“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” -Nelson Mandela

Sole Purpose is an umbrella for charities and ideas that I am most passionate about. It is the fundraising sector of A Wandering Sole and my motivation to run.  You can make a donation now, but please read on to find out the nuts and bolts of how Sole Purpose supports Education, Microlending, & Short-Term Needs and how you can contribute.

I am running five races around the world to persuade you to give just $5! Why just $5? I want to demonstrate that what seems like ‘just $5’ could mean a life-changing $5 for someone else. At one time or another, you, along with every other person on this planet, have had a moment of impulsive spending followed by regret. You’ve pulled out that $5 bill (or in my case a credit card) and bought something… after all it was cheap, right? It could have been that $5 fast food lunch, when let’s face it, you could have made a lunch that probably would have tasted better. Or you picked up those $5 pair of sunglasses in the mall that are totally cheesy and reminded you of Juno… wait, do I regret that? But the reality is there are plenty of times when we have spent $5 and not given it a second thought. So if you chose not to impulsively spend that $5, where could it go?

Education & Microlending
I am passionate about education. Everyone deserves a chance to learn and an opportunity to succeed. There is absolutely no reason as to why every child shouldn’t have that chance. I have also taken up an interest in microlending. I began reading about this method of assistance 7 years ago. I thought it was an intriguing idea that a loan as small as $50 or $100 could help someone to become an independent citizen who could make a positive contribution to their community. I became further interested in microlending after reading books and studies on the negative impacts of nonprofits in Africa. Microlending is a prime example of a ‘hand up not a handout’ idea.  Therefore, donations made to Sole Purpose will primarily go towards education for youth and microlending for adults.

Supplementing long-term goals by addressing short-term needs
Sometimes, the charities that contribute to long-term goals just don’t cut it at the end of the day. Of course donations to education and microlending are extremely valuable, but occasionally a person has immediate needs, where action is required in order to meet those long-term goals. Sole Purpose helps people with everyday issues that will contribute to a self-sustaining future.

But it’s just $5. To you, it’s just $5. To someone else, it’s an education. It’s seeds to plant a garden. It’s a chicken to produce eggs. Sacrifice $5. The possibilities are endless, but I can promise you one thing: it will be interesting! For every contribution, I will post a photo or a memo as to where the money went. Please feel free to be a repeat offender and donate multiple times; the money will be donated to different places along my journey. Therefore, $5 donated in Rwanda might go to something completely different than $5 donated in Nepal.  And hey, if you choose to give more than $5, I won’t hold it against you! Am I sounding like a used-car salesman yet?

Please consider a donation to Sole Purpose. It’s what keeps me motivated to run, and if you’ve ever tried to train for or run in a marathon (or multiple marathons in my case), then you know I need all the help I can get!

To make a donation, please visit: www.giveforward.org/solepurpose.  If you prefer to write a check or make a bank transfer, please contact me and I will give you the information that you need.

For further background, be sure to read Sole Purpose: The reason behind it and why I run.

Check out my Races page for race details and Running Log to track my runs. First up: Rome Marathon!