Mary is a vibrant 11 year old, though her actual age can never be known because, like many orphan in Sub-Saharan Africa, she does not know her birthday. Before daily runs she can often be seen shaking her bum and flaunting Kikuyu dance moves, though this was not always the case. She is one of dozens of children who came to live at the Tumaini Children’s Center in Kenya after suffering through losing her parents to AIDS. When she first arrived she would not speak to anyone, but after a few weeks at the center and participating in Hope Runs programming things started to change. After school athletics is almost unheard of in the Kyeri region of Kenya, where Tumaini is located, particularily for girls; but for Mary, the opportunity to run with Claire and Lara, the founders of Hope Runs, empowered her to come out of her shell and share herself with the world!
For stories written by the children whose lives Hope Runs has touched, read the Tumaini Kids blog.
