Walking an average of 45kms a day for 100 days is no easy feat, but is something Richard Guarnuccio is determined to do.
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Raising money for wells which will provide clean drinking water to people in developing countries, Richard said he wants to spread the word so more people can donate.
“I am from Sorrento in Victoria and I am walking for 100 days in a row trying to get as high up the Queensland coast as I can, raising money for clean drinking water in developing countries like Uganda,” Richard said.
“Today (May 18) is day 43, and I have had a short day walking from Dunbogan to north of Port Macquarie, but usually I average around 40-50kms a day.
“In the beginning my goal was to talk 2,500kms in 100 days but I am well on track to exceed that which is fantastic.”
Richard said walking is both a physical and mental challenge.
“Walking out on the road by yourself is a real challenge, obviously physically it takes its toll on your body but it is also a mental game of tricking mind to keep walking and moving forward,” he said.
“So far it has been pretty good but using Google Maps as a guide it can be hard to tell what the terrain is actually like.
“So with that in mind I have an inflatable boat in my pack that I carry to cross rivers and sections of water that I can’t walk.
“I have also had some close encounters with animals and it is not so great when you are walking and are getting chased by a pack of dogs.”
He said the walk is about raising the profile of water organisation BridgIT Water Foundation which goes into developing countries and works with local communities to build community wells for people to access clean drinking water.
“The statistics are quite remarkable, 61 percent of people in Uganda do not have access to clean drinking water and 75 percent of sickness in Uganda is due to people drinking unsafe water.
“That is something that I want to help change and that is why I am doing this crazy walk because if it raises the profile of BridgIT and helps them continue to do the work they do then it will be worth it.”
If you want to contribute to Richard’s fund raising efforts head to the Walk for Water 100 website or follow him on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
