A recent charity event proved to be a big success in its bid to raise funds for the Facing Africa charity.

Off the Beaten Track - A One of a Kind Trail Run took place on Sunday, February 28^th.  With the legs of the ultra-marathon trail extending along Seven Mile Beach, through George Town, and toward South Sound, relay teams competed over a distance of about 50 kilometres.

dms Management Ltd. in partnership with Krys & Associates, Stuarts Walkers Hersant and several other firms assisted in raising more than $20,000 for the charity dedicated to helping sufferers of Noma.

The severe flesh-eating disease affects young children, the poverty-stricken and the malnourished who live in Sub-Saharan Africa.

It is estimated that more than 140,000 new Noma cases are recorded every year, of which 90% will be fatal. Facing Africa provides funds for the visits of teams of voluntary surgeons from the UK, Germany and Holland to Nigeria and Ethiopia to perform facial reconstruction surgery on the victims.

In the name of charity, the trail run welcomed runners of all levels, from weekend runners to experienced marathoners. 

All proceeds raised from the run will go toward the transport costs of teams of up to five surgeons, their medical assistants and the purchase of medical materials. Each visit to Africa costs an average of $100,000. 

In the months leading up to the event, organizers appealed to the local business community to enter a team in the run. As well as making a monetary donation to the cause, providing volunteer course marshals and sponsoring a team of runners including dms Director Ronan Guilfoyle, dms Finance Manager Cara Hennessey and dms Organization Financial Controller Martin Cole, the company provided extensive media support.

 “It was our privilege to be a sponsor of this event,” said Mr. Guilfoyle.

“We started assisting in the planning of this event in November - as a first-time event, a lot of work went into the logistics and generating awareness, which makes the success of this event all the more rewarding.”

He noted that dms has an ongoing commitment to giving back.

“We welcomed the opportunity to join forces with the local business community, namely Krys & Associates and Stuarts, to bring awareness to such a worthwhile organization as Facing Africa.”