Break the Chains of Illiteracy Walkathon

BEADS FOR EDUCATION
FOURTH ANNUAL BREAK THE CHAINS OF ILLITERACY WALKATHON
TO BE HELD IN KENYA IN JANUARY, 2009
100 kilometers from Isinya to Amboseli National Park, Kenya

The fourth annual 100 kilometers BEADS for Education Break the Chains of Illiteracy Walkathon will take place from January 5th – 21st, 2009. Walkers will walk from Isinya to Amboseli National Park. Since 1998 BEADS has provided full scholarships for Kenyan girls to attend school from elementary school through college and now, in 2008, sponsors more than 300 girl in Isinya and Amboseli National Parks Regions. BEADS also cultivates Human Rights Awareness and sponsored its first girls’ initiation ceremony without the traditional cutting beginning in August of 2005. Participants of the 2008 Walkathon were thrilled to share the 8^th Coming of Age Ceremony and the 2009 Walkathon will also have this truly unique opportunity.

SPONSOR A WALKER

Who will walk? All the BEADS sponsored girls who graduated from 8^th grade or high school this year, their mothers and fathers, Maasai warriors, and BEADS sponsors from the United States. Proceeds from the walk will support the program in improving women’s literacy, AIDS / HIV and human rights awareness and women’s economic status in the Isinya and Amboseli regions of Kenya.

This walk will:

Draw Kenyan attention to the issues of the status and education of women and AIDS education training
Promote pride and community among the sponsored girls, their families and communities
Enhance self-worth and sense of accomplishment of the walkers, especially for the sponsored girls, who will have the rare opportunity to participate in something which is solely about them and their advancement
Expose Kenyan communities along the walkers’ path to the issues of education and improving the status of women

Increase the visibility of the BEADS programs
Raise funding for BEADS operating expenses.

SPONSOR A WALKER

Corporate Supporters

Walking shoes for the 2008 Walkathon donated by Chaco!