Latest news with #LAMP
The Hindu
03-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Opening new doors for Parliament's library service
In recent years, disruptions have been the hallmark of parliamentary proceedings in India. It is almost easy to forget that Parliament is not just a seat of politics. It is where policy is made and autopsied and the government is held accountable by people chosen to do so. Legislating on complex and diverse issues, from economic reforms and climate change to national security and emerging technologies is a daunting task. The key is to have access to world-class research and referral services. The Parliament library is one of the best in the country. Its services are used by research scholars, but only a handful of Members of Parliament (MP) use it, say MPs past and present. The Parliament Library and Reference, Research, Documentation and Information Service (LARRDIS) is prompt and efficient — an MP recalled how his online query about the speeches made by another MP during his 15-year parliamentary tenure led to all of them being sent to his email inbox within three days. Inputs, however, are limited to what is contained in its now entirely digitised volumes. 'It is not a research organisation or an academic institution,' was how one MP described the role of LARRDIS. But this gap is now filled by organisations such as PRS Legislative Research with its Legislative Assistants to Members of Parliament (LAMP) fellowships. Of the 800 or so MPs in Parliament, at any given point, only between 40 to 50 MPs have a LAMP fellow. Lauded for its immense value addition and effectiveness, LAMP nevertheless has finite resources — fellows spend a short time with MPs. Therefore, many MPs rely on political aides or external consultants for research. With House discussions devolving increasingly into political combats, many political parties also supply their MPs with talking points. This means that inputs to MP offices can be partisan or lacking in expertise or facts, resulting in debates that may lack analytical depth. The good, the bad and the ugly of LARRDIS While LARRDIS has been active in digitising parliamentary records such as creating PDF archives of Lok Sabha proceedings, committee reports, and rare books (even introducing a service in 2023 to share articles written by MPs with others), its services are predominantly reactive. MPs must submit requisitions either in person or online. The volume of requests by MPs for information surged from 150 in 1950 to over 8,000 in 2019. Yet, LARRDIS operates largely in a silo, with minimal partnerships with universities, think tanks, or consulting firms. This isolation limits its ability to provide proactive, anticipatory policy analysis and predict trends. It has also limited in-house research capacity. To meet the evolving demands of Indian democracy, there is a need for LARRDIS to evolve into an agile, forward looking, and inclusive research hub, making the best use of some of the premier academic institutes in the country. It will enrich India's legislative process. Other parliamentary research services Established parliamentary democracies have dedicated research units that provide lawmakers with authoritative, objective, and timely information. According to the Guidelines for Parliamentary Research Services by the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), a holistic research function within the system ensures confidentiality, neutrality and institutional memory. The European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS) collaborates with think tanks, academic partners, and other parliamentary services to build a diverse knowledge repository. It maintains an accessible website housing reports and policy digests. The EPRS tracks global trends affecting the European Union (EU), provides initial appraisals of European Commission impact assessments, and produces 'Cost of Non-Europe' reports assessing benefits of EU-level common action. Argentina's Scientific Office for Legislative Advice (OCAL) informs Parliament about scientific and technological options by collaborating with external institutions, conducts studies on social challenges, connects legislators with scientists and citizens, and runs training programmes. France's Parliamentary Office for Evaluation of Scientific and Technological Options (OPECST) and Mexico's Office for Information of Science and Technology for the Congress of the Union (INCyTU) serve similar roles. LARRDIS could emulate this proactive 360-degree approach. Partnerships with academic institutions for policy-relevant studies to address complex and emerging issues such as Artificial Intelligence governance or climate change can be one option. The IPU highlights such collaborations in countries such as Benin (Africa) and Colombia (South America), where embedding scholars co-author technical papers for enhanced research quality. Egypt attaches groups of specialists and research fellows to parliamentary committees. Sweden has the Association of MPs and Researchers (RIFO), for facilitating dialogue between lawmakers and researchers. Building an institutional asset A phased and consultative approach that is aligned with global best practices would be the ideal route for restructuring LARRDIS. LARRDIS's mandate, eligible users (MPs, citizens), turnaround timelines, and confidentiality protocols need to be delineated. Talent from think tanks, academic institutions, consulting agencies, and experts from organisations such as the World Bank, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and the United Nations Development Programme can add depth to its work. This is not merely an administrative reform. It is an investment in the quality of lawmaking, accountability, and governance. For a complex country such as India, the cost of misinformed policy can be staggering. A state-of-the-art research service would bridge the information asymmetry between legislature and executive, enhance the quality of debates, and strengthen the trust of citizens in parliamentary processes. Swati Sudhakaran is with Chase Advisors, a public policy advisory firm in New Delhi. Abantika Ghosh is with Chase Advisors, a public policy advisory firm in New Delhi. The views expressed are personal
Indian Express
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Parliament needs to function better. That begins with supporting MPs
Written by Ravindra Garimella and Rajas Kolhatkar We expect our elected representatives to govern wisely, represent their constituents faithfully, and scrutinise laws that affect millions. Parliament is meant to be more than a platform for speeches. It should be a space where serious questions are asked and real answers are found. But how can lawmakers do that without the tools to prepare? Members of Parliament are expected to reflect the concerns of their constituents, scrutinise legislation, and hold the government accountable. At the same time, they must navigate the demands of party politics, constituency responsibilities, and an increasingly complex policy landscape. Yet, what they are rarely given is structured and institutional research support. This is not just an operational gap. It reflects the larger question of how well we equip Parliament to perform its core functions. If it is to serve as a serious forum for debate, law-making, and oversight, MPs must be able to access high-quality, non-partisan research — available to all members, not just a few. Being an MP is more demanding than it appears from the outside. A typical day during a Session includes floor speeches, committee meetings, party strategy briefings and meetings with constituents or interest groups. In the time between sessions, MPs return to their constituencies, where the range of expectations only expands. Alongside all this, they must engage with legislation that is increasingly technical and fast-moving. Bills on data protection, artificial intelligence, defence procurement or climate policy require not only policy literacy but also specialised understanding and real-time analysis. Most legislators take their responsibilities seriously. However many operate without the kind of support that would allow them to engage with the full complexity of their role. Some rely on interns, others on party researchers or external experts. These arrangements vary widely in quality and availability. They are also unequally distributed — senior MPs or those backed by party infrastructure fare better, while first-time legislators, particularly those from regional or smaller parties, are often left navigating Parliament on their own. When that happens, debates become symbolic rather than substantive. Without preparation, MPs fall back on generalities. Without scrutiny, bills can pass unread or unchallenged. And when legislation is passed without genuine deliberation, Parliament begins to lose its ability to represent, reason, or restrain. One initiative that has helped bridge this gap is the Legislative Assistants to Members of Parliament (LAMP) Fellowship, run by PRS Legislative Research. Each year, around 50 young professionals are placed with MPs for the duration of a session year. These Fellows assist with preparing questions, drafting speeches, analysing legislation and researching policy issues. The impact is visible. With even a single trained researcher, MPs are better able to connect constituency concerns with national policy, participate more meaningfully in debates, and intervene with precision. Parliament becomes more focused, better informed, and more grounded in evidence. But LAMP, for all its success, is no substitute for institutional reform. It reaches fewer than 10 per cent of MPs. It is externally funded, temporary, and operates outside the formal structure of Parliament. The model works. The scale does not. Other democracies have already taken this step. In the US, the Congressional Research Service provides confidential, non-partisan policy analysis to all members of Congress. In the UK, the House of Commons Library produces legislative summaries, issue briefings, and bespoke research for MPs. These services are embedded within the legislature, professionally staffed, and publicly funded. They help legislators ask better questions and draft stronger laws. In India, there have been meaningful steps in this direction. The Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha Secretariats maintain research divisions, and the Parliament Library remains one of the largest in the world. In recent years, Parliamentary Research and Information Support for Members of Parliament (PRISM) has offered round-the-clock research support during sessions. MPs can call a hotline, request information, or attend bill briefings. These are positive developments and reflect a growing recognition of the need for research support. However, they remain limited and are not designed to provide continuous, personalised, or domain-specific inputs that legislators increasingly require. This should be housed within the Parliamentary Secretariat, professionally staffed, and accessible to all MPs. Its primary focus should be on embedding research associates directly with MPs and parliamentary committees. These associates could provide tailored support — helping legislators prepare for debates, analyse bills, draft questions, and translate technical material into actionable insights. A smaller central team could complement this work by producing thematic briefs and offering specialised inputs on complex policy issues. Such a system would do more than improve the quality of debate. It would reduce Parliament's reliance on executive-provided information and strengthen its capacity for oversight. It would also create a viable public service pathway for young professionals with expertise in law, economics, science, or public administration — individuals who are eager to serve but find few institutional routes into Parliament. Any such reform must be designed with care. The service should be accountable to Parliament, not the executive. Recruitment must be competitive, transparent, and based on expertise. Access should be equal across MPs, regardless of party or seniority. The goal is not to influence outcomes but to equip lawmakers with the information they need to legislate with confidence. Some may raise concerns about cost or redundancy. But the real cost lies in continuing with the status quo. A parliament that cannot interrogate policy is unlikely to shape effective legislation. It cannot provide meaningful oversight. And it cannot earn the public's trust. We already have the talent and models to learn from. What remains is the political will to build a system that supports our lawmakers with the seriousness their role and our democracy deserve. Parliament is meant to be where questions lead to answers and where ideas become action. To live up to that promise, we must begin by giving our elected representatives the tools they need to think clearly, speak credibly, and govern wisely. Ravindra Garimella is former Joint Secretary (Legislation), Lok Sabha Secretariat. Rajas Kolhatkar is a former LAMP Fellow
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
‘Are you a US Citizen?' TX hospital patients questioned, state says millions spent on undocumented
Under President Donald Trump's renewed administration, Texas has emerged as a key frontline in the push for aggressive immigration enforcement and widespread deportations. Texas residents – regardless of immigration status – feel the ripple effects in the economy, schools, healthcare systems, courts and public safety services. To better understand these challenges, KXAN spent the first 100 days of Trump's second term producing 'Undocumented,' a comprehensive project diving into the real-life consequences of related policies and proposals. AUSTIN (KXAN) — A soon-to-be mother didn't go to the emergency room for a concern weeks before giving birth. Instead, her first stop was a community reproductive health clinic in northeast Austin. Elena Colón said it's not uncommon now for clients with similar stories to turn up at the Luz de Atabey Midwifery Project, or LAMP, clinic with an emergency. She explained that since Texas hospitals started asking patients if they are a U.S citizen last fall, many are 'delaying care' or even 'avoiding emergency treatment.' EN ESPAÑOL: '¿Es usted ciudadano de los EE. UU.?' Pacientes de hospitales de TX cuestionados, el estado dice que se gastaron millones en indocumentados 'We try to make sure they understand the importance of seeking care when it's urgent, but the fear of having their immigration status questioned is real,' said Colón, the executive director of LAMP. The non-profit works to remove barriers to care and wellness among Black, Indigenous, people of color, immigrants, refugees and LGBTQ+ community members. Colón said along with handouts on prenatal and postpartum warning signs and clear instructions on how to access emergency care, they're also giving out 'Know Your Rights' information. 'It's just a very stressful time, especially for immigrant families,' Colón explained. Hospitals across Texas were directed to start collecting data on patients' immigration status in an executive order Gov. Greg Abbott signed on Aug. 8, 2024. Executive Order No. GA-46 required hospitals to start collecting information 'regarding patients who are not lawfully present in the United States,' beginning Nov. 1, 2024, including the number of patients and the cost of care provided to those patients. More than 30,000 undocumented patients sought medical care in Texas in November, state data shows The Texas Health and Human Services Commission, or HHSC, which is collecting the reports, released data in late April showing that in November 2024, hospitals had more than 30,000 undocumented patient visits statewide — about 2.5% of all patients. According to the data KXAN analyzed, hospitals spent almost $119 million on care for undocumented patients in that month alone. KXAN's analysis also shows, of the more than 1.2 million emergency department patients and hospital inpatients across Texas in November, a total of 30,265 self-identified as being in the country unlawfully – 2.47% of the total. Almost 1 million patients said they were either a U.S. citizen or in the country lawfully, 81.56% of the statewide total. While hospitals in Texas are required to ask each patient their immigration status, patients are not required to answer. About 195,000 patients — 15.96% — did not answer the question. This chart shows the number of patients at Texas hospitals and emergency rooms in November 2024, broken down by immigration status. The vast majority of patients self-reported as either U.S. citizens or being in the country legally. Source: Texas Health and Human Services Commission. (KXAN Interactive/Christopher Adams) The number of patients who reported they were undocumented is not uniform across the state. Hospitals in Webb County, home to the city of Laredo in South Texas, had the highest share of undocumented patients. Almost 15% of patients in the county self-identified as not being in the country legally. In neighboring Maverick County, 11.4% of patients were undocumented. Six other counties saw their share of undocumented patients above 5%, including Hartley and Moore counties in the Panhandle, as well as Dallas and Travis counties. Among the counties that had data, 49 reported no patients who were in the country unlawfully. This map shows the number of undocumented patients at hospitals in each county in Texas, as well as the total costs of providing care to those patients. Source: Texas Health and Human Services Commission. (KXAN Interactive/Christopher Adams) 'Now, Texas has reliable data on the dramatic financial impact that illegal immigration is having on our hospital system. Because of President Trump's swift action in securing the southern border, illegal crossings have dropped to record lows. Texas is hopeful that his efforts to remove those who entered unlawfully may also cause these healthcare costs to decline,' said Andrew Mahaleris, Abbott's press secretary. Hospitals are required to report the data to HHSC each quarter. Future reports will include full quarterly data, with the next one due in June. Annual reports will begin in January. The governor said the executive order was in response to then-President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris' 'open border policies.' 'I think there would be every reason why the state of Texas would have the right to sue the United States government, because it is the United States government's responsibility to pay for any of the costs concerning illegal immigration, and Texas and Texas health care facilities should not bear that burden,' Abbott re-iterated to KXAN in April. 'We're not ready to give up': Central Texas Mom fights for daughter's citizenship The Texas Hospital Association, or THA, said hospitals have complied with the executive order by meeting deadlines and working with the state on clarifications along the way. 'The fact that hospitals are required to collect this data should not be a deterrent for people in need of care. Hospitals remain open and ready to serve Texans' acute care needs,' said Carrie Williams, chief communications officer with THA in a statement after the data was released. 'With 24/7 life-saving care, hospitals are required by law to treat anyone who comes through the door, regardless of ability to pay, regardless of their demographics.' Hospitals must inform patients that responding to the question will not affect their care. Still, immigrant advocate groups are concerned about the executive order's impact. The Texas Civil Rights Project, or TCRP, has been educating people about their rights. 'People are fearful,' senior TCRP attorney Kassi Gonzalez said. 'We have worked to put out resources to let people know in the community that they have a right to decline to answer this question about their citizenship status.' Shannon Jamrog, a U.S. citizen, told KXAN she clicked 'No Response' when she saw the question pop up at Dell Children's Medical Center in northwest Austin. She had rushed her son to the ER in March after he fell off his bike and hurt his wrist. 'I just feel it's uncalled for. I don't understand the point of it. I don't understand why any child needs to have that answered to receive care,' Jamrog said. The Central Texas mother shared a screenshot of the citizenship status question asked during the check-in process, which talked about the executive order requirement and asked, 'Are you a United States citizen or lawfully in the United States?' A box right under the brief explanation lists three response options: 'Yes — No — No Response,' which must be selected before moving on to the next step of the check-in process. 'You seek emergency care for your child and have them have their citizenship questioned when they walk in the door, it takes you back,' Jamrog said. 'Why does that matter? Who are you going to tell?' KXAN investigators repeatedly asked Dell Children's about the screenshot and the data that the hospital is collecting but was directed to THA. Other hospitals, including St. David's HealthCare and Ascension Texas in Central Texas, also did not respond or have a comment, except Baylor Scott and White Health. A spokesperson with Baylor Scott and White said it complies with all federal, state and local regulations and requirements and 'providing patients safe, quality care is always their priority.' At a recent hearing at the Capitol, THA told state lawmakers it had concerns related to proposed legislation that would make the governor's executive order law. House Bill 2587 would solidify the data collection and the rules surrounding it beyond the executive order and require hospitals to submit the data electronically. 'We would like the legislation to affirmatively state that we are not required to verify patients answers and then, due to the threat of potential security concerns among hospitals that treat a high number of undocumented persons, we will respectfully request that individual hospitals reports not be — be exempt from public information disclosure so they will not be targeted,' said Heather De La Garza-Barone, associate general counsel with THA during a House Public Health Committee hearing in April. The bill's author, state Rep. Mike Olcott, R-Fort Worth, emphasized care would not be affected but that the legislation is necessary. 'Since 2005, we've had 181 small rural hospitals close primarily due to uncompensated care,' Olcott explained. 'I know there's multiple reasons for that, and the goal of this is simply to know what percentage of that uncompensated care are due to people that are here illegally. I think that helps us make informed decisions on future legislation.' Texas lawmakers debate bills to curb illegal immigration While HHSC said hospitals are not reporting any individual information to the agency, some wondered if that would always be the case. 'There's no positive duty to disclose that information to ICE, but neither is there any guarantee that it couldn't happen,' said Trudy Taylor Smith, senior administrator of policy and advocacy with Children's Defense Fund-Texas, who testified against the bill. Smith added it would limit access to health care for children in immigrant and mixed-status families by creating fear that discourages parents from getting emergency medical care. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a similar provision into Florida law in May 2023, as part of a sweeping immigration bill. Hospitals in the Sunshine State were required to start asking patients their immigration status in June of that year. The state's Agency for Health Care Administration, or AHCA, has since released two reports, one with data for the second half of 2023, and another spanning the whole of 2024. In both years, less than 1% of patients self-identified as undocumented. This chart shows the number of patients at Florida hospitals and emergency rooms in 2024, broken down by immigration status. The vast majority of patients self-reported as either U.S. citizens or being in the country legally. Source: Florida Agency for Health Care Administration. (KXAN Interactive/Christopher Adams) Last year, about 26,000 people admitted to the hospital in Florida said they were undocumented, while 68,000 patients in the emergency department were not lawfully present in the U.S. In total, of the more than 12.4 million patients statewide, only 0.76% indicated they were undocumented, while 92.5% said they were either a U.S. citizen or in the country lawfully. About 6.7% of patients declined to answer the question. Miami-Dade County had the highest share of undocumented patients — 2.34% of patients there self-reported they were in the country illegally. Only three other counties — Lee, Manatee and Broward — had a share of patients who were undocumented above 1%. Meanwhile two counties — Madison and Washington, in the state's panhandle — reported 0% of patients were not in the country lawfully. This map shows the number of undocumented patients at hospitals in each county in Florida, as well as the total costs of providing care to those patients. Source: Florida Agency for Health Care Administration. (KXAN Interactive/Christopher Adams) Similar to the Texas' executive order, hospitals in Florida are required to report the associated costs of providing health care to undocumented patients. According to the state's report, Florida hospitals spent more than $659.9 million on 'providing care to illegal aliens across the state.' 'The Agency remains dedicated to fulfilling Governor DeSantis' commitment to protecting taxpayer dollars from being used on individuals who are not lawfully present in the United States,' AHCA Deputy Secretary Kim Smoak said in a press release when the 2024 report was published. 'The data confirms that the financial burden of illegal immigration continues to strain Florida's health care system. We will continue working to ensure that hospitals and health care providers deliver quality services to U.S. citizens.' The data shows the $659.9 million spent on undocumented patients is a tiny share of Florida's health care costs overall. In 2024, the state hospitals spent more than $86.8 billion on patient care. KXAN reached out to the AHCA multiple times to ask how the state plans to use the data and if any changes to health care access will be made. We did not receive a response. Democratic Texas State Representative Suleman Lalani, a doctor in the Houston area, has been watching the Florida data and, in an op-ed in the Dallas Morning News after Texas' executive order, shared concerns. Lalani said he's asking lawmakers this session why the state isn't spending more on preventative care so people have access to health and mental care before it turns into an emergency. He said the executive order only alienates the vulnerable. 'Texans are not coming forward so out of fear, they're not taking care of their illnesses, they're not managing their chronic problems, and it is becoming an emergency overall,' Lalani said, adding that it's also leading to depression and anxiety. Austin Public Health echoed those concerns, telling KXAN that ensuring accessible and affordable health care is 'essential for both community health and the sustainability of our health systems.' 'Whenever individuals postpone treatment, conditions often worsen, leading to more severe health issues that require costly or emergency interventions. This not only increases health care expenses but also strains our emergency departments,' said APH in an email. Health advocates also fear that psychological illnesses can present in children of undocumented parents, too. Dr. Damir Utrzan, a licensed family therapist, said while children may not always have the cognitive capacity to verbalize how they feel, it doesn't mean they don't have a grasp of what is happening around them. 'The reality is children who are exposed to adversity, more often than not, are aware of what's going on,' Utrzan said. 'By not being honest with them [at] a developmental age, that only serves to perpetuate some of the uncertainty.' Utrzan is a former refugee himself. His family fled the civil war in Bosnia and came to the U.S. in 2000. His professional experience is extensive: conducting asylum evaluations of detainees in ICE custody while working at Northwestern University's Center for International Human Rights; working at the Center for Victims of Torture in Minnesota, specializing in psychopathology, developmental trauma and torture rehabilitation; and consulting with the American Bar Association and the American Immigration Lawyers Association to draft affidavits and subpoenas during the detention of minors at the southern border. 'I'm just waiting': Texas immigrant among millions in years-long legal, administrative backlog If traumatic experiences aren't addressed early, they can 'become encoded in your DNA and get passed on,' Utrzan said. If left untreated, those internalized experiences can manifest outwardly in antisocial tendencies later in life. He gave the example of a young man from Guatemala who fled violence nine years ago. Utrzan performed a psychological evaluation on him at the time. Almost a decade later, the man is still awaiting asylum, and his lawyer recently reached out to Utrzan again for a reevaluation. 'Throughout that time, he was using drugs. He got arrested. We talked about how that unprocessed trauma and the inability to cope with contextual external circumstances leads people to self-medicate, so good people make bad decisions,' Utrzan said. 'But in the eyes of the law, or immigration law at least, it calls into question their moral character, which is one of the conditions of asylum or immigration in the U.S.' Central Health, Travis County's hospital district, told KXAN investigators that health care is a fundamental human right. 'Together with our partners, we're dismantling barriers to care, not building them,' a spokesperson for Central Health said. 'We fight relentlessly so that every community member receives the quality health care they deserve, creating a stronger, healthier Travis County for all. Because when everyone has access to care, our entire community thrives.' Texas has the highest uninsured rate in the nation at 17% — more than double the national average. Five million Texans had no insurance as of 2022, THA reported. In 2023, it said hospitals provided more than $8.1 billion in 'charity care' for uninsured people, with more than $3 billion not reimbursed. Most uninsured Texans are citizens, however. Texas 2036, a non-partisan public policy organization, said, looking at available data, out of about the 5 million people who are uninsured across the state — an estimated 15% are undocumented. 'Immigration status, in and of itself, prevents you from being able to access insurance. But what we also see is that friends and relatives of individuals who are undocumented sometimes choose not to take advantage of programs that they are eligible for,' said Charles Miller, director of health and economic mobility policy with Texas 2036. Miller pointed to recent research by the non-profit, which identified people avoiding signing up for programs out of a fear or 'concern that their friend, household member, neighbor, would have extra attention drawn to them.' He said they've been trying to push education and telling people that if they are eligible, they should seek resources. He explained, currently, about 2 million Texans are eligible for free coverage through the Affordable Care Act or children's programs like Medicaid or CHIP. Cost of care is why LAMP provides no-cost or low-cost care to up to 130 people a year through its pop-up clinic, telehealth and home visits. The non-profit explained it's now also making sure clients know they are safe during a time when they are fearful about their immigration status, emphasizing that no one is turned away. 'We prioritize creating a space where everyone who accesses our services feels safe and supported,' Colón said. 'Part of this is sharing clear information about their rights, including those related to immigration status, health, privacy and more.' Investigative Photojournalist Richie Bowes, Graphic Artist Wendy Gonzalez, Director of Investigations & Innovation Josh Hinkle, Investigative Photojournalist Chris Nelson, Digital Special Projects Developer Robert Sims, and Digital Director Kate Winkle contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
BBC News
02-03-2025
- General
- BBC News
Train station encounter with boy in care inspired 10k challenge
A chance encounter at a train station in Leicestershire inspired a woman to take on a 10k Kinyanjui, a 25-year-old education consultant, was considering taking on a personal challenge when she got talking to a stranger, a boy about 10 years old, on his own at South Wigston boy asked Miss Kinyanjui to use her phone to call his children's home and as she spent an hour waiting with him to be collected she learned about his experiences in said: "I feel like it was all in God's plan for me to meet that boy." Miss Kinyanjui said the boy reaching out to her for help "pulled on my heartstrings" and led her to choosing to run the Leicester 10k on Sunday to raise money for the Black Care said: "He was just having a really tricky time and it was really quite sad to see."I thought this could be my little brother in an alternate universe."I've heard anecdotally that with the experiences of young black children in care, there's a disparity there, so then I was like, OK I'm going to find a charity, and the Black Care Experience just sort of stood out." Miss Kinyanjui, from Leicester, has been training for about four months to work up to added: "Just knowing that I'm doing it for a good cause is definitely going to keep me going - I've got to finish it somehow."Miss Kinyanjui is one of thousands of people of all abilities who will be lacing up their running shoes for the annual Leicester 10k on Sunday, organised by Jane Tomlinson's Run For All. Starting in Jubilee Square at 09:00 GMT, runners will head through the city centre towards Victoria Park and through the University of Leicester campus before the route takes them back to the starting roads will be closed from as early as 08:15 until 11:30 on Sunday, with parking suspensions in place from 16:00 the day before until 13:00 on the day of the closures in the area near Jubilee Square will begin at 05:00 on the day and run until 13:00. The event will support charities including LAMP (Leicestershire Action for Mental Health Project), Leicester City in the Community and the Leicester Tigers Batley-Kyle, operations director at Run For All, said: "We're looking forward to welcoming participants and spectators to the event."Whether participants are running for a charity close to their heart or for their own personal challenge, we hope everyone taking part has a memorable and enjoyable event."
