Celebrating African Motherhood - Amref

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AMREF NATIONAL OFFICES
AUSTRIA
A record number of over 4,600 athletes from more than 30 countries ran
for better health for Africa when they took part in the sixth International
Salzburg AMREF Marathon on May 3. The winner of the men’s marathon
was Austria’s Christian Pfl ügl. Kennedy Matolo from Kenya was second,
while Karl Aumayer, a native of Salzburg, came in third. The women’s
race was won by Ursula Bredlinger, followed by Maria Zechmeister and
Sabine Hofer in second and third places respectively. The marathon was
once again accredited with a Bronze Label by the International Association
of Athletics Federations (IAAF). As in the past few years, the marathon
received support from several celebrities such as actress Caterina Murino,
her partner Pierre Rabadan and the Austrian Paralympics gold medal
winner Thomas Geierspichler.
In the week leading up to the marathon, AMREF in Austria organised a
cultural programme dubbed ‘Days of Dialogue’, made up of a series of
activities such as an African fi lm festival, lectures and workshops. One
highlight of the Days of Dialogue was an information tour by the Austrian
government which showed the broad sustainable work with the so-called
‘developing countries’. AMREF’s gala at the Gössl Gwandhaus marked
another highlight, and guests included the Vice Governor of Salzburg,
David Brenner, Kenya’s Charge d’Aff airs in Vienna, Consolata Kiragu, and the
Austrian singer, Klaus Eberhartinger. From AMREF Headquarters, Deputy
Director General Dr Florence Muli-Musiime, Director for Capacity Building
Dr Peter Ngatia and Communications Director Bob Kioko attended.
Another running event, a relay marathon, was organised to benefi t AMREF
took place from October 9-11 on the Tour de Tirol in Söll, the location of
the World’s Long Distance Mountain Running Challenge. There were over
1,000 participants, including four Kenyan runners – Hellen Jepkurgat,
Robert Kipkemoi Yegon, Raymond Kemboi Chemongor and Daniel Kiplimo
Bett. The Kenyans won the team score gold medal.
On September 17, AMREF in Austria organised an event featuring two
cabaret artists, Heilbutt & Rosen, at the Schloss Goldegg near Salzburg.
This was an enjoyable evening for the nearly 200 spectators.
From October 19-25, the broadcasting company ORF broadcast the AMREF
spot ‘Die Zukunft Afrikas ist schwarz’ (The future of Africa is black) during
prime time all over Austria. The spot was kindly provided by AMREF in Italy.
The Austrian Development Agency (ADA) supported two AMREF
Programmes – a Distance Learning project in Ethiopia which was also
funded by AMREF in Austria and AMREF in Germany, and the Manyattabased
Health Delivery Model for Maternal and Child Health in Magadi, cofi
nanced by AMREF in the Netherlands. The Magadi project was successfully
completed at the end of 2009.
CANADA