News

On July 4, 2013, Jennifer Pasiciel (Health Promotion student) and team Love4Gambia completed a 424km run across The Gambia on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean in Banjul.  Jennifer completed the run in 17 days, running 25 - 30 km each day in temperatures upwards of 40 degrees.  Challenges included, but were not limited to, nose bleeds from the heat, lack of running water and electricity, lost toenails, lots of blisters, sunburn, and a lack of nutritious vegetarian friendly food.

Despite the challenges, the run was a huge success in raising money and awareness about the Nova Scotia-Gambia Association (NSGA), and it's health education programs throughout the country.  The NSGA works in almost all secondary schools throughout The Gambia, where they select peer health educators to teach youth about important health issues such as malaria, HIV/AIDS, teenage pregnancy and addiction.  Jennifer and her team were joined by many schools throughout the country, as they sang and ran with her to cheer her along her run.

In combination with their Bluenose charity team, Love4Gambia 2013 raised approximately $15,000 for health education programs in The Gambia.  All of the money raised will go towards the NSGA so it can continue its life saving work throughout the country.  To learn more about the run or to learn how you can be a runner for the 2014 Love4Gambia team, visit www.love4gambia.com.