press release In November 2009 ORBIS Ireland will bring a team of supporters to Ethiopia to take part in the Great Ethiopian Run. Taking place in Addis Ababa, the world’s third highest capital, the ORBIS supporters will join 30,000 competitors including some of the world’s most famous athletes, for a truly amazing adventure.
The race is a 10km run (or walk) at 10,000ft above sea level. Each participant is asked to raise €3000 for ORBIS Ireland to help to eliminate a blinding and life destroying eye disease in southern Ethiopia. This includes return flights from Dublin to Addis Ababa and accommodation from Friday 19 – Monday 23 November.
Over a third of children in Ethiopia are affected by a blinding, yet completely preventable eye disease known as trachoma. The funds raised from the adventure will help ORBIS Ireland to reach its vision to eliminate this blinding disease – and restore sight to the most rural villagers in Ethiopia by the end of 2012. In these remote parts of Ethiopia, primary eye care is almost non-existent. Trachoma, which starts in childhood, is a common disease in these areas. If left untreated, this slowly progressive and painful disease robs its victims of their sight, their childhoods and ultimately their livelihoods.
The scale of our challenge is enormous and we can’t do it alone. With your support, ORBIS Ireland hopes to raise €300,000 which will bring hope to hundreds of thousands of people throughout Ethiopia.
To find out more about this incredible journey call Diane Weatherup on +353-1-293-3060 or email [email protected]. Full details can be found on www.orbisireland.ie
ORBIS Ireland is part of ORBIS International – a nonprofit global development organisation working to eliminate avoidable blindness in the world’s most poverty stricken regions. Over the last 26 years a staggering 6.8 million people in 86 different countries have had their sight saved or restored as a result of our work.
