A Great Big Run For Africa - Please Help Support An Inspired Run

One of the phenomena we at Partners in the Horn of Africa have noticed is that donors who visit our projects in Ethiopia often describe their visits as ‘transformational” and, subsequently, become super involved in Partners’ work in Canada.

Consider the origins of what has become one an amazing event every fall in the Okanagan. Alison Moscrop and Nicole Rustad, successful businesswomen and mothers in Kelowna have both visited Partners’ projects in Ethiopia. Shortly after her visit in 2004 Alison wanted to find a better way of connecting with the Ethiopian working women whom she had met in Partners’ micro finance programs. Alison had also been impressed by Ethiopians’ almost fanatical attachment to long distance running. Why not raise money for Ethiopian women by getting Canadian women running in Canada to raise money for micro finance loans in Ethiopia. And so, the idea was born. Lots of good ideas never get off the drawing board but this one did. Alison and Nicole, who this year was to finally visit Partners’ projects in Ethiopia, organized the first “Great Big Run for Africa”. And this was a run that would impress any Ethiopian. The first year two extreme athletes, Crystal Flaman and Stephanie Moore ran one hundred kilometres from Westbank to Partners’ office in Enderby!!! Needless to say, that got the attention of the media and the people in the North Okanagan. After all, 100 kilometres can be a tiring drive. Since that first run in 2006 the Great Big Run for Africa has converted to a relay format with dozens of women running and collecting pledges for Partners’ micro financing loans in Ethiopia. The runners, for the most part, have never been to Ethiopia but they know how desperate the lives of women can be in sub-Saharan Africa and they want to do more than write a cheque. They want to connect with Ethiopian women and they know that in a country famous for its runners, women will understand why Canadian women have chosen to help them by running.

This year the Great Big Run for Africa will be held on Sunday, October 26 and the runners from Westbank will be complemented by another group of women also running to Enderby---the latter group running west from Mabel Lake to the Partners’ office.

The Great Big Run shows us how international aid ought to work. Aid has to be about more than writing cheques and is too important to be left to government. It has to involve communities in Canada becoming more involved and knowledgeable about the third world…about connecting mentally with the problems of the developing world by incorporating those problems into their lives in Canada. It is inspiring to watch the Great Big Run unfold each year. If a group of individuals operating independently can transform a Canadian community and involve it in a successful region-wide fund raising effort for the developing world, the larger macro problems of the third world..at least for one glorious day each fall…seem more manageable.