In East Africa, running represents economic opportunity, but these opportunities could be better developed, expanded, and organized. Accordingly, Running Across Borders is a non-profit organization founded with the mission of expanding economic opportunities to East African youth through running.

Our objectives of providing East African youth with opportunities to train, compete, receive equipment, become educated, work, and have cultural exchange with people from foreign countries are heavily dependent on the full operation of the Running Across Borders Training Camp, located in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.





























BENEFITS TO COACH'S SPONSOR

a) You will be highlighted as the main financial sponsor of the Melaku

b) You will be contributing to the worldwide promotion of coaching and athlete development.

c) Melaku's athletes, once of the required standard, will be exposed to domestic, regional and international races. Therefore on occasions when RAB anticipates media coverage and/or public visibility you will be specifically noted as the sponsor of the coach.  For example:

  • Promotional material produced by RAB including direct-mail brochures, our website, e-newsletters, and applications to charitable grantmakers
  • Press conferences, technical meetings, banquets, and other events on racing trips
  • Media coverage of our training facility in Addis Ababa

d) Melaku will, when appropriate, acknowledge your support in all live and written press coverage

e) If you sponsor Melaku on behalf of a company or organization, he will be available for promotion of this body through appearance at press conferences, publicity events, or filmed or printed materials. His availability for such events in Ethiopia or elsewhere must be scheduled around his competition and training schedules.  Travel costs directly associated with such appearances must be paid by the sponsor.

To sponsor Melaku Biratu, please contact Malcolm Anderson or Garrett Ash. Sponsorship payments can be made online or by regular mail.

Thank you in advance for your consideration.

Malcolm Anderson Garrett Ash
Co-Director    Co-Director

Sponsor Coach Melaku Biratu
The camp is supervised by Melaku Deresse Biratu, one of the Ethiopian Athletics Federation's coaches.  He is responsible for:

  • Designing and enforcing a structured training programme for the athletes
  • Monitoring the overall health of the athletes, identifying ones who are injured or otherwise needing medical, physiotherapy, or massage treatment;
  • Ensure that the athletes’ daily routine includes the proper balance of training, eating, sleeping, studying, and working.
Presently we are focused on securing funds to sponsor Coach Melaku so that he can perform his professional coaching duties. Melaku can be sponsored for 200 USD per month.

150 USD
Goes toward paying him the salary of an average working person in Ethiopia. All foreign administrators and staff of Running Across Borders work on a volunteer basis. Melaku, however, is a full-time professional coach, and the signficant time he will be spending with our young developing athletes takes away from time he could spend working for the Ethiopian Athletics Federation, teaching instructional coaching courses, or working with athletes who are well-established internationals commanding high amounts of prize, appearance, and sponsorship money.

50 USD
Goes toward paying his transportation costs. Tizazu will spend approximately half of his week in our training camp on the outskirts of Addis Ababa, and additionally make monthly visits to rural areas of Ethiopia, to continue to monitor up-and-coming talented athletes.
EXPANDING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES TO EAST AFRICAN YOUTH THROUGH RUNNING
Running Across Borders