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The Kagando Care Swim Challenge

My name is Jackie Barbour. Why have I signed up to the Kagando Care Swim Challenge?

Let me answer that word for word.

Kagando – Kagando is in Uganda Africa. My family and I have just come from Africa where we lived, worked and schooled our 2 children in the Tanzanian wilderness. After having lived there for 17 years we thought it time for the children (now aged 10 and 12) to see more of the world and let them attend an international school rather than be home schooled in the Tanzanian bush for the rest of their school going days. So my husband Rob and children Sarah and James moved to Holland last year in August. Soon after our move I started swimming and met Nello. Nello introduced me to the The Kagando Care Swim Challenge (https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Kagando-Care-Swim-Challenge/1429303873957305?fref=ts).

Care - The African continent and its people will always have a special place in the hearts of my family and I. Helping people to help other means a lot to us. When we still lived and worked in Tanzania we registered a Tanzanian charity to allow us to help others. The charity is still up and running and provides help to people who otherwise would have to go without basic needs.

I invite you to have a look on: www.tuendepamjo.org.            

The Kagando Care Swim Challenge seems an excellent way to show that I care and want to help Nello’s sister, Rita Miller, in Uganda (https://www.facebook.com/ypnaid?fref=ts) .

Swim – I love swimming. When life gets hectic and one faces issues at work, at home, or in every day life, a work out in the pool provides a calming influence. In the water you can clear your head, re-charge your battery, sort out the things that are really important in life AND get fit and stay fit.  I swim 3 times per week and take my training sessions quite seriously.

Challenge – I’m always up for a reasonable challenge especially if it, in one way or another, benefits a good cause. It gives my swimming effort yet another boost and provides a goal to work towards. Previously I completed the Alkmaar City Swim (5 October 2013). Now that was a challenge! (I am not a hero when it comes to open water swimming in murky, dark, cold canals). But I did it and helped raise money to improve swimming facilities for handicapped people in Alkmaar. I am willing to give the The Kagando Care Swim Challenge my best crack!

Why am I asking you for help?

I am asking for your support in the Kagando Care Challenge? Because it's difficult to make a change by your self. One person can try, but many people together can bring about change. It doesn't take much you know. A few euro's here and there can mean the world of difference to the people in the Kagando district who struggle for health care, education and basic living needs such as clean water.

Please consider putting a few euros on me swimming the distance to help people in Kagando. I'll be swimming 1 Km (a thousand meters) as quick as I possibly can in an effort to raise money for Rita's projects to help and bring about change. My target is to swim 1000 meters in less than 17 minutes and 10 seconds.

If you think I can do it please pledge an amount for sponsorship. Any amount will do. If you think I can't do it, why don't you raise the stakes and provide a bonus for me to reach. The money you pledge might make me dig that little bit deeper and go that extra little bit faster. Our swim off will be before Christmas this year. We'll show you how we've done. We plan to train hard, raise the stakes and do another swim off in the new year.

Who's with me, in bringing about change and helping the people in Kagando?