NEWS

Thursday, 4 November 2021

2021 Serengeti Girls Run creates scholarship opportunities

By a Correspondent in Serengeti

The 2021 Serengeti Girls Run has created 80 scholarship
opportunities for girls hailing from rural villages located
near Ikorongo-Grumeti Game Reserves in Serengeti and
Bunda districts, Mara Region.

The 63 km run which involved eight women from USA
and one from South Africa took place three days in a row
into the wildlife -rich game reserves last week.

Each day distance running covered 21 kilometers.

The runners are funders of Grumeti Fund, a non-profit
organization that supports community development and
conservation activities in western Serengeti.

They included Rhonda Vetere, an American who is one of
the top 10 women in technology worldwide.
Rhonda Vetere, an American who is one of the top 10women in technology worldwide, poses in a group photowith local journalists after successfully participating inthe Serengeti Run for Girls in Serengeti recently.
Seen in a jovial mood after taking part in the race,
Rhonda who is also a two time author said the purpose
of the run was to make a difference to bright but needy
students through scholarships.

Another woman remarked: “This is a personal journey but
also a journey with a lot of purpose (raising money for
girls’ education scholarships), the combination of the two
makes it such an inspiring event.”

They also expressed satisfaction on how Grumeti Fund
spends funds to support local development in the rural
communities where in the past poaching was a major
source of livelihood.

“It is fantastic to see projects happening on the ground, it
is a wonderful work that is being done,” they said.

Two Tanzanian women including Ms Ellena Saronge, a
game ranger who works with Tanzania Wildlife
Management Authority (TAWA) at Ikorongo/Grumeti
Games Reserves also took part.

“This is a unique experience because the participants
(runners) breath in a natural air in a beautiful environment
in Serengeti and the wild animals are friendly,” she said.

Ms Bhoke Mtatiro, the Head of Communication and
Fund-Raising Unit at Grumeti Fund said this year’s
Serengeti Run for Girls event will create 80 scholarships
for village girls living in areas bordering the Grumeti
concession area.

“The aim of Serengeti Runs for Girls is to raise funds to
support empowerment of girls in neighbouring
communities, for them to achieve their education dreams.

We are happy that this year’s run will enable us to
provide 80 additional scholarships to girls,” MsBhoke
noted.

Last year alone the organization, offered 180 scholarships
to needy students, she said.

Besides girl’s empowerment, the funds raised will also be
directed to empower local women economically through
entrepreneurship training seminars.

She expressed appreciations for the continued good
cooperation that Grumeti Fund is enjoying from the
government of Tanzania, through its institutions tasked to
protect the game reserves which form integral part of the
world-famous Serengeti National Park.

“Indeed, there is good government partnership with
Grumeti Fund and we are happy to continue supporting
efforts by the government on education and wildlife
conservation,” she added.

Grumeti Fund is a sister organization of Grumeti
Reserves, an ecotourism company that operates world-
class luxury lodges within the Grumeti concession area.

The investor has also created a number of jobs to the local
people who in the past relied on poaching as their source
of livelihood.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Post Top Ad

Your Ad Spot

Pages