Vanessa Lam
13 July 2016: A pharmacy lecturer at the University of Canberra will spend his long service leave walking the Kokoda Track this month to raise money to install water tanks in Kenyan schools.
Associate professor Mark Naunton and his colleague Shane Jackson hope to raise $8,000 for Global School Partners (GSP), a not-for-profit institution, which facilitates partnerships between schools in Australia and schools in developing nations to alleviate poverty.
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Professor Mark Naunton preparing for the Kokoda Track inside the University’s Sporting Commons.
Dr Naunton said he decided to walk the track for GSP during his long service leave because he wanted to make use of the time and support a charity.
"I have known the GSP CEO Simon Carroll, through my pharmacy connections since coming to Canberra in 2010. I've wanted to support Simon by going to Africa with him for the last two years, but haven't managed to find the time to it," he said.
"So we thought why not use this time to support GSP, as it blends education and health, which are things we are both passionate about."
The Kokoda Track is one of the world's great treks, linking the southern and northern coast of Papua New Guinea.
Dr Naunton has been using the University's facilities to help him prepare for the grueling 96km trail using the state-of-the-art environmental chamber at the University of Canberra's Sporting Commons to do baseline fitness measurements and medical checks.
So far Dr Naunton and Dr Jackson have raised over $6,000, which is enough to install at least three water tanks in the schools. Their aim is to raise enough funds to install four tanks to ensure students have access to clean water.
"I know people have many options to support charities so I am just grateful if people support the idea and if they are able to donate," Dr Naunton said.
You can support Dr Naunton and Dr Jackson here. Fundraising ends on 31 July.
The pair leave Australia tomorrow and hope to complete the trek in nine days.
