Coachathon – One Day To Change Lives
On Wednesday, 9th October 2024, I had the honour of taking part in this year’s Coachathon, a one-day coaching fundraiser dedicated to raising funds for the Microloan Foundation.
The foundation supports women facing poverty in sub-Saharan Africa with mentoring, training and small loans to build their own businesses. With a sustainable income, these inspiring mothers and entrepreneurs can afford nutritious food, healthcare, and education for their families.
Once again this year, coaches from various fields, including myself, came together to offer free coaching sessions in exchange for a minimum £50 donation from participants. The response was incredible, and by the end of the day, we collectively raised an impressive £23,074.
As a result of this, 923 women will have access to a start-up loan and business training, and 3,692 children will have increased access to food, healthcare, and education.
My Part In All This
I was offering 45 minute coaching sessions to help people with Public Speaking. It’s an area where I’ve built over a decade of experience as an award-winning international public speaker. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of training countless speakers around the world, helping them find their voice and communicate with confidence. So, it was a natural choice for me to focus on that for this event.
Throughout the day, I worked with individuals who were looking to sharpen their public speaking skills – whether it was overcoming nerves, creating a powerful message, or learning how to engage an audience effectively. I always love those “aha” moments when a person realises they’re capable of more than they thought. It was very rewarding to see people finish their sessions with new tools, ready to step into their next speaking opportunity with more confidence and clarity.
This is my third year taking part, it gets better each time, and here’s to 2025’s Coachathon (I hope they do another one!)
It’s Bigger Than This Though…
Of course, the significance of Coachathon goes far beyond these individual sessions. Every conversation, every coaching moment, was part of a larger effort to make a meaningful impact on the lives of women in extreme poverty in Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The money we raised will help these women break free from the cycle of poverty by giving them the means to start or grow their businesses, ultimately changing the trajectory of their lives and their communities.
To everyone who participated, thank you. Whether you donated, booked a session, or simply helped spread the word, your contribution mattered. It’s a powerful reminder of how, when we come together, we can create ripples of change that stretch across continents.
