Safaricom Marathon 2013 Targets to Raise Kshs 60 Million

February 13, 2013… Leading integrated communications provider, Safaricom Limited has today kicked off registration for this year’s Safaricom Marathon scheduled to take place on June 29th 2013 at the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy. Registration for the Marathon now in its 14th year will close on 10th of May with participants taking part in the 21km half marathon, 42km full marathon and 5km races. 

This year’s event dubbed “Run for the Wild” is taking place on the back of an alarming dwindling of wildlife numbers in the country, due to runaway poaching activities in national parks across the country. In particular, there has been a marked increase of elephant poaching in the last 24 months which reached a crescendo with the massacre of a family of 12 elephants in a remote part of the Tsavo East National Park early this year.

“Poachers are willing to walk for days in hostile terrain in order to kill elephants for their tusks. I am sharing this story with you to show you how determined these criminals are to get what they want. You and I will therefore have to double our efforts to protect our wild life with as much if not more determination,” said Safaricom CEO, Bob Collymore. 

A breakdown of funds raise last year shows that, education and healthcare projects got Kshs. 5.46 million and 3.78 million respectively whereas a further 35% of the revenue was invested in the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy which is home to a variety of large African wildlife to include lions, elephants, rhinoceros, and the Cape buffalo. 

“The Safaricom Marathon has earned a reputation for being one of the toughest endurance races in the world – last year attracting some 1,200 runners which included over 35 nationalities. More importantly, the event has also become one of Kenya’s greatest fundraising initiatives,” said Chief Executive Officer of the Tusk Trust, Charlie Mayhew. 
Interested participants are advised to get registration forms off the Safaricom Marathon website. http://www.safaricom.co.ke/safaricommarathon/

Notes to the editors: 
About Safaricom Corporate
Safaricom provides a comprehensive range of services under one roof. This includes mobile and fixed voice and data services on a variety of platforms. With annual revenues in excess of Kshs 100 billion, it is Kenya's widest 3G network with a growing fibre optic cable footprint and its most expansive WIMAX presence. 
Safaricom pioneered pioneered commercial mobile money transfer globally through M-PESA, the most successful such service anywhere in the world. Launched in March 2007 as a money transfer service, it now has over 15 million customers and over 37,000 Agent outlets countrywide.

About Safaricom Sports
Safaricom has had a longstanding tradition of sponsoring major sports events in the country.
In 2008, the company offered cash incentives for the Olympics team and the Paralympics teams as motivation for a good performance. The telecoms company was the major sponsor of the 2010 African Athletics Championships, which were the first ever to take place in Kenya. 
Safaricom is also a major sponsor of the Sportsman of the Year Award-SOYA which honors excellence in athletics. The company is also associated with many local races both at the national and community level. 

About the Safaricom Marathon Projects
The Lewa Community Development has established six-community forestry programmes, given 15,000 people access to clean water, rehabilitated 65 kilometers of roads and built 4 Government hospitals and 3 clinics in at least 3 counties. 
The Lewa Wildlife Conservancy has supported game scout operations to protect conservancy's 100 plus rhinos. It has provided solar water heaters to senior staff to reduce carbon footprint and provided drugs and equipment needed for resident vet
The Lewa Education Programme supports 10 Primary Schools and 3 Secondary Schools helping over 5,000 children. In addition it has constructed classrooms, fences, libraries, staff houses, and supplied furniture, desks, education materials
Northern Rangelands Trust supports 11 communities with over 50,000 people of diverse ethnicities across northern Kenya. The Mt. Kenya Trust supports the Elephant Corridor Game Guards, as well as the Animal Protection Unit.

February 13, 2013… Leading integrated communications provider, Safaricom Limited has today kicked off registration for this year’s Safaricom Marathon scheduled to take place on June 29th 2013 at the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy. Registration for the Marathon now in its 14th year will close on 10th of May with participants taking part in the 21km half marathon, 42km full marathon and 5km races. 

This year’s event dubbed “Run for the Wild” is taking place on the back of an alarming dwindling of wildlife numbers in the country, due to runaway poaching activities in national parks across the country. In particular, there has been a marked increase of elephant poaching in the last 24 months which reached a crescendo with the massacre of a family of 12 elephants in a remote part of the Tsavo East National Park early this year.

“Poachers are willing to walk for days in hostile terrain in order to kill elephants for their tusks. I am sharing this story with you to show you how determined these criminals are to get what they want. You and I will therefore have to double our efforts to protect our wild life with as much if not more determination,” said Safaricom CEO, Bob Collymore. 

A breakdown of funds raise last year shows that, education and healthcare projects got Kshs. 5.46 million and 3.78 million respectively whereas a further 35% of the revenue was invested in the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy which is home to a variety of large African wildlife to include lions, elephants, rhinoceros, and the Cape buffalo. 

“The Safaricom Marathon has earned a reputation for being one of the toughest endurance races in the world – last year attracting some 1,200 runners which included over 35 nationalities. More importantly, the event has also become one of Kenya’s greatest fundraising initiatives,” said Chief Executive Officer of the Tusk Trust, Charlie Mayhew. 
Interested participants are advised to get registration forms off the Safaricom Marathon website. http://www.safaricom.co.ke/safaricommarathon/

Notes to the editors: 
About Safaricom Corporate
Safaricom provides a comprehensive range of services under one roof. This includes mobile and fixed voice and data services on a variety of platforms. With annual revenues in excess of Kshs 100 billion, it is Kenya's widest 3G network with a growing fibre optic cable footprint and its most expansive WIMAX presence. 
Safaricom pioneered pioneered commercial mobile money transfer globally through M-PESA, the most successful such service anywhere in the world. Launched in March 2007 as a money transfer service, it now has over 15 million customers and over 37,000 Agent outlets countrywide.

About Safaricom Sports
Safaricom has had a longstanding tradition of sponsoring major sports events in the country.
In 2008, the company offered cash incentives for the Olympics team and the Paralympics teams as motivation for a good performance. The telecoms company was the major sponsor of the 2010 African Athletics Championships, which were the first ever to take place in Kenya. 
Safaricom is also a major sponsor of the Sportsman of the Year Award-SOYA which honors excellence in athletics. The company is also associated with many local races both at the national and community level. 

About the Safaricom Marathon Projects
The Lewa Community Development has established six-community forestry programmes, given 15,000 people access to clean water, rehabilitated 65 kilometers of roads and built 4 Government hospitals and 3 clinics in at least 3 counties. 
The Lewa Wildlife Conservancy has supported game scout operations to protect conservancy's 100 plus rhinos. It has provided solar water heaters to senior staff to reduce carbon footprint and provided drugs and equipment needed for resident vet
The Lewa Education Programme supports 10 Primary Schools and 3 Secondary Schools helping over 5,000 children. In addition it has constructed classrooms, fences, libraries, staff houses, and supplied furniture, desks, education materials
Northern Rangelands Trust supports 11 communities with over 50,000 people of diverse ethnicities across northern Kenya. The Mt. Kenya Trust supports the Elephant Corridor Game Guards, as well as the Animal Protection Unit.