FIRST LADYS MESSAGE FOR BOOKLET

Fellow Kenyans,
I would like to thank you for accepting my invitation to participate
in the second edition of the First Ladys Half Marathon. I am
humbled by the support that my team and I have received
towards this noble cause. Our country is losing women and
children needlessly because of preventable and treatable
diseases despite the countrys rapid digitization. It is
unacceptable that only 47% of pregnant women in Kenya receive
the recommended four antenatal care visits. We as a country
cannot just stand by and watch our future leaders die even before
their first birthday.
I believe that you and I and the country at large have what it
takes to get to beyond zero deaths in 2030. We can be able to
reduce the number of children and mothers dying significantly
through innumerable cost effective solutions. This can be done by
ensuring that there are enough skilled birth attendants to support
mothers and their children before and after pregnancy, ensuring
that there is adequate immunization against early childhood
diseases and educate all mothers on the benefits of exclusive
breast feeding for the first six months that will see them grow
beyond 5 years.
In March and April 2014, I participated in two marathons; the
inaugural First Ladys Half Marathon and the London Marathon
respectively in order to raise awareness and funds for the Beyond
Zero Campaign.
The funds raised from the 2014 half marathon have been used to
purchase 20 fully-kitted mobile clinics. To date, 19 clinics have
been handed over to Taita Taveta, Narok, Samburu, HomaBay,
Baringo, Isiolo, Wajir, Turkana, Marsabit, Kitui, Kiambu, Siaya, Kisii,
Mombasa, Kilifi, Kwale, Nyeri , Tharaka Nithi and Laikipia counties.
We aim to give each of the 47 counties in Kenya a mobile clinic.

The marathon is just the first step in a journey that we hope will
ensure that we get beyond zero preventable deaths among
mothers and young children.
I would like to sincerely express my gratitude to all our sponsors
and partners who have supported this initiative. First, I would like
to thank Athletics Kenya for chairing the local organizing
committee and ensuring that this event is a great success.
I also take this opportunity to thank all the major donors including
Family Bank Group Foundation, Cooperative Bank, Kenya
Commercial Bank, Sunken International, Dyer and Blair
Investment, CBA, Britam, Bank of Africa, Magnate Ventures,
among many other sponsors who believe and support this cause.
My gratitude goes to the media, particularly Royal Media Group,
Nation Media, The Standard Group, Radio Africa, Capital Fm,
Kenya Broadcasting Corporation, Mediamax, Truckside Advertising
(K) Limited for the support that they have given this initiative. We
could not have done this without you. My sincere thank you to our
communication partners Inter Management Group Kenya
Limited (IMG), and of course my trainer Douglas Wakihuri and his
entire team and my training partners.
Together we will win this battle and get to Beyond Zero.

Thank you and God bless you!