLakeBaringo.• FISHING–TheNjempsFishingVillagesareknownfortheirpracticeoffishingintraditionalreedboats.Learntheirfishingstyleandseeifyoucancatchdinner!Whenwereturntolandyouwilllearnhowtheysmokethefishandmaketheircanoes.
ACTIVITIESINNAIROBIifyouhavetimebeforeyourflightleavesbackhome.
• ELEPHANTORPHANAGE–babyorphanedelephantsarecaredforuntiltheyareoldenoughtobereintroducedtothewild.Viewingisfrom11:00am-12:00noon.
• CARNIVORERESTAURANT–Ifyouareanadventurousmeateater,youwon’twanttomissthisexperience.Inadditiontomoretraditionalmeat,theyalwayshavetwoorthreeexoticanimalsforyoutotry.Yes,thereisawonderfulvegetarianoptionifyoudon’tmindalittleteasing!
