Physical challenge raises funds for Zambia project

The Student President of Team Northumbria will push her body to the limit this weekend raising funds to support a Zambian sports project.

Josie Pointon will be joined by Sarah Stephenson to battle through the eight-mile Tough Guy assault course in Staffordshire, which features water-filled tunnels, fire walks, barbed wire, 40 foot nets and even electric shocks to raise money to benefit disadvantaged children in Zambia.

Both Sarah and Josie are involved with the Zambia IDEALS project. This is a UK Sport initiative, run in partnership with the Wallace Group, which comprises the universities of Northumbria, Durham, Loughborough, Bath, UWIC, Stirling and St Andrews.

The project sends students and staff from the six universities to Zambia’s capital city, Lusaka, to deliver sports coaching programmes to children in deprived areas, as well as educating them about issues such as HIV and AIDS through sport.

Josie, Team Northumbria’s Student President, spent six weeks last summer working with children at the Fountain of Hope orphanage in Lusaka as part of the IDEALS project.

The orphanage currently provides care for 70 children including street children, those from poverty stricken families and those who have been orphaned due to AIDS. It provides food, clothing and shelter as well as health care, sports, recreation and a free education so that the children can go on to become responsible citizens.

She said: "Fountain of Hope is the most incredible place I've ever been to and the work they do is so important. I'm committed to raising at least £700 which will pay for two month’s worth of food and essentials for the children.”

Sarah, the Student and Staff Development Manager for Northumbria University Sport, will visit Zambia for the first time this summer. She will spend two weeks in Lusaka supporting the IDEALS students during their placements. She believes that the project benefits students and staff just as much as the children being coached.

"Being part of the Zambia IDEALS project will be a life-changing experience for myself, the students involved and more importantly the Zambian communities. Every year I've seen students come back with not only great stories but a real buzz when they talk about the project, so I can't wait to get out there and experience it for myself."

Josie and Sarah can be sponsored at www.justgiving.com/josephine-pointon2 and www.justgiving.com/sarah-zambia

Click here for more information on the Zambia IDEALS project.