Archived page: may contain outdated information!

Ethiopia: Great Run 2005

29-11-2005 News Release

Ten disabled participants sponsored by the ICRC have successfully completed this year's race.

 The following was issued as a press release by the ICRC's delegation in Addis Ababa on November 27 2005.  

   
  ©ICRC    
 
   
    On November 27 2005, the Great Ethiopian Run, a race of 10 km, took place in the city of Addi s Ababa. The ICRC sponsored 10 physically disabled people through its Special Fund for the Disabled (SFD) program, to participate in this famous run. They were either amputees or patients with a crippling disease who had received a prosthesis or an orthosis and appropriate rehabilitation from the ICRC to enable them to walk again.

The head of the SFD programme, Mr Bernard Matagne, explained that participating in such events demonstrated the value of such programmes and helped participants integrate within their communities and build up their confidence.

Over the past two months and with the help of the ICRC Physiotherapist, Solène Chupin, the participants had trained very hard for the 10 km race, and focused on quick walks and endurance. In addition, more than forty ICRC staff members who came from different ICRC sub-delegations in Ethiopia accompanied the ICRC sponsored participants in the run.

All those sponsored successfully finished the Great Ethiopian Run and crossed the finishing line. Many of the SFD team were faster than regular participants and very proud to have achieved this goal. The first of the disabled team to cross the line did the 10 km distance in only 1 hour and 15 minutes.

 For further information, please contact:  

 Anna Schaaf, ICRC Communication Coordinator  

 Tel: 011 551 83 66, Addis Ababa