FAQ

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Where does the Race begin and end? Maisha Project located in a rural village area 20 minutes outside of Kisumu. What are the distances for the Race? Races are 42 kms, 21 kms and  8 kms (1 lap) What time does the Race start? Race starts 8:00am Where can I stay overnight prior to Race? For those who are NOT booking the tour and wish to overnight prior to the race, we recommend one of the following hotels: Imperial Hotel, Royal City Hotel and The Vic Hotel
What are the costs to register? Half Marathon is $100.00 Four Person Relay is $200 per relay team (or $50.00 per person) How do I register? Register online at this website; International registration or Kenyan Citizen 500 KSH for both When does registration close? Online closing date for race registration and tour – June 16, 2022 What types of payment do you except? Registration and tour fees are in USD, All major credit cards are accepted, Your credit card statement will show a charge from “Maisha Project.” What is the cancellation policy? Due to the nature of the event, the race registration fee is non-refundable. Registrants who cancel may defer their participation to a future year. How do I book tour? Contact Cody Lawson for assistance in coordinating travel: cody@maishaproject.org 333 NW 5th St Suite 410 | Oklahoma City, OK | 73102
Who came up with the idea of hosting this Race? Once again we saw one person stand up to make a difference. After visiting Maisha in 2012, Carmen Hancuff dreamed of combining two of her passions – running and Maisha. On the plane ride back to Oklahoma, she envisioned returning to Kenya to run the rural roads with her new friends. Who was the original team that ran? In March of 2014, she championed a team of eleven mothers and daughters from Oklahoma who traveled to Kisumu, Kenya to serve and deepen relationships at Maisha. Where did the inspiration come from for this Race? After spending a week at Maisha, the Run for Life team traveled to Eldoret, Kenya to run in the Rift Valley Marathon – where the world’s elite runners train. They took nine children from Maisha with them to run. This opened a whole new world to the children. They watched intently and fully embraced the opportunity. When was the first Run for Life Race held? They came home with a vision of standing up in their community and hosting a race to bring change to Maisha. They got it! Maisha empowers people to transform their communities and that’s exactly what these children aimed to do. After months of hard work, they held their first Run for Life half marathon at Maisha in July of 2014. Where did the proceeds from the 2014 race go? Proceeds from the race went towards helping build the new school building for the Maisha Academy, a school dedicated to bringing quality education to the area outside of Kisumu known as Kano. Where do the proceeds from the 2015-2016 race go? Proceeds went towards building the girl’s dormitory for at-risk students at Maisha Academy.
What is the Maisha Story? It started with a girl who received a sponsorship for education at the age of 9 in a small village in Kenya. That girl is Maisha Project founder Beatrice Williamson and her desire is to give others that same opportunity for education and a “hand up.” What is the mission? The mission of Maisha Project is to transform lives and empower communities by providing lasting solutions to address poverty, hunger, disease and under-education. How did you accomplish the goals of the project? We accomplish that through projects such as Education, Health, Economic Empowerment and more. How does Maisha relate to Run for Life Race? Maisha ignites the passion in all of us to DO SOMETHING! As you Run for Life you become part of the Maisha Story and support our projects.
What type of tour do you offer? A fully guided tour of Kisumu, Kenya and surrounding areas including the beautiful Lake Victoria. Maisha’s projects in Kenya, both in the Nyalenda slums and in the village. A 3 day safari at the world famous Masai Mara Game Park, your chance to see the “Big 5.” How many days is the tour? It starts on July 06 when you arrive at Airport in Kisumu and ends on July 13 in Nairobi Where will I stay? July 06 – 10 guests will stay at St. Anna’s Guest House in Kisumu. You will share assigned rooms with 2 or 3 occupants and dine in the dining hall on the property. July 11 – 23 you will transition by road to one of the Masai Mara Park lodges such as the Mara Serena Safari Lodge. Who is guiding this tour? Cody Lawson, he is the Assistant Missions Director for The Maisha Project. He’s passionate about giving the people of Maisha a hand-up and helping visitors see the beauty in these people and this land. Are there any activities planned before and after the race? Two evenings before the race, tour participants will have a pasta party. In addition to pasta, you will have a chance to try traditional ugali made from ground corn maize. Ugali is the main staple of the Kenyan diet. The night before the race will stay more low-key to allow you to prepare; dinner will be provided at the guest house. At the end of the race, join us in a post-race celebration where the day will be crowned with the singing and dancing of the Luo tribe. Which safari tour or park will I see? The Masai Mara National Park is considered the greatest wildlife park in Africa. It has over 200 square miles of open grassland where animals such as wildebeests, zebras, gazelles, antelope, ostriches, rhinos, buffalo, elephants, giraffes, lions, cheetahs, leopards and hyenas. Hippos and crocodiles are found in large groups all along the Mara and Talek Rivers. How much does the tour cost? $1,600 USD What is included in the tour cost? The fully guided tour includes airport pick-up in Kisumu, ground transport in Kenya, accommodation, meals, This price does NOT include round-trip airfare from your originating location, gratuities or additional beverages at safari. All prices are in US Dollars. How do I book this tour? Contact Cody Lawson for assistance in coordinating travel and airfare: 333 NW 5th St Suite 410 | Oklahoma City, OK | 73102 405.445.3440 | 1.800.518.0255 cody@maishaproject.org