Project Complete

It breaks every fiber of my heart to announce that after 15 years the time has come for me to step down from managing the Gawair project for the Maria Cristina Foundation from August 2020.

It has been a ‘labour of love’ for me for more than 15 years, with extreme levels of frustration and despair as well as elation and emotion; but overall it has been a very successful project, achieving the original goals set out for, plus much, much more.

Although the education for the students continues, my job is done, and it is time for me to move on to new projects and new goals. There are many more communities in the world who need help.

We have built an entire community in Bangladesh and taught the community members how to maintain it and how to be independent. We saw potential in the children and I personally made a promise to the families that I would give them the opportunity to discover their potential.

Many of the adults, through our training, have gone on to be successful in gainful employment, in the UAE and other countries.

Many of our students have already graduated high school and are attending University abroad or in Bangladesh or are also in gainful employment.

The mission is complete. We have accomplished the goals we set out to achieve and much more.

The aim was to put the children through high school with a good enough education standard that they may compete with students anywhere in the world for employment or for University - this we have achieved. Some are still at high school, but we have sufficient measures in place to ensure that they will finish.

The impact of our work is immeasurable, because the ultimate goals are long term and designed to benefit all future generations, they always have been.

We have never succumbed to be governed by monthly or yearly numbers, such as 'number of students educated' or 'increase in number of students' like many charities do, because this goes against our principles and can damage the quality of our programs and the long term impact that is so needed in poor communities.

Our guiding principle is that education has to be of a good quality to be sustainable, and by sustainable, I mean effective enough to change lives in a way that future generations will benefit from it because their parents are successful enough to provide good education for their own children.

I have no doubt that some of our students will also go on to make a considerable, positive difference in Bangladesh for other people or communities.

To keep this project going I have climbed mountains, walked to the North and South Pole, ran countless marathons, ultra-marathons and completed Ironman races to break Guinness World records; these are things that I never would have done if I wasn't pushed by the need to keep this project going. But also, these feats are nothing compared to non-stop work in Bangladesh battling the limitless obstacles and barriers along the way.

The work has consumed me completely for more than 15 years, I have given everything and dedicated all that I have in my life for 15 years to keep it going. Also it would never have been possible without the many, many people who have helped me keep it going; Volunteers, Sponsors, Donors, Supporters, Coaches, Trainers, Doctors, Dentists; there are far too many to mention and it doesn't matter how much I thank you, it will never be enough.

My final message is to the students of MCF. When your parents moved your families to Dhaka, they grabbed every opportunity available to bring food to the table, for you to survive. But they had limitations, they didn't have an education, and so the opportunities were very few.

Now, not only do you have an education, we have also shown you the world and shown that it's full of opportunities - But it is up to you to go out and grab those opportunities - they won't come to you. You can achieve anything you want to, but you have to make it your mission and YOU have to make it happen.