In December 2024, Ananya will be rowing 3000 miles across the Atlantic ocean aiming to raise £75,000 for The Mental Health Foundation and become the first woman of colour to row solo and unsupported across any ocean.
This means she will be raising £25 per mile of ocean rowed!
Why Row the Atlantic?
Ananya grew up with a love of the outdoors and new activities, acutely aware of the impact of the natural envionment and physical challgenges on her own mental health. In completing the challenge, Ananya will become the first woman of colour to row solo across an ocean and she hopes to encourage more diversity in adventure sport and rowing, especially for women and minority groups.
Why the Mental Health Foundation?
Mental health is not just a concern for a few; just as we're all susceptible to physical illness, regardless or background of circumstance, mental health can affect everyone. The majority of resources are directed toward treating mental illness whereas the MHF focuses on research & prevention and work to change social perceptions around mental health which is unfairly stigmatised, even as mental illness rates continue to rise globally.
Why Deenabandhu Trust?
A charity that’s close to Ananya personally, Deenabandhu Trust is an NGO in southern India founded by her uncle as a home and school for children from difficult backgrounds, which also provides a further education scholarship programme and teacher programme. Children from Deenabandhu have gone on to become architects, nurses, engineers and social workers directly as a result of Deenabandhu where these children would otherwise have very few options in life, open to poverty and exploitation.
How?!
Ananya will row in her boat 'Odysseus', a specially built 25ft oceanrowing boat, designed to withstand the tough marine environment. Fully carbon neutral and self-sufficient, solar panels on the boat power all the electronics and water desalinator with rowing being the only forward power. Ananya will face 30ft waves, sleep deprivation, isolation and the forces of the ocean for approximately 60 days, making this as much a mental challenge as a physical one!
Follow her preparations and journey on:
Instagram: www.instagram.com/atlantic_odyssey
Facebook: www.facebook.com/atlanticodyssey2024
Twitter: www.twitter.com/ao2024ananya
Raising for
£4,560.04
raised of £75,000
