Trek for Girls: Supporting Education in Nepal

Peter McCloy, Principal Program Manager at Patient Zero has headed off to Peru for his "Trek For Girls" fundraiser. He is taking part in Plan International Australia's Trek for Girls Programme to raise much needed funds to help get young girls educated and out of harm's way. 

Peter says “Plan International works to empower girls around the world, it’s really important, and I want to do what I can to help. This will be a challenging trek, but no more challenging than what young girls face.”

The “Trek For Girls” 2019 will see Peter traverse along the legendary Inca Trail from the sacred Urubamba River to Machu Picchu. It will take 5 days and he will reach an altitude of 13,828 feet (4,213m). Already, he is facing the reality of high altitude “Settling in after suffering altitude sickness. Travel in Peru is a reminder of how privileged we are in Australia, how safe our children are growing up” Peter said. 

Plan International Australia is a global independent development and humanitarian organisation, that recognise the power and potential of every single child. Yet poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination strip them of their childhoods, and it is girls who are most affected. They work alongside children, young people, supporters and partners to tackle the root causes of the injustices facing girls and the most marginalised children.

Peter’s fundraising goal is $3,500 and will contribute to Plan International’s $50,000 target for the Trek For Girls program. He is proud to support one of the oldest, largest and most experienced organisations in their field. “This year they launched their Half A Billion Reasons Report which shows how investing in girls can change the world.” Peter said. 

Half a billion adolescent girls in the developing world are our next generation of leaders, workers and mothers. What opportunities they have, what barriers they face and what they achieve today will set them on a life course that will not only determine their futures, but the future of their families, their communities and their nations.

Patient Zero’s CEO Paul Briggs, says that Peter embodies Patient Zeros’ mission. “Our mission is seeing further, taking you there. Peter is definitely seeing further than most. We wish him all the best on this adventure”.