Let’s Walk a 6k

How many times has “Run a 5k” been on your New Year’s list of resolutions? On your bucket list? Your goal list for the summer? To be honest, it’s been on mine quite a few times. Usually when I place it there, I Pinterest a “5k in 30 days” running plan and set off to work, only to be interrupted by life some two weeks in.

Sound familiar?

What if I told you there are those out in the world who walk SIX kilometers every day.

Every. Day.

Like clockwork.

It’s set in stone in their schedule.

No life interrupts them because this 6k walk is pivotal to giving them life.

 

They walk this 6k carrying as many jerrycans as possible, filling them all up, just to turn around and walk home.

For them, training is easy – most have been completing this journey since they were old enough to walk and contribute manpower.

For those of you counting steps each day, that’s about 7,500 steps for the average person.

I’m going to venture a guess and say that most of us were unaware that,

on average, the African woman walks 6 kilometers per day to fetch water for her family.

Many times, this water is contaminated, yet this will be the water she uses to cook, drink, clean, wash clothes and bathe with. She must carry enough water to complete all of these tasks, yet her jerrycan only carries a little over 40 pounds, resulting in her usually making multiple trips – walking over six kilometers with over 40 pounds of water multiple times in just one day. It’s reported that this walk carrying water will absorb 25% of an African woman’s daily calorific intake – you know she must get tired.

In a world obsessed with productivity, can you imagine how much time is spent on this task alone? Not to mention the time to cook, clean, and bathe not only herself but the children within her family. We haven’t even begun to contemplate the work she will need to complete in her field…

For all of these reasons and more, Field of Hope is dedicating Giving Tuesday 2019 to the women of our farmers groups. We challenge you to walk six kilometers with us on this day and to encourage others to take the challenge or make a pledge to honor those women who so selflessly serve their families. Walk wherever you are! For me, I’ll be walking the rough ranch roads in flip flops in honor of my friends. You can walk the track around your local football field (that’ll be 15 laps), the walking trail near your house, or jump on the treadmill.

Join us in the challenge

Join us in the challenge for only $30 and receive FOH walking paraphernalia and a challenge packet, or pledge a dollar-amount for each kilometer walked by all challengers on December 3rd.  All proceeds will go to supporting women and children in Uganda and India!

Sign up here

It’s time for that item on your resolution list to change form and mean more – take the challenge and walk a Giving Tuesday 6k!

Recommended Posts