Dubai Today - Gulf for Good

This month with…
Dubai Today
Dubai Eye 103.8 presenter Suzanne Radford shares
everything good in her world this month
to work through circuits which include
lifting tractor tyres, and wriggling
heavy ropes, and they are also working
with schools, sports academies and
companies to improve their personal
fitness and wellbeing.
Care
Challenge
I’m preparing for my third challenge
with Gulf For Good and what will be
the UAE-based organisation’s 55th
challenge. This time we trek to the top
of Kilimanjaro and the roof of Africa.
It’s an extreme challenge and will test
my physical fitness, endurance and
mental strength to reach the summit
at an altitude of 5,695m. I have been
attending G4G training sessions on
Friday mornings which include 14km
beach hikes, stair climbing, walking
up and down Ski Dubai and Jebel
Hafeet. The sessions are free and
open to anyone interested in doing
a G4G challenge or just wanting to
meet like-minded people and get fit.
As I hike and climb and get to know my
fellow challengers I discover a common
ground, and that is a respect for the
outdoors and a need to help others.
The challenges are sponsored, and the
money goes to helping local charities
in the countries they visit. With regular
psychologists joining me on the show,
a point of emphasis is the importance
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for human beings to be close to nature
and the benefits they gain from giving to
others. To find out more, the next G4G
open meeting is
on April 20th at Adventure HQ from
7pm and you can follow my journey
via dubaieye1038.com/kilimanjaro.
Collaborate
‘Have you heard the one about the
Englishman, Irishman...?’, we live
in a diverse society and I think this
makes us more resourceful in how to
communicate effectively with others.
How we connect is important to our
wellbeing and four fitness instructors
from England, Ireland and Canada
(Keith, Kris, Nic and Matt) have come
together to combine their experience
in the field to run the Physical Training
Company. They are experts in strength
conditioning, physio and cardio with
a vision to reach all people whatever
their age, ability and culture to be active
responsibly. The Training Room is run
from Fitness HQ, which brings people
together in a supportive environment
The Dubai International Humanitarian
Aid & Development Conference &
Exhibition was held recently with the
theme of being Innovation. I spoke
with Dr Valerie Nkamgang Bemo,
development worker from the Gates
Foundation Emergency Response
Team. She manages the investments
that support communities affected
by natural disasters and complex
emergencies. A native of Cameroon
living in the United States, I learned a lot
during our conversation as she shared
stories of individual and communal
loss, displacement and poverty. She
says she always felt she gained more
than she gave to fellow man, as even in
the midst of adversity she saw human
beings expressing love and forgiveness
regardless. Dr Valerie’s key message,
when it comes to philanthropy and
charity, is to be actively involved with
what you support and be mindful, be
present and truly engage with humanity.
I leave you this month with a quote from
the musical The Sound of Music
‘Climb every mountain, ford every
stream, follow every rainbow, until you
find your dream’.
– Rodgers and Hammerstein
Have a good month,
Suzanne x
Tune into Dubai Today weekdays from
11am to 1pm on Dubai Eye 103.8. For
podcasts and extras dubaieye1038.com
or follow on twitter @suzanneradford
@DubaiEye1038FM