She rOARS - Rowing solo across the Atlantic 2023

Leanne Maiden is organizing this fundraiser.

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She rOARS

I am Leanne - I am a very ordinary woman in my early 40s training for an extraordinary challenge - to row solo across the Atlantic Ocean in the Worlds Toughest Row in December 2023 from La Gomera to Antigua. I am a daughter, a sister, a wife, a friend and a mother to 2 incredible sons who I hope will be very proud of me. Before me only 34 solo females have attempted to row across the Atlantic Ocean, and I will be the first solo South African female to row across the Atlantic.

Aside from the physical and mental challenge of rowing an ocean I will also be facing the challenge of social isolation. I have never lived alone and I’m not even sure I have ever spent more than 12 hours in my own company. I have an incredible family and amazing friends and the thought of spending up to 85 days with nothing but my own thoughts feels like it could be very uncomfortable indeed. But when I consider the inescapable discomfort that so many people around the world experience on a daily basis for their entire lives my discomfort pales into insignificance.

I am rowing to raise money for 3 incredible charities with the hope of helping other people out awful situations. I’m raising money for the Mabel Foundation- who work to eliminate period poverty through education and providing sustainable period products to girls and women through Sub-Saharan Africa; the Women’s Fun Scotland - who fund grassroots programs for women through Scotland; and The Polar Academy - who work with the invisible child (whether it be through bullying or any form of abuse) to train them physically and mentally so they can complete an Arctic adventure of their own, enabling them to gain confidence and leadership skills.