Great Ethiopian Run

In March of this year I saw a notice in the Galway Advertiser to take on a challenge with a difference and join Ronan Scully to partake in the Great Ethiopian 10K Run in November to help raise funds for Gorta Self Help Africa. For three reasons it really appealed to me and I decided to give Ronan a call; 1) I had just started running and thought well this is a race like no other and 2) I had spent four years living overseas and was looking for my next adventure and 3) I’ve been lucky in my life and thought it would be nice to give something back to others less fortunate than I.

Gorta Self Help Africa has been helping communities in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Benin, Malawi, Togo, Uganda and Zambia for the last 30 years. I really liked the approach Self Help Africa has to charity; the focus is on farming and food production and to assist those in rural areas through education and training so they produce more food and make more from the land. There is a strong focus on helping African women who do most of the work. They empower people and communities to help themselves and create their future.

The Great Ethiopian run is a 10k race, run at 10,000ft above sea level. This is the 14thedition of the event and over 36,000 participants are expected to line up for the race in Addis Ababa.

To be honest after reading about Self Help Africa, I didn’t take much convincing; speaking to Ronan since, he said I was actually the first to sign up! Everyone partaking has to raise at least €3,000 for Self Help Africa; so I got to work thinking how I could come up with this money. Firstly, I set up a my charity page: www.mycharity.ie/event/aisling_martyns_event/and with the help of my friend John decided a table quiz would be a good option. The quiz took place on 12th June in Crowes’ bar (they organise everything – questions, quiz master and food) all I had to do was bring the people and the spot prizes (huge thank you to the many business owners that donated spot prizes!). I was delighted with the turn out and the generosity of people. Lastly, I was lucky enough to secure a bag-packing slot in Tesco shopping centre and rounded up some family and friends to help out.

On Friday last, the Gorta Self Help Africa charity ball took place in the Meyrick hotel and it was a great opportunity to meet with the other Galway participants. It was fantastic to hear from Minister Sean Sherlock who has just returned from Ethiopia with President Higgins. We heard from Ray Jordan, CEO Gorta Self Help Africa, Donal Lyons, Mayor of Galway and of course our own Ronan Scully who does so much work both here at home raising funds and on the ground in these countries. He is an inspirational man and I am truly honoured to call him my friend.

So now as it comes to the night before I leave, I am overcome with a whirlwind of emotions – excited, nervous and fortunate, to name but a few. I am incredible thankful and appreciative for all the support I have gotten from my friends, family and work colleagues at CCP Recruitment. My bags are packed, my runners are ready and I look forward to reporting back to you after my adventure.

Aga Nowosad-Kelly

CCP Recruitment Consultant

LinkedIn: ie.linkedin.com/in/aganowosadkelly/

Email: aga@ccprecruit.ie

Phone: 091 73 00 22

Mobile: 086 4667 369