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Sheffield firm aids Masai marathon men
A SHEFFIELD firm is backing six Maasai warriors, raising money to bring drinking water to their village by competing in the London Marathon, using running shoes made out of car tyres.
Brincliffe-based travel firm, Aim 4 Africa, is sponsoring the runners and inviting other companies and individuals to help the warriors, from Eluai village in Tanzania, who hope to raise between 20,000 and 60,000.
Nancy Cutinha, from Aim 4, which runs tailor made holidays to East Africa, said: "We are very passionate about Tanzania and it is a country which is close to my heart as I was born there.
"We offer bespoke holidays to Tanzania and we want to continue to do that in the years to come. We take our responsibilities seriously and believe that for people to continue to travel to Tanzania and other similar countries then we have to work with the local people to improve their lives."
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The search for drinking water has become increasingly desperate in Tanzania, following years of little rain, so the warriors plan to raise money to pay local engineering companies and other organisations to bring water to their village, Eluai.
Paul Martin from Greenforce, the international aid organisation that has worked with the Maasai since 2005, spent a year living with the Maasai and will run with them in the marathon.
"The Maasai first heard the term 'marathon' in an English lesson," Paul explains. "They were enthralled and amused by the idea that money could be raised by running, and as the Maasai pride themselves on being strong runners it was not long before they asked me if they could take part in one.
"The Maasai are proud people, and they see this as an innovative way to raise money and supply their village with clean water – subsequently this will help them protect their identity, traditions and way of life. If they achieve this, they will return to their village as heroes."
To find out how you can donate, contact Aim 4 Africa on 0845 408 4541 or visit www.maasaimarathon.org
The tyre shoes the warriors will be wearing are like sandals, with basic rubber straps across them. They are made at the local market by other Maasai, cost less than 1 to buy, and when a customer buys them the straps are fixed to the tyre-based sole to fit the individual's feet.
Car tyres have been widely used in the developing world to provide the soles for sandals and shoes. Sandals made from car tyres are now being promoted by some green organisations as a means of recycling tyres and reducing the energy that goes into making new shoes.
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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