Chat with Claire Williams, social entrepreneur and marathoner
I've never met Claire Williams, but a few weeks ago, as I was clearing one of my email inboxes, I discovered an unread email from Claire dating back to early February. She was responding to a mass email I had sent out to mediakitty (a site for travel PR and journalists) contacts to introduce Little Cream Book last August. Her email was a simple one-liner to say that she would be interested in writing about Little Cream Book and included her mailing address where a sample to be sent. Normally, I would simply write down the address and post the book. But then, something in her signature caught my eye: "Partnering with Children to Outpace Poverty", which led me to read the rest of her signture:
- 34, 488 Miles Run
- 3, 969 Donated Pairs of Running Shoes
- 31 Marathoners
- First Blog on the Internet Written by Orphans and Vulnerable Children
I was intrigued -- running and poverty alleviation...interesting. I looked back up the signature to click on the link for the organization -- Hope Runs. The first thing I read was: "7 marathons, 7 continents, 7 weeks". Wow, was the sole awe-inspired word that went through my head. Of course, I clicked through to learn more about this crazy endeavour and got side-tracked from the larger picture -- that the team was running in support of AIDS orphans. Hope Runs works with orphanages to provide extra-curricular programs, including running programs as well as computer, art, health, fitness and business-training courses. All with the aim of helping "orphaned and vulnerable children...escape cycles of poverty and conflict to become productive and empowered adults". In addition to Hope Runs, Claire also founded I Become last year that builds on the work that Hope Runs has done.
I was curious to find out more about Hope Runs, so I replied to Claire to apologize for my delayed response, telling her that a sample of Little Cream Book would be in the post and that I would love to chat with her online about Hope Runs. The address she provided was a States-side address. When she replied, I found out that she was in Oxford doing the Said MBA. "Are you doing the social entrepreneurship program," I asked. It turns out, Claire is a Skoll Scholar. But then, as we were negotiating time zones to schedule our chat, she revealed that she was actually in Buenos Aires for the Easter break.
Finally, on Monday night, Claire and I chatted:
10:18 PM
me: hi there!
you still in argentina?
Claire: yeah im still down here
me: in BA?
Claire: yeah in BA - my boyfriend is argentine so we've been living down here
(except for my MBA this year)
me: i'm really interested in the 777!
i'm not much of a runner tho
but i did the nike+ human race last year in cordoba!
Claire: in cordoba!
me: went round and round polo fields
in strong headwinds
Claire: ugh... (but beautiful)
so are you interested in 777 from the perspective of a runner?
me: no, not really as runner
b/c i would never do it…hahaha
Claire: ha
me: but i'm curious about everything about it…how it got started, etc.
i think it's great!
Claire: well basically it's a team of regular and celeb runners. the race begins jan 31 and goes for 7 weeks (6 weeks, 7 weekends)
i started these two non-profit organizations and also work as an author.
me: what do you write?
Claire: 1 book out next year and the second is in talks with publishers this week (i pray it sells!)
one book is about the excess choices of generation y
one book is a travel memoir that includes the first year of starting hope runs in kenya
me: that's awesome!
when is the memoir out?
what's it called?
Claire: its a trip around the world that ends with starting a non-profit...
currently titled 'here there is hope'
me: great title
so what were you doing before hoperuns?
before the year around the world?
Claire: travel writing...i started the blogging thing then... (trippingonwords.com)
before the year around the world was living in mexico and then argentina...brief work in india...basically just more travel...
and writing
ha;)
we're really trying to put the HK marathon in our schedule for 777 - but the directors say they haven't finalized the date yet...
I'm hoping they do soon as we need to get our flights and hotels all planned very very soon
there were some hiccups with the schedule...hopefully the HK marathon will be feb 22
me: what's the schedule look like right now?
Claire: starting jan 31 it's marakech, netherlands, new zealand, hopefully Hong Kong, usa, antarctica, falklands islands
me: wow, so cool!
do you think the hope runs model could work in other places?
Claire: yes i think so
it's a very exportable model
we're in two orphanages in kenya right now
we were in two others in tanzania but aren't anymore
me: how come?
how do you choose the orphanages?
would you do it in s. america?
Claire: it's important to find the right partners. since we don't build our own orphanages but instead enter into existing orphanages there are lots of issues with due diligence, etc.
the biggest problem is that most of the orphanages in much of the world don't have extraordinarily open financial practices - they just aren't run as much of a business as we need them to be for international donors
and since we are entering already existent orphanages there is a careful power and cultural dynamic in the finance stuff
to run our programs efficiently we essentially need to enter orphanages that are already functional - ie ones that are not entirely day to day in terms of needs for basic necessities
we don't have the resources to fully support ALL the needs, and so if we're in a position of supporting basic structural things it doesn't work well
(ie - the orphanage needs to be able to be functionally providing food and shelter for the children if we realistically want to run computer classes)
it's an interesting problem
me: how did you yourself get into running
b/c obviously you must have a passion for runnning
in order to have come up with hoperuns
it's a brilliant idea, btw
Claire: i didn't have the greatest health and was trying to add more exercise into my life
it started very slowly
and then i found such confidence from realizing that i could run
i run very slowly - and always have - but it's empowering to be able to run farther than others...you know?
me: does india have a marathon?
Claire: they do
in february they have the delhi marathon.
and another one as well.
the hardest part is that we need marathons with really involved directors
one of the runners comes with all these security concerns
and everything ive read about delhi marathon is that its really disorganized and they haven't been able to provide a final date (and since we need to have everything very planned, it's hard)
me: well, i do hope you come to hk
would be great to meet u
and perhaps u'll motivate me to train for a half
Claire: definitely!
i think long runs are really more boring than painful ;)
me: yeah...but good music helps
Claire: yes!
- 34, 488 Miles Run
- 3, 969 Donated Pairs of Running Shoes
- 31 Marathoners
- First Blog on the Internet Written by Orphans and Vulnerable Children
I was intrigued -- running and poverty alleviation...interesting. I looked back up the signature to click on the link for the organization -- Hope Runs. The first thing I read was: "7 marathons, 7 continents, 7 weeks". Wow, was the sole awe-inspired word that went through my head. Of course, I clicked through to learn more about this crazy endeavour and got side-tracked from the larger picture -- that the team was running in support of AIDS orphans. Hope Runs works with orphanages to provide extra-curricular programs, including running programs as well as computer, art, health, fitness and business-training courses. All with the aim of helping "orphaned and vulnerable children...escape cycles of poverty and conflict to become productive and empowered adults". In addition to Hope Runs, Claire also founded I Become last year that builds on the work that Hope Runs has done.
I was curious to find out more about Hope Runs, so I replied to Claire to apologize for my delayed response, telling her that a sample of Little Cream Book would be in the post and that I would love to chat with her online about Hope Runs. The address she provided was a States-side address. When she replied, I found out that she was in Oxford doing the Said MBA. "Are you doing the social entrepreneurship program," I asked. It turns out, Claire is a Skoll Scholar. But then, as we were negotiating time zones to schedule our chat, she revealed that she was actually in Buenos Aires for the Easter break.
Finally, on Monday night, Claire and I chatted:
10:18 PM
me: hi there!
you still in argentina?
Claire: yeah im still down here
me: in BA?
Claire: yeah in BA - my boyfriend is argentine so we've been living down here
(except for my MBA this year)
me: i'm really interested in the 777!
i'm not much of a runner tho
but i did the nike+ human race last year in cordoba!
Claire: in cordoba!
me: went round and round polo fields
in strong headwinds
Claire: ugh... (but beautiful)
so are you interested in 777 from the perspective of a runner?
me: no, not really as runner
b/c i would never do it…hahaha
Claire: ha
me: but i'm curious about everything about it…how it got started, etc.
i think it's great!
Claire: well basically it's a team of regular and celeb runners. the race begins jan 31 and goes for 7 weeks (6 weeks, 7 weekends)
i started these two non-profit organizations and also work as an author.
me: what do you write?
Claire: 1 book out next year and the second is in talks with publishers this week (i pray it sells!)
one book is about the excess choices of generation y
one book is a travel memoir that includes the first year of starting hope runs in kenya
me: that's awesome!
when is the memoir out?
what's it called?
Claire: its a trip around the world that ends with starting a non-profit...
currently titled 'here there is hope'
me: great title
so what were you doing before hoperuns?
before the year around the world?
Claire: travel writing...i started the blogging thing then... (trippingonwords.com)
before the year around the world was living in mexico and then argentina...brief work in india...basically just more travel...
and writing
ha;)
we're really trying to put the HK marathon in our schedule for 777 - but the directors say they haven't finalized the date yet...
I'm hoping they do soon as we need to get our flights and hotels all planned very very soon
there were some hiccups with the schedule...hopefully the HK marathon will be feb 22
me: what's the schedule look like right now?
Claire: starting jan 31 it's marakech, netherlands, new zealand, hopefully Hong Kong, usa, antarctica, falklands islands
me: wow, so cool!
do you think the hope runs model could work in other places?
Claire: yes i think so
it's a very exportable model
we're in two orphanages in kenya right now
we were in two others in tanzania but aren't anymore
me: how come?
how do you choose the orphanages?
would you do it in s. america?
Claire: it's important to find the right partners. since we don't build our own orphanages but instead enter into existing orphanages there are lots of issues with due diligence, etc.
the biggest problem is that most of the orphanages in much of the world don't have extraordinarily open financial practices - they just aren't run as much of a business as we need them to be for international donors
and since we are entering already existent orphanages there is a careful power and cultural dynamic in the finance stuff
to run our programs efficiently we essentially need to enter orphanages that are already functional - ie ones that are not entirely day to day in terms of needs for basic necessities
we don't have the resources to fully support ALL the needs, and so if we're in a position of supporting basic structural things it doesn't work well
(ie - the orphanage needs to be able to be functionally providing food and shelter for the children if we realistically want to run computer classes)
it's an interesting problem
me: how did you yourself get into running
b/c obviously you must have a passion for runnning
in order to have come up with hoperuns
it's a brilliant idea, btw
Claire: i didn't have the greatest health and was trying to add more exercise into my life
it started very slowly
and then i found such confidence from realizing that i could run
i run very slowly - and always have - but it's empowering to be able to run farther than others...you know?
me: does india have a marathon?
Claire: they do
in february they have the delhi marathon.
and another one as well.
the hardest part is that we need marathons with really involved directors
one of the runners comes with all these security concerns
and everything ive read about delhi marathon is that its really disorganized and they haven't been able to provide a final date (and since we need to have everything very planned, it's hard)
me: well, i do hope you come to hk
would be great to meet u
and perhaps u'll motivate me to train for a half
Claire: definitely!
i think long runs are really more boring than painful ;)
me: yeah...but good music helps
Claire: yes!
Labels: entrepreneurship, events, Kenya, running
posted by 10000miles at 10:57
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