Walk in Her Shoes 2013

While I am lamenting over the fact that I haven’t exercised for a few days because I’ve been both lazy and too busy and making excuses like it’s no ones business, an email hit my inbox that promptly gave me the swift kick my the arse I was after.

: Of the world’s poorest people, 70 per cent are women and girls.
: On average, in developing countries, women and girls travel over 6 kilometres every day collecting water. They carry around 15-20 litres per trip.
: Two out of every three children who are not in primary school are girls.
: Women produce 50 per cent of the world’s food, but only own 1 per cent of its farmland.

While it’s all good and well for me to have some “me time” to exercise to help shed a few extra kilos that have been packed onto my privileged white arse over Christmas, imagine if I had to walk every day just to get some water for my family? Imagine my girls not being able to go to School because I need them to walk for me and get water instead.

So I’ve registered for the Walk in Her Shoes event on the 18th-24th March 2013.

What is it?

Walk In Her Shoes is a campaign run by CARE Australia to raise awareness and money to support women and girls living in poor communities. Women are often the most disadvantaged and impoverished members of poor communities. The injustice that they face is evident by their burden of walking to collect food, water and firewood which prevents girls from going to school and women from earning an income – keeping them trapped in a devastating cycle of poverty. For women and girls in developing countries, poverty is not just about a lack of food, water and shelter. It is also caused by the denial of their right to go to school, earn an income, make household decisions and make decisions about their health and bodies.

With over 65 years of experience, CARE knows that women are the solution to overcoming poverty. Research shows that when equipped with the proper resources women and girls are best positioned to help lift families and entire communities out of poverty. In fact, our many years of experience demonstrate that when you help one woman out of poverty, she will bring four others with her.

What will I be doing?

Simply walking 10,000 steps a day. For a week. I say simply, but I think it will be a challenge. I’m trying to raise $500 so I’m asking for peeps to sponsor me, or join my team and help raise the money. It costs $15 to register (which you can do online here) they will send you a pedometer and you can join my team called BabyMac here if you want. Or not! Or you could just make a donation to sponsor me if you wanted here.

I’m not being paid to do this, not being asked to do this, I just thought yes. I should do that, so I am. Wish me luck!

Comments

  1. Good luck Beth! I walked 50km overnight in March 2012 for The Fred Hollows Foundation. It was exhausting and rewarding. It’s a wonderful thing to do.

  2. Good Luck.

    Did you watch 4 Corners last night?

    It was brutal for those children and babies living in cars and motel rooms.

    I think most of us have it pretty easy in comparison.

    I hope you reach your goal. x

  3. Good on you Beth!
    We all have the flu here and the thought of walking 10 steps is too much right now. I am so grateful for running water out of my tap, that is for sure. I will definitely look in to joining your team (if they go worldwide?) or sponsoring you, absolutely.
    X Rhi

  4. Good on you!
    I want in!

    I wore a pedometer once when I was a waitress…just because I was curious…and on a Saturday shift I walked 8 kilometres!
    I am interested to see what my nursing mileage will be!
    And I want to help Team BabyMac!
    Can we get tee shirts?

  5. Am totally joining. Looking forward to it! X

  6. Am SO glad you are Cat! Let’s do this! x

  7. Ooo, maybe I could do it? I am a Prep (Kinder) teacher so I walk miles every day!

  8. Ok, I am registered 🙂

  9. I’m in. I’ll have to search for a pedometer here in Q as it might be hard for CARE to get one to us in time (might be postage prob as well) but I’ve wanted a pedometer for awhile. Excellent idea Beth. Will link up with the 4 kids, 20 suitcases page in the next day or two.

  10. This is dear to my heart.
    Will walk beside you (100s of miles away) and sponsor you.

  11. I am more than happy to help/join in any way. We all need to stop sometimes and think of the footsteps that others take.

    http://iliska-dreams.blogspot.com.au/

  12. Brilliant idea. The fact that I can walk no more than about 50 metres rules me out but I wish you well with your endeavour.

  13. I love this and have joined up. Thanks so much for posting about it!

  14. I’ll do it Beth what a great idea. , I wore a pedometer for years lost it at farm gate one day unknowingly …found it crushed into dirt when I went for a walk one day months later.

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