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MicroLoan Foundation opens its ‘Malawi Challenge 2014’ fundraising quest

28th October 2013 Print
Mount Mulanje

London-based microfinance charity, MicroLoan Foundation, has opened registration for the ‘Malawi Challenge 2014’ – a unique trip designed to raise funds to enable women living in extreme poverty in rural, sub-Saharan Africa to start their own micro-enterprises.

Running from 1-9 May, 2014, the ‘Malawi Challenge’ provides participants with the opportunity of joining an intimate group of like-minded women to undertake a physical challenge in one of the world’s most beautiful locations – all whilst raising vital funds for MicroLoan’s work in Malawi and Zambia and seeing first-hand the impact their fundraising efforts will have.

The 4-day trek through the stunning landscape of Mount Mulanje in southern Malawi will be followed by a day of well-earned relaxation at Lake Malawi, before challengers spend a final day visiting groups of women that MicroLoan Foundation supports.

Anna Fielding, a participant from the 2013 Challenge, said: “The trip is definitely worth doing. It’s so rare to get the opportunity to meet the people who will actually benefit from the charity; it makes it so worthwhile, and many people sponsored me when I returned after they saw I had met the women and knew so much about their lives and experiences with the charity.”

MicroLoan Foundation is a specialist, not-for-profit UK microfinance charity that provides microfinance, business education and on-going mentoring support to impoverished women in sub-Saharan Africa. This provides them with a “hand-up not a hand-out” so they can develop self-sustainable livelihoods for themselves and their families, and work their own way out of poverty.

Jane Thurnell-Read, who will be joining next year’s event and who owns Cornwall-based business, Life-Work Potential Limited, said: “I have my own business and I know how empowering that can be; it must be even more true in the countries where MicroLoan Foundation works, because women there have so many fewer opportunities than we do in the UK.”

To secure a place on the Challenge, participants are required to provide a non-refundable registration fee of £300, as well as £700 to cover trip costs and a commitment to raise a minimum of £1,000 for the MicroLoan Foundation. Participants will be supported by an experienced fundraising team to help them to reach their fundraising targets.

Learn more about the ‘Malawi Challenge 2014’ at microloanfoundation.org.uk/donate/MalawiChallenge2014.

To support and follow the participants making the journey, follow #MalawiChallenge on Twitter and visit MicroLoan Foundation’s Facebook page (@MicroLoan Foundation)

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Mount Mulanje