Samantha Gash

Last week I saw the most amazing young women speak. Her name is Samantha Gash. She’s 29 and she blew my mind. Sam stood at the front of the stage, all 5 foot nothing of her, and spoke with so much passion about running across extreme and harsh environments around the world.

Sam told the audience that in her first year of racing ultra marathons she decided to run 1000kms across the four most extreme deserts in the world. She ran across Chile (driest), China (windiest), Egypt (hottest) and Antarctica (coldest). Each of the races were 250kms in length and she had to carry everything she needed in a pack on her back for the duration of the run.

Sam then went on to explain how the following year she wanted to see if she was capable of running in the highest ultramarathon in the world. This was a 222km non-stop run across the Himalayas, where the elevation peaked at 6000metres above sea level. Then the following year she needed to escape her job as a corporate lawyer for a week, so she ran 379kms nonstop across Australia’s Simpson Desert. It was fair to say I thought she was a little crazy, but it got more full on.

This year in September, Sam and another women named Mimi (who is 51 and from the UK) are planning on running 2,350km’s across the Freedom Trail in South Africa. They plan on running this distance in 32 days, which means they need to run on average 80kms a day – the equivalent of 64 back to back marathons. Everyone in the audience was in disbelief but that turned into admiration as Sam explained that the run was being used to make a sustainable change in South Africa. Sam spoke of the situation for 30% of young women in the country who do not go to school when they menstruate because they cannot afford sanitary products. Some are missing school for over three months of the school year!!

I know I am a guy - but this blows my mind! I can’t imagine what it must be like for the girls that have to experience this discomfort and embarrassment every month.

Mimi and Sam and their project called Freedom Runners are teaming up with the global NGO 'Save the Children' and, together, they are establishing a social enterprise business in the Free State. The social enterprise will gainfully employ a dozen South African women to manufacture reusable feminine hygiene products, which will then be distributed at low cost to girls within that community.

As I was sitting in my seat, I was in awe of what Sam and Mimi have set out to do.

By chance Sam left the stage and sat next to me. I asked her who was filming the expedition? She replied “no one.” From that moment on Sam and I have been in constant communication about how ‘Thousand Faces’ can be part of telling this epic story to the world.

In an age where awareness is just as powerful as money, it would be tragic if this story wasn’t shared.

‘Thousand Faces’ exists to bring story to life. This is what we love to do!! We do it through creating high quality video content that people want to share. Please help bring this story to life.

The ‘Thousand Faces’ Gentlemen

The funds donated for this Legacy Documentary will go to creating a documentary to educate people all around the world about the issues that young girls and women are facing in South Africa. The Freedom Runners Legacy Documentary will do the film circuit around the world and hopefully bring what Sam, Mimi and 'Save The Children' are doing to the forefront of peoples minds. It is unfair that young girls are missing out on education because of something that is so natural to their bodies.   
The donations will cover-
Travel insurance 
Flights (including extra baggage)
Food & Accommodation along the Freedom Trail 
Some essential film gear whilst in South Africa 
Visa permit to film 
Small budget for editing  

This is a tiny budget for this legacy documentary, it's more like a love job as we are so inspired by what Sam and Mimi are doing along side 'Save The Children'!

Thank you for your support, this is something special!