I’m thrilled to be running with the Shoes4Africa team! Back in 2012 I went to the tiny tiny village of Mongola Ju, Tanzania. There was no running water or electricity, and every family lived in extreme poverty. Most of my mornings were spent helping build a school or teaching the precious kids English. While I enjoyed the mornings, the afternoons in Mongola Ju were my favorite. I got to share a major passion of mine with the kids – soccer!

Every afternoon the kids would wait for me, and we’d play until the sun went down. Although these kids had so little relative to what I grew up with in the US, they were filled with such overflowing and genuine joy as they chased after and kicked the ball. Their smiles and positive spirits were contagious and something I will always remember and cherish.

I’m beyond excited to run my first NYC marathon for the kids in Mongola Ju and the many others in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Best,

Izzy