Singita Unveils First-Ever All-Woman Run Across the Serengeti to Raise Funds for Women’s Empowerment Programmes
The funding will help raise the $250,000 needed to run programmes to educate future female leaders in conservation and positively reach over 1,500 women and girls highlighting issues such as confidence, FGM, menstrual hygiene, life skills and reproductive health.
June 12thTANZANIA
The Singita Grumeti Fund and BRAVE will be introducing an all-woman, 5-day, 90 km run across wilderness areas of Singita Grumeti’s private concession in the Serengeti to raise funds for girls and women’s empowerment programmes. This event forms part of Singita’s brand-new collection of conservation safaris called: ‘Safaris With A Purpose’ launched by Singita this year. Singita is committed to empowering girls and women to take on leadership roles in conservation.
The run will be held between 19 and 24 of October 2018 and is the first of its kind as 20 runners will have the unique opportunity to experience not only the magnificent setting of this thriving area of the Serengeti but also provide support for girls and women’s empowerment programmes. The run will aim to raise awareness about the challenges facing girls and women living in nearby communities and seek sustainable solutions. Frida Mollel, Community Outreach Programme Manager, Singita Grumeti Fund has said: “We are here to speak to girls and tell them you have the right to a good education and to stand firm. We want to inspire them, to give them power and energy.”
The first day of this once-in-a-lifetime experience will include a ‘fun run’ for local women and girls where guests will have the chance to engage with the local community who will ultimately benefit from this fundraising event. Runners will participate in a multi-stage race over three consecutive days,
taking participants along an 90km route through the Serengeti grasslands. A total of five nights will be spent on the concession giving runners the opportunity to engage with local girls and learn more about Singita Grumeti Fund’s successful anti-poaching strategy, including a rare visit to the canine unit to meet the elite anti-poaching team.
The Fund’s dedication to conservation, anti-poaching, law enforcement, research, community partnerships and sustainability in the area has had a huge impact on the eco-system since its establishment. With the Singita Grumeti Fund celebrating 15 years of conservation success in 2018, guests can be more involved in conservation than ever before and see the transformation first-hand. Formerly made up of several hunting concessions, there were virtually no animals left in the area when Singita took over and even the migration avoided the area. 15 years on, the turnaround has been extraordinary and Singita Grumeti is now considered one of the greatest conservation success stories. Results include a four-fold increase in wildlife numbers since 2003, including a 4-fold increase in elephant accounting for ¼ of the elephant population in the Serengeti.
This unique running safari includes five nights in luxury tented accommodation at Singita Explore, staying in a beautifully designed camp with a prime position to view pristine wilderness and the wildlife of the Serengeti. Guests have exclusive access to Singita’s 350,000-acre concession offering incredible up-close wildlife encounters. From exceptional food created by a private chef, to sophisticated wine pairings from Singita’s world-renowned wine collection, to evenings around the camp-fire for storytelling about the day’s events, Singita delivers a guest experience that is recognised worldwide for its unrivalled standards.
India Baird, founder of BRAVE believes that: “Being a part of this first ever BRAVE-Singita run will change the face of conservation in this area by creating opportunities for girls to become leaders in the field”. A portion of the guest donation will go toward the Singita Grumeti Fund’s conservation work in the Serengeti, while the other portion will help to create opportunities for local girls to develop as leaders in the area of conservation.