Man Runs 250km Across the Sahara to save Rainforests
Have you ever heard of the Marathon Des Sables? It's known as the "Toughest Footrace on Earth," a grueling 250km Ultra Marathon journey through the Sahara desert. Runners from all around the world endure soaring temperatures exceeding 50°C during the day and plummeting to 5°C at night, all while carrying over 10kg of gear on their backs throughout the entire race.
Joshua Bloom is one of those individuals you can't quite encapsulate in words. He's pushing his own boundaries to remind himself of what's real and what matters most in life. It's not just about the run; it's about a mission. Starting from April 12th, 2024, Josh is running for RAIN and our work in restoring degraded Amazon areas alongside Indigenous and traditional communities.
The Marathon Des Sables
The Marathon Des Sables has been an extraordinary race and adventure since its inception in 1986. It's a sublime and mythical crossing of the desert, spanning 11 days of adventure in Morocco, including 9 days in the desert divided into 6 stages covering approximately 250km. For the past three decades, participants in the Marathon Des Sables have acknowledged the physical prowess required, but above all, they emphasize the human adventure aspect. During those ten days in the Sahara, sharing becomes the driving force that propels participants forward. Many runners choose to associate their participation with noble causes, ranging from raising funds for charity to increasing awareness of various issues.
Why is Josh doing it?
It's not just about the run; it's about a mission.
Just as runners push their limits in the Sahara desert, environmentalists and charities tirelessly strive to protect and regenerate crucial ecosystems like rainforests. They confront challenges such as illegal logging, ecosystem destruction and climate change. By running the Marathon Des Sables in support of RAIN, Josh aims to highlight the parallels between endurance in the desert and the determination required to combat deforestation. Each step he takes symbolizes the collective effort needed to safeguard the planet's invaluable natural resources and secure a sustainable future for generations to come.
The Alcantara project: connecting mangroves in the Amazon
Today, one of our projects in Alcantara at the mouth of the Amazon faces constant threats from deforestation driven by illegal loggers, fires, invasions and unchecked agriculture. This puts the communities reliant on this ecosystem at risk.
In 1982, the construction of the Alcântara Rocket Launch Center (CLA) forcibly displaced 312 Quilombola families from areas they called "home." After nearly three centuries of treading, planting and living in those areas, local people were "transferred" without prior notice to seven Agrovillages, resulting in food insecurity and significant social and environmental impacts.
Today, several traditional Black communities face constant pressure from deforestation, jeopardizing ecosystems and thousands of livelihoods. From the coast's mud to the Amazonian soil, locals depend on subsistence agriculture, fishing and crab extraction. As degradation intensifies, their sources of survival become increasingly scarce.
It's in these communities that we discover the art of appreciating the profound significance of every crab within the mangroves, every shadow in the depths of the Legal Amazon forests.
Time is running out. Support this campaign, the communities in Alcantara and follow Josh on his journey.
You can also spread the word. Share on your socials, chat with your friends about it, shout from your window.
