Members
Our members are teenagers, young adults, students, teachers, professionals, entrepreneurs, policy-makers, and much more! You are the ingredients needed to help young people around the world break free from poverty!
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Every month we like to introduce you to some of the people that make significant contributions to UYDO:
| JUNE: Signe, Jonny, Chris, Anna, and Kayleigh
‘The Fabulous Five’ - Signe, Jonny, Chris, Anna and Kayleigh - took to the trails of Derbyshire on the 5th June to run in the FSI Challenge and raise funds for young entrepreneurs living in poverty. As you can see, they dressed to impress and together raised an incredible £650! So how did the event go? ‘‘On a nice, but slightly overcast day - for which we were relieved, as otherwise it would've been scorching! - I found myself in the Peak District with a few friends doing a run for UYDO. We had concerns that the track might be rugged and hilly, so my training had consisted of running in the woods near my house in Sussex! As it happened, the 10k track was along an old, disused steam train rail line (with the tracks removed and smoothed). The scenery was fantastic - a real reminder of the gems of the British nature! And, when a large hill initially did threaten to undermine the whole 10k, we still had the excitement in our veins from having seen the town of Bakewell (home of Bakewell Tarts!) and the prospect of returning after the race to reload on any sugars lost during the run!” - Chris Fancy getting in on the action? From running to singing to hosting a dinner party – you too can start fundraising and investing in young entrepreneurs today! Just head here for loads of fundraising ideas and tools to help you along your way. And don’t forget to register as a member and join the UYDO community by clicking here. We love to hear what our supporters get up, so send in your fundraising stories and images to fundraising@UYDO.org! |
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| MAY: JAMIE TRIBE
Congratulations and a big thank you to Jamie Tribe who raised £423.99 for UYDO by running the Madrid marathon!! Learn about his 10 week tough training schedule, his friends running alongside the track to the finish line with him on the day, an accidental shower which broke his i pod and why he decided to fundraise for UYDO here: Congratulations Jamie and well done, so how did you find the training? I started training 10 weeks before the race and suffered from a few aches and pains at the beginning. I then injured my ankle twice playing football which was frustrating as it disrupted my routine. I mixed up my running with some gym work and some swimming too in order to provide a bit of variation. It was pretty easy to motivate myself to go for a run, especially on sunny days as I live next to the sea near Barcelona. I really started to feel the benefits of my training in the last few weeks when I increased the length of my runs and laid off the alcohol. How was it on the day? I woke up on the day of the marathon feeling very sleep deprived and slightly sick. I was worried that maybe I wouldn´t be able to finish the race but as soon as I arrived at the start line the positive energy of those competing coupled with those who had come to watch really encouraged me. Throughout the whole race the fantastic support really spurred me on. Beforehand I really hadn´t considered how the cheers of the crowd and the positive atmosphere could serve as such a motivation. I had the incredible feeling of being part of a huge team, we were all working towards the same goal, it was really enjoyble. I split the race into 5km sections which helped me not to be overawed by the overall distance and kept my spirits high. I only had one real low point which arrived with about 4km to go when I could not longer feel my legs, the sun was scorching and my ipod had broken thanks to the bottle of water that I had just poured over my head. The last 7 km or so of the Madrid marathon consists of a steady incline and I knew I had another 4 km to go. My pace slowed considerably and I was really wishing that the finish line was a bit closer. But just as I crossed the 39km mark I heard the cheers of two friends who had come to support me. Seeing them gave me a massive boost of energy and they ran by my side taking pictures and shouting encouragement for the next 2km. I then gritted my teeth and ran as fast as I could for the last 800m to cross the line in 4:10:34. Completely exhausted but with a huge grin and feeling of acomplishment I then waited paitently in the queue leading to the massage tent. Why did you decide to fundrasie for UYDO? I first became aware of UYDO just before Christmas when my sister started volunteering for them. After spending a good few hours during a recent family dinner picking my sister´s brains on UYDO´s work, I decided to raise money for them. I was particulary impressed by UYDO's provision of vital training and mentoring for young entrepreneurs, which they provide alongside the loans. The idea of helping young people who have so much energy and desire and all the ingredients to suceed but just lack the financial backing to get off the ground also appealed to me. Would you do it again? Yes, I would definately do it again. Although a different course, maybe I´ll try the London Marathon next year. The idea of a triathlon or a long bike ride also appeals to me. Not only do you raise awareness and funds for worthy causes but you also complete your own personal goals in the process, I would highly recommend it! If you would like to sponsor Jamie you still can by following this link http://www.charitygiving.co.uk | Thinking of fundraising for UYDO? 1) Decide on your fundraising activity 2) Setup a fundraising page for free at http://www.charitygiving.co.uk 3) email all your friends the link and start fundraising! (Check out our fundraising guide for further tips and guidance) |
| APRIL: ALEXIS MORCRETTE
A big thankyou to Alexis for his ongoing contributions to the UYDO Shoutbox and his insights in to his work. Read more about Alexis in his bio here: I'm Alexis Morcrette. I'm 25, born in Boulder, Colorado of French parents. I have spent much of my life in Reading, in the United Kingdom. I graduated from University of Oxford with a masters in mathematics and philosophy in 2007, and subsequently lived in Christchurch, New Zealand for a year teaching mathematics, coaching rowing and basketball, skiing a lot, and enjoying the laid-back culture. In August 2009 I completed an MSc in Development Studies at the London School of Economics and Political Science. My year at the LSE was hugely formative, providing me with an understanding of the theoretical and historical foundations of international development, and an array of tools with which to analyse and evaluate development processes. But sitting at a computer station in the LSE's central London library, I felt particularly removed from the active sector. So in early September I did what is technically known as 'winging it'. With a notebook full of contacts and a couple recommendation letters I went searching for volunteer opportunities in Nepal that would provide me with the kind of on-the-ground experience I deem essential to any genuinely informed perspective on development. Thanks to no inconsiderable amount of luck, I was offered a place on the field team of a WWF-Nepal funded participatory impact assessment of climate change, contracted out to a small but active local NGO called Resource Identification and Management Society (RIMS) - Nepal. Now, back from field work, I am residing in Kathmandu writing up our assessment report and an operational manual of the methods used. Next up, work with Practical Action Consulting Asia on DFID's Ecosystem Service for Poverty Alleviation research programme and the Nepal Government's Local Adaptation Plans of Action. Exciting times! Thanks for reading my shouts, and keep up the hard work. |  |
