VALENCIA, Spain — Running through desert landscapes with extreme temperatures is a challenge few people would willingly undertake. For Italian ultramarathon runner Nicola Ciani, however, these races serve a purpose beyond personal achievement. Having begun racing in 2004 and becoming passionate about ultramarathon racing in 2012, he has used some of the world’s toughest endurance races to raise money for development projects in Africa, including drinking wells in Togo and a grain mill and kindergartens in Ethiopia. Through his partnership with Charity In The World, an Italian nonprofit organization founded by ultramarathon runner Raffaele Bratolle, Ciani has demonstrated how sport can become a platform for humanitarian action. Here is information about the African initiatives he has supported to alleviate poverty in Africa.
‘No Water, No Life’ Campaign, Togo
Access to clean drinking water remains a major challenge in Togo. According to the United Nations, 21% of the population used safely managed drinking water services in 2024. Limited access to clean water increases the risk of waterborne diseases such as cholera, hepatitis A, typhoid and polio. World Bank figures put the rural poverty rate at 58.2% in 2021. For some rural households, collecting water also requires lengthy journeys.
In 2019, Ciani’s ‘No Water, No Life’ campaign funded two drinking wells in Togo, including in Afagnan and Zooti, improving access to drinking water in those communities. He utilized the Marathon des Sables, a 250-kilometer course in Morocco, to support African initiatives and raise money for the wells. The original campaign record documents their inauguration in July 2019. The impact of the project became clear when Ciani visited the village during the inauguration of one of the wells. “I was surrounded by hundreds of kids and the priest said: ‘You cannot even imagine what you did for the community with this drinking well,’” Ciani recalled. The wells can also support improved hygiene and reduce the distance some residents travel to collect water.
‘The Grain for Life’ Project, Ethiopia
Following the success of his first campaign, Ciani turned his attention to Shebo, a community near Gambella in western Ethiopia, close to South Sudan. Grinding grain by hand can be physically demanding and time-consuming, particularly for women who often carry out this work.
Inspired to help, Ciani ran the Ultra AFRICA Race in Mozambique in 2023 and launched a fundraiser for an electric grain mill in the village. His Grain for Life crowdfunding campaign ultimately recorded €11,464 in donations.
“The common alternative is using a heavy wooden stick to crush the grains inside a stone mortar,” Ciani explained. “This task is normally carried out by women, a long and grueling labor that, over the years, leads to severe chronic health conditions.”
The campaign surpassed its initial target and expanded support beyond the mill. A November 2023 campaign update confirmed funding for a year of operations at one kindergarten, while the wider initiative sought support for four kindergartens serving roughly 100 children each. The proposed assistance covered expenses such as refreshments and school supplies. During his visit, one particular detail stood out: “All the kids wear soccer shirts, mainly of English football teams,” Ciani said. Rather than traditional uniforms, the colorful shirts provide an affordable way for teachers to identify different classes.
The project illustrates how a community-focused fundraiser can support practical needs, from reducing the work involved in preparing grain to helping cover everyday expenses at an early childhood education center. The longer-term effects on household incomes and educational access have not been independently measured.
Continuing ‘The Grain for Life’ Project, Mozambique
For Ciani, ultramarathons are about more than crossing the finish line; they are an opportunity to raise awareness and funds for humanitarian projects. During the 2023 Ultra AFRICA Race in Mozambique, he paired the 220-kilometer challenge with fundraising for the Grain for Life project in Ethiopia. Training for the race became more meaningful knowing each mile could inspire donations. “When you are tired during your long, exhausting training, simply thinking you are also doing something greater than a simple race makes you really feel stronger,” Ciani said. “I wanted to give my 100% since I was also trying to encourage donors to do the same by supporting my project.”
As the race passed through coastal villages, children lined the route, cheering runners and running alongside them. “These kids are very poor but their genuine smiles remain unforgettable memories that I will always keep in my heart,” Ciani said. The experience reinforced his commitment to supporting development projects across Africa and using sport to encourage humanitarian action.
Meaningful Change Begins With Individual Action
Although Ciani acknowledges that his fundraising campaigns are only a small contribution to the vast humanitarian challenges facing many African communities, he has shown how running can support African initiatives. He believes meaningful change begins with individual action. “I am well aware that fundraisers like No Water, No Life and Grain for Life are just drops in an ocean of need,” he said. “But then again, a single step is next to nothing compared to a 250-kilometer ultramarathon. That is why I have never doubted that a single runner can, in some way, make a difference.”
Ciani said he hopes to launch another fundraising campaign in 2027, with plans to support a new development project in Togo through Charity In The World. He also believes investing in local communities is essential to creating opportunities that allow people to build a future in their own countries. “I strongly believe that in a world where migrational waves are a massive social challenge, supporting these communities is an effort we must make,” Ciani said. “Giving them the opportunity to build a future in their native countries, rather than forcing them to leave their families behind, is a responsibility we all share.”
– Emma Wheeler
Emma is based in Valencia, Spain and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons