Run and be AWEsome

Written on: August 13, 2014

This year Asylee Women Enterprise is excited to have three relay teams running in the Baltimore Running Festival.  Teams of four will complete the Baltimore Marathon on October 18th.  Each team is raising money to help support women seeking asylum.  But this running team is about more than raising money.  This team is led by Dejene Regassa, a professional marathon runner from Ethiopia.  Dejene is an amazing man that has been a integral member of AWE for the past three years.  Dejene is an asylee but more than that he is a loving father and husband and a guy that can run a marathon in 2 hours 11 minutes!!

Dejene was living in AWE housing for two years.  Along with his wife and son he recently moved into his own apartment but he wanted to stay connected to AWE.  What better way to stay connected than through running!  Dejene will led Team AWEsome and provide some coaching, support and we are sure the fastest time of the Team.

We would love to have you join our Team as a runner.  For more information check out the information page.

If you are interested in volunteering on race day with Team AWEsome send us an email (info@asyleewomen.org).  We need a cheering section!

Click here to donate to Team AWEsome!

Information about AWE and Asylum Seekers   

Every year, hundreds of women seeking asylum find themselves in Baltimore with no place to go and no community to help them. They don’t come for a better life – they come to save their life. It is common for them to be victims of torture, at risk for re-traumatization. They come from many countries, with skills to contribute and vocations to continue. AWE provides housing, community support, language skills practice, medical and legal services, and job search assistance to women seeking asylum. They are given a safe nurturing place to call home and a network of women with whom they can relate and connect. Once they feel secure and have a support system in place, they are able to rebuild their lives and become full members of our community. The asylum process is extremely long and can be very lonely and difficult if the asylum seeker has only service providers and no companions or sense of community. AWE offers these women a whole network of friends and partners.

This entry was posted in With a Heart for Justice and tagged: asylee, Asylee Women Enterprise, Asylum, Baltimore, Baltimore Marathon, Baltimore Running Festival, Ethiopia, loving father and husband, Marathon, October 18, Team AWEsome