Climbing the Mountain to Fight Poverty
“I leave with new eyes” was what one person shared with us when leaving the Poverty Trap simulation last year. It’s these personal moments and their potential to empower people to work together to improve the lives of others in need that we strive for.
Another participant who took part in the same simulation was inspired to want to help us run more of them.
In Paul Irwin’s own words:
Last year I attended a powerful presentation of poverty that made me feel what it is like to be poor.
I was immersed in a simulated slum and had to fight for my survival. While only a simulation, the event made me understand poverty afresh by increasing my empathy with slumdwellers. The event then led all the participants to think hard about how to fight poverty.
Empathy Action does a lot of good things that I admire, and their ability through running simulations to personalise poverty and allow anyone to feel, reflect and then engage with it is poignant and powerful. It’s powerful because their vision is to motivate and inspire people for the lifelong battle against poverty. It’s poignant because it’s rooted in the real experiences of our fellow human beings. These carefully constructed experiences are crafted to have an impact to last a lifetime and they empower the people to act, offer their money and time, think about who makes some of the things they buy and seek to partner with people in poverty.
Empathy Action right now need a van to help take these inspiring simulations into even more schools, communities and businesses.
I am therefore setting myself a challenge to help them get a van to take this message around the country and encourage thousands more to step up and fight poverty.
I’m running up 5055 feet of Mount Snowdon and down again. It’s 22 miles and the average time is 6 hours. Can you help me by sponsoring for every foot I run up the mountain & help fight poverty. Thank you”.
The challenge that Paul is undertaking to help raise funds is unbelievably tough. Dubbed “Man versus Mountain“. It’s a 5055 feet climb and descent within an epic near marathon distance. The race is a sell out and previous entrants have said: “Toughest Race I have ever done“, “Should be on everyone’s bucket list“, “Best. Race. Ever”
If you would like to sponsor Paul you can do so at the event page here. All money will be going towards growing Empathy Action’s work throughout the country and beyond.