LIVE FOR TODAY

I was privileged to run in the tiny African island country of Sao Tome the other week, not just because I am still able to run but because of the sad reality of the locals I met along the way.

Sao Tome is a very poor country with more than 65 per cent of the population living below the poverty line. Outside the capital, its infrastructure has pretty much fallen apart since it was granted independence by the Portuguese in 1975.

Running along dirt roads and passing villages where no one appeared to work, the women spent all day washing and trying to feed their families, and the younger generation hung around with little hope of breaking the cycle made me realise just how lucky I am to live in the UK.

On several occasions I stopped at the only shop in a village to buy a drink only to discover that my kitchen cupboard at home contained more food. And the really sad part is that most people could not afford to buy even the basic provisions on sale.

There is hope, however. It was clear that this beautiful country is able to cope with tourism and has enough culture to make a visit worthwhile.

More children are going to school and there are also signs that some are breaking the mould, like Ismael Tavarez – a local lad who can run a marathon in less than 2hrs 20mins and won the race I was in overall.

The country just needs the right support and things will get better. I wonder if there is someone you know who just needs some support to change their life for the better. Could you be the person who helps break their mould?

Until next week,

Most locals could not afford to buy even the basic provisions on sale in the shops