Race through the Masai Mara Conservancies | MARAthon 2022
It is a great privilege to have been asked to film for the UltraMARAthon this year - a 50km race (either individually or as part of a relay) through the conservancies of the northern Masai Mara.
The Maasai Mara-Serengeti region is one of Africa’s key ecosystems, containing as much as 40% of Africa’s remaining larger mammals and the greater Masai Mara provides an essential barrier between agricultural areas and the Maasai Mara Reserve itself.
The stewards in the greater Mara area rely primarily on tourism to manage and protect the ecosystem which, given the seasonal nature of tourism in the area and the COVID-19 pandemic, has presented unprecedented challenges.
The goal of the UltraMARAthon is to raise funds to support key initiatives in the region related to conservation and enhancing the lives of the communities within the area.
The initiatives supported this year are:
Mara Elephant Project – funding for the recruitment, training, and deployment of rangers specifically to address poaching, human/wildlife conflict and habitat loss challenges in the region. Protecting elephants and their habitats across the greater Mara ecosystem.
Africa Mission Services Women’s Health & Birth Center – funding to expand a women’s health centre located in Engos, which serves a population of approximately 7,000 local Maasai, providing prenatal/postnatal care, family planning education and services, and assists 50 – 60 women in childbirth each month.
Hosting Conservancies’ Ranger Support – funding for uniforms, equipment and general administration for the conservancies involved in the event.
On a personal note, the MARAthon is a fantastic event and one I cannot wait to run in again having been a participant in 2021 (unfortunately this year I was only just out of a moon boot for torn ligaments).
Running wild through the wilderness cheered on by enthusiastic communities and watched over by rangers, it is a truly unique experience and well worth the entry fee.
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For more information, please look them up on instagram (@ultra_mara_thon) and via their website https://ultramarathon.co.ke/