As I mentioned in my race report from Seville Marathon, my bank is supporting a Red Cross charity called "corre un kilometro más" (run one more kilometer). In particular, a group of employees together with the Head of Human Resources, José Luis Gómez Alciturri, and Martín Fiz (former World Champion Marathoner) are preparing to run the Marathon des Sables, a self-sufficient 6 day Ultramarathon of 251 kilometres across the Sahara desert. As part of their preparation, as well as to raise money for corre1km+ by clocking up kilometres, they have completed various races including the "Desert Run" and the Seville Marathon and are participating this weekend in the Santander (city) Half Marathon.
I think that the causes they have chosen to support are very well thought out and, of course, make sense for a bank to be backing. Giving to charity is a very personal thing and everyone has different reasons for supporting the causes they do. When I give to charity, I try to use my money to help people to help themselves; sometimes giving to charity can be an easy substitute for responsibility and is borne more out of guilt than actual solidarity.
Corre1km+ supports three specific projects:
- Helping children and adolescents from families affected by the crisis or living below the poverty line to have academic success
- Opportunities of work experience, training and full-time employment for long-term unemployed people
- Training and assessment for people who opt to start up their own businesses as a result of the crisis
Although the charity has a Spanish focus, remember that Spain is in Europe and we all have to pull together if Europe is ever going to get it's head above water. The high Spanish unemployment and lack of competitiveness of Spanish workers is a European problem.
One way that you can help is by buying the t-shirt from the online shop or by making a donation.
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