‘Team Toe’ duo drive 10,000 miles to Mongolia for SOS Children

When friends Joe and Tom graduated from University last year, they decided to plan an adventure of a lifetime. The pair signed up to take on the Mongol Rally, a 10,000 mile drive across 21 countries, all in aid of their chosen charities.

Setting off on July 13th, Joe and Tom are relying on a 2004 1.3 litre Kia Rio named ‘Barney’ to get them to their destination. The six-week trip travels through a diverse 21 countries, including Slovenia, Kosovo, Turkey and Russia. With no support staff, translators or mechanics, the team must rely on their own luck, resources and skills to reach Mongolia in the best time possible.

Since the annual Mongol rally began in 2004, over 6,000 adventurers have made the arduous journey and raised over £3.5 million for good causes. Joe and Tom decided to take on the challenge to raise valuable funds to support the work of SOS Children. Joe says: “After graduating last year we decided we needed an adventure. But as well as offering up some of the best fun around, it had to be for a good cause.”

On their route, Joe and Tom are planning to visit an SOS Children’s Village in Azerbaijan, to see firsthand the difference the money they raise will make. The Children’s Village in Baku has 14 family homes, where groups of orphaned and abandoned children are cared for by specially trained ‘SOS mothers’ until they reach independence. We also run an SOS Playbus, which travels around Baku. It is a mobile centre offering fun and educational play materials for children, and it stops off at public parks and hospitals, at orphanages and grey concrete tower blocks. Activities such as drama, dancing, dressing up, face painting and various craft activities help children to grow in confidence and trust in others.

The duo’s team name ‘Team Toe’ reflects their innovative fundraising idea. The team are offering anyone who donates £5 or more to their chosen charities the chance to decorate a toe-sized area of their car with whatever text or images they wish. So far, the team have raised a fantastic £1,500.

To support Team Toe and claim your toe-sized space, please visit: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/teamtoe

Good luck to all the teams taking part in the Mongol rally for SOS Children! Find out how you too can support SOS Children by taking on a challenge.