A Lancaster University student will be marking International Women’s Day, on March 8th, by showing her solidarity with women living in poverty in developing countries.
Catalina Gonzalez-Alarcon will walk 10,000 steps per day for a week, which equates to roughly five miles every day, as part of the ‘Walk in her shoes’ initiative from leading poverty charity, CARE International UK.
The initiative hopes to raise valuable funds to support the work of CARE with poverty-stricken women and girls in the developing world. These women, upon whom the burden of providing living-essentials usually falls, must walk for hours every day in search of resources such as water and firewood, with the average load weighing in at around 20kg. To place this in perspective, this is roughly equivalent to the UK’s average luggage allowance, and is a burden under which these women and girls have to struggle with every single day.
By improving their access to education, healthcare and improved sanitation facilities, CARE enables women and girls in developing countries to improve their quality of life and provides a more stable foundation from which they can seek out a sustainable income. The ‘Walk in her shoes’ initiative is being supported across the globe and is a way to unite women on an international scale, as the more fortunate reach out in support of the more vulnerable among the female population.
Gonzalez-Alarcon said: “I am a supporter of CARE and I think ‘Walk in her shoes’ is a great way to raise funds and awareness. If everyone gives a little, a great difference can be made. I don’t have much money to donate, but I can donate my time and effort to convince others to give something to those in need.”
Those wishing to participate must complete the walk across one week this March. More information may be found at www.careinternational.org.uk/walkinhershoes.
