Great Ethiopian Run launches 2nd edition of EDUCATION FOR GIRLS Series

U.S. Embassy, Addis Ababa, 6 January 2009: Great Ethiopian Run, an Ethiopian NGO known for its annual international 10km road race in Addis Ababa, has launched the 2nd edition of a series of community runs to promote messages about EDUCATION FOR GIRLS. The 2009 series is a continuation of a project started last year when three big community races were held in Afar, Jijiga and Jinka. The first run in the 2009 series takes place in Gambella on Saturday 10th January 2009 with other runs planned for Asosa (25 January) and Jijiga (1 February).

The campaign is being backed by Haile Gebreselassie and Meseret Defar who feature in films shown in pre-race entertainment programmes at each of the race venues. In the films both Olympic champions stress the importance of learning as a means of developing confidence and becoming independent. “Educating girls,” states Haile in the film, “equates to educating the whole of society.”

With support from race sponsors USAID / PACT Ethiopia, Leeds Met CARNEGIE, DfID and UNICEF, Great Ethiopian Run is employing a range of publicity methods to promote the campaign including fliers to all 7,500 participants, a campaign message on all race T-shirts and banners and announcements at the race locations. CDs with messages from Haile and Meseret are also being given to local schools for use in mini-media presentations.

The campaign to promote girls education comes at a time when the government of Ethiopia is trying to achieve 100% secondary school enrolment by 2012 even though the current figure for secondary school enrolment stands at just below 40%.

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The U.S. Embassy is sending out this press release on behalf of Great Ethiopian Run, a USAID partner.  For more information, please contact Great Ethiopian Run directly at the website listed below.  Thank you.

www.ethiopiarun.org