H.E. FIRST LADYS COUNTDOWN TO LONDON MARATHON - 8 DAYS TO GO! Why we must act fast, together to help avert global infant mortality crisis By MARGARET KENYATTA Nairobi, Saturday, April 5, 2014: “A recent report by the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) made very disturbing revelations. That an estimated 35 million children globally could die between 2015 and 2028 if no decisive action is taken to implement a promise made by the global community to reduce the under-five mortality rate by two thirds between 1990 and 2015. According to Unicef Executive Director Anthony Lake, if current trends continue, then this promise is unlikely to be met. “These staggering figures are all the more tragic because the majority of child deaths are preventable. The prospect of failing to meet Millennium Development Goal 4 is cause for outrage. But moral indignation is only meaningful if accompanied by unrelenting action,” says Lake in the Unicef progress report titled: Committing to child survival, A promise renewed. Such ‘unrelenting action’ boils down to what you and me are doing to help reduce infant mortality rates in our country Kenya, and this is the key reason that I will next weekend take on the challenges of the London Marathon to help raise funds for the provision of 47 mobile clinics in Kenya through the ‘Beyond Zero’ initiative. Your support has been overwhelming as we enter into our final week of preparations for next Sunday, and may God bless you all for running with me on this cause. D-day is closing in fast and I’m happy that our training has gone very well so far, with the focus now on warming down, physiotherapy sessions and preparing for the trip to London in the next few days. I’d also like to thank the staff in my office, my team and my family who have been very supportive throughout this campaign. They have assisted my team and I in logistical planning, and they have encouraged us to keep going, thus enabling us to focus on the job at hand – the training. Part of the delegation, including the coaches headed by our own former London Marathon winner Douglas Wakiihuri, leave for London this weekend to prepare the ground for our final training runs at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London. The training has been tough! Often the muscles ache and I’ve suffered pains all over the body… And thinking that you have to wake up every morning to repeat the same rigorous routine would make me feel like giving up. I really didn’t realize how tough this was going to be, but I also didn’t imagine just how rewarding it would be to set goals and achieve them. So we have kept pushing ourselves miles out of our comfort zones for the sake of our mothers and children. It is when I look at the grim statistics every day that I’m encouraged to work harder to secure a better future for the world in general and Kenya in particular. For instance, I shudder at the Unicef report’s disclosure that “since 1990, 216 million children have died before their fifth birthday, more than the current total population of Brazil, the world’s fifth most populous country!” The report suggests that “to achieve Millennium Development Goal 4 (child survival) by 2015, an additional 3.5 million children’s lives must be saved between 2013 and 2015 above the current trend rate.” You and I must make an effort to save these lives, and that is my mantra as I forget about the aches and pains in my body to focus on finishing the London Marathon next weekend and help prevent the needless maternal and early childhood deaths. Together, we can do it!” ......... Mrs Kenyatta is Kenyas First Lady and will run in the London Marathon on April 13 to raise funds for maternal and child healthcare. Those wishing to make a donation to her Beyond Zero charity can do so through The First Ladys Half Marathon Trust, Equity Bank, Supreme Banking Centre at Equity Centre, Upper Hill, account number 0810262000200. Donations can also be sent through Safaricom Paybill number 500050.
Posted on: Mon, 07 Apr 2014 03:59:31 +0000
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