CABARITA MUM TAKES ON MARATHON CHALLENGE TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF POVERTY

By Sarah Waters

According to World Vision 593 million children across the world are experiencing multidimensional poverty.

PREVENTING African children from a poverty-stricken life will be all the motivation Cabarita mother Hannah Easton needs as she traverses through the vast plains of Kenya this weekend.

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The former sponsored runner and mother-of-four will lace up her shoes at almost 40-years-of-age to run in One Heart’s Run From Poverty marathon in Kenya.

One Heart is an Australian founded not-for-profit organisation, which empowers vulnerable children in East Africa to fulfil their potential, so the poverty cycle is broken.

Mrs Easton has always been involved in charitable organisations, and after a fortuitous meeting last year she took on the role of general manager of One Heart.

She hopes to raise at least $15,000 for the foundation and she knows every dollar will make a difference.

General manager of One Heart Hannah Easton chats to a young boy outside a classroom during a trip to Africa in March this year.

“I had a life-defining moment in South Africa when I was 18,” Mrs Easton said.

“Since then, I have been determined to live my life with open hands – whatever I have in my hands, I want to use it to better the lives of people in front of me.”

Mrs Easton has spent the past six months training for the marathon to ensure she is ready for the challenging conditions in Kenya.

She will join about 300 other participants from across the world, including Olympic Kenyan runners, who will start the race in the village of Turbo.

Children from the One Heart village and local schools will run barefoot alongside the participants for the first few kilometres of the marathon.

The course will take runners through the undulating and semi-arid landscape of Kenya in a large loop and return to the village where children will eagerly cheer everyone over the finish line.

The hardest part for participants will be running at altitudes of 1800 – 2000ft while pacing along red dirt and navigating the many potholes along the way.

“This run is going to challenge me more than any run I’ve ever done, but I’ve always had a passion for empowering people and that is my motivation for doing this,” Mrs Easton said.

The story of a young girl came into the care of One Heart when it was first founded in 2007 will be at the forefront of Mrs Easton’s mind while she runs.

Sharon, aged six or seven at the time, was abandoned by her impoverished mother.

Members of One Heart came across the girl on the streets and took her into their care, providing her with the continued care and skills she needed to thrive.

Now, 16 years on, she has finished her schooling, furthered her education and has a bright future ahead of her.

Mrs Easton said One Heart works to holistically tackle the root causes of poverty that deny children basic rights.

“When they come into the care of One Heart, the children are cared for as the unique individuals they are – they are seen, known and loved.

“For those who are school-aged, they’ve usually missed a significant portion of school, or never been to school.

Hannah Easton will run in One Heart’s Run From Poverty this weekend in Kenya to raise funds for impoverished children in East Africa.

“Their physical health is compromised, and they have little to no joy or hope.

“They are provided with a nurturing environment, with an education that matches the level they’re at and access to healthcare (physical & mental).

“You can see over the 16 years it’s not a quick fix, it’s a huge investment to transform these children’s lives.

“I look at the story of the young girl Sharon who came into One Heart’s care and say all these kids they deserve that story of been taken out of a life trajectory that has zero hope and instead put on a path where they can fulfill their potential.”

At the end of the race, One Heart will host a large community event which will be attended by government dignitaries, including the first lady of Kenya Rachel Ruto, members of schools and local villages.

One Heart will engage the community in the work they’re doing and connect with local people.

Local people run all of One Heart’s projects in Kenya, as well as Uganda and Tanzania.

Mrs Easton said it was important to contextualise the work the charity is doing, and not implement a Western mentality of ‘if it can work here, it should work there’.

“It’s a completely different environment.

“The cultural dynamics around education and employment are very different to over here.

“They don’t have access to the range of training options that we do here, it’s all academic and performance focused, if they don’t achieve high enough grades, they’re not actually allowed to progress through the schooling system.

“Without proper access to clean water and sanitation they’re likely to be unwell a lot of the time because of the diseases there and it has a flow on effect … then they can’t go to school and they’re going to miss out on their education, which then flows onto their ability to get employment.”

Funds raised from One Heart’s Run From Poverty will continue to develop One Heart’s sustainable projects in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

The last time the race was held in 2020 it raised close to $170,000.

To support Hannah Easton you can donate here.

For further information on Run From Poverty, click here.

One Heart Project Logo

One Heart is an Australian founded not-for-profit organisation working in East Africa with a holistic, sustainable and entrepreneurial model.

One Heart opened its first village in Kenya in 2007 and currently has more than 400 children in its homes, schools and programs which provide healthcare services, education, proper nutrition and sanitation to create safe living environments that allow for family reintegration.

One Heart also provides employment opportunities for locals and direct financial support to families with the aim of in-country social enterprises that generate income, skills and training, removing donor dependence over time and increasing self-sufficiency. Read more at https://oneheart.com

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