What does Plan International do? Plan International was founded almost 80 years ago with a mission to promote and protect the rights of children and specifically equality for girls. Today, Plan International is a global organisation that works in 51 low-income countries to promote children’s rights and lift millions of children out of poverty.  The organisation’s programmes cover 8 key impact areas: education; water and sanitation; sexual and reproductive health; child participation; early childhood care and development; child protection; economic security and disaster risk management.

What is the Because I Am a Girl campaign? “Because I am a Girl” is Plan International’s global initiative to transform power relations so that girls everywhere can learn, lead, decide and thrive. The focus of the campaign is on girls, because a girl in the developing world faces overwhelming odds from the day she is born. To do this, Plan identifies the key barriers to girls’ empowerment – social neglect, little or no education, child marriage, forced labour, domestic and sexual violence, early pregnancy and more – and they break them.

How is Mark involved? In May of this year, I will be participating in a traverse across the Annapurna mountain range in Nepal.  This trek will involve visiting many of the local communities along the way and an ascent of Poon Hill, at a peak elevation of 3,210 metres.  I will also witness first hand some of the programmes being run by Plan International in Nepal and see for myself the excellent work that they carry out.  I hope to raise 4,000 Euro in support of this very worthy cause.

How can you help? Please feel free to donate any amount towards Plan’s work. All your contributions will go directly to community projects in Nepal, and will not subsidise in any way the cost of my trip.

Any questions? Feel free to get in touch with me by posting a message below.  I’d be more than happy to tell you more about my expedition and Plan International’s inspirational work.

Leave a message for Mark