#WalkInHerShoes with Maria: 125 mile challenge
125 miles mirrors the gruelling journey thousands of women like Maria have had to make from Nyala to South Sudan to escape the violence of war.
Sign up today to walk, wheel or run 125 miles this March and raise money for women like Maria who are facing crisis and conflict. When you click on sign up below you will be taken to JustGiving to sign up to the challenge and create your fundraising page.
Maria's story
Maria, 20, fled Sudan with her nine-month-old daughter after violence engulfed their village. The journey to safety was an unimaginable ordeal, with Maria walking for days without food or water. Dehydrated and exhausted, she resorted to digging in the sand with her bare hands to find water, a painstaking process that drained what little strength she had left.
Carrying her daughter on her back, Maria joined others fleeing the violence, often unsure if the children they carried were alive. They walked through bombings, gunfire, and scorching heat, resting only when they physically couldn’t continue. Each morning, they found the strength to rise again and keep moving.
Now in a refugee camp across the border in Chad, Maria’s suffering hasn’t ended. She struggles with trauma, loss, and the daily fight for survival in dire conditions. Yet she embodies resilience, standing up each day to care for her child and support her community. Maria’s story is one of perseverance, a testament to the strength it takes to survive and hope for a better future.
By taking part in Walk In Her Shoes this March, you can help women like Maria rebuild their lives and shape a better future.