2018-06-26Staff Report 2 " Staff Reporter WINDHOEK – Adventurous British citizen Brendan Rendall has embarked on the unthinkable, taking the bull by the horns. Rendall began his epic challenge in Namibia, covering 94 marathons in 94 days across Southern Africa to Mozambique. The journey got underway in Henties Bay in the Erongo Region on the 3rd of this month and wound its way north-east through Namibia. Rendall plans to cover at least one marathon (42km) every day until he and his team reach the coast of Mozambique. The challenge is likely to be completed by the end of August 2018 after covering 94 marathons in 94 days. Rendall and his travelling entourage are self-supporting camping en route. The primary aim of the challenge is to raise N$1.3-million (£75k) to build vital hostel accommodation for vulnerable orphans at the ‘Friends of Mulanje Orphans’ (FOMO) secondary school in Malawi. Running between 40 and 50 km most days means rising at 5 o’clock in the morning to beat the midday heat. “Physically, it is an enormously tough challenge,” said Rendall. “Combating sand storms, wild animals, extreme temperatures and illness, but the purpose of the fundraising keeps my mind focused on the final goal.” “It ismy first time visiting Namibia and the stunning landscape of this beautiful country has taken my breath away… but the most remarkable part of the journey has definitely been the kindness and generosity of the Namibian people. “This has been extremely overwhelming; strangers have invited us to stay in their homes, mended our equipment and welcomed us to their family dinner tables – we owe the people of this great country a debt of gratitude we will never be able to repay.” In the meantime, Namibian star athlete, Commonwealth gold medallist Helalia Johannes sent a message of good luck to Rendall and his team. “Rendall, you are a true legend and an inspiration to us Africans.” Rendall, 39, is a schoolteacher specializing in children with special educational needs. Originally from Somerset, he now lives in Manchester (United Kingdom). In 2016, Brendan became the first person to run the length of Malawi. Running 27 marathons in 27 days, he returned to the UK to run the length of Great Britain just four weeks later. In total that challenge raised over N$424k (£35,000) for FOMO. Rendall started his challenge on the 3rd of this month at Henties Bay on the Namibian coast and has already passed Otjiwarongo and Grootfontein, heading northeast towards Rundu. From Rundu, he will continue along Zambezi into Zambia at Katima Mulilo from where he will cross into Malawi and finally run through Mozambique to Pemba on the east coast of Africa. The anticipated finish date is set for 26 August. Support cyclist Libby Bowles, 42, is also a teacher and adventurer from Wiltshire, UK, who has recently cycled around New Zealand speaking at schools to raise awareness about plastics in the ocean. Friends of Mulanje Orphans (FOMO) is a UK-based charity that runs a number of support centres and a secondary school for children in Mulanje District of Malawi, many of whom are orphans or destitute because of extreme poverty. Mary Woodworth and her husband Keith founded the charity in 2000, and since then it has grown rapidly and now supports over 5,000 orphans in Malawi. Through its community outreach and secondary school programmes it provides clothing, food and education to the needy. " 2018-06-26Staff Report 2
