I have always had an infatuation with contrast. The juxtapositions of tender and tough, sweet and salty, rocks and water move me. On Tuesday, I spent the day with Team Naftech, an elite girls' running team here in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The contrast of these young queens against the backdrop of their environment is something that will stay with me.
I'm in Ethiopia to shoot video and photographs of girls' running teams in an effort to help Girls Gotta Run Foundation with their online promotion. Naftech is one of two teams that I'll visit with while I'm here. Before the story goes any further, it's important to get why GGRF is here. Yes, this is the breeding ground for the world's top distance runners. AND, almost all Ethiopian girls are born into an incredibly tough predicament. According to one statistic that I read, roughly 30 percent of teenage girls between the ages of 13 and 16 live outside their home --they've either run away from child marriages, been sold into sex work or are homeless
So it's Tuesday and Yacob, the brother of 16-year old Helena, the top runner on the team, picks me up. We drive across the city and when he parks the car, I can hardly believe THIS is where we're getting out. There is no training facility. No track. No weight room. Just a huge open expanse with cattle and sheep grazing, trash clogging the river that bisects it and a bunch of homeless folks hanging around. The "track" is an uneven, singletrack dirt path that vaguely resembles a circle. There are several teams training in different corners of the land. Yacob tells me that this is where all the top Ethiopian teams train.
Wow.
The Naftech girls were doing intervals and hill sprints when we arrived. Physique slight and strong. Incredible grace in their gait. Speed that blew my mind. An interesting mix of athletic prowess and teenage awkwardness.
For every one of them, this is a full-time commitment. It was 9 am on a weekday. They did not go to school at this point in their lives. They are runners. Becoming a champion in the singluar focus of their energy, identity and dreams.
After practice was over, I filmed each one individually and did longer interviews with the coach, a 12-year veteran of the national team, and Helena. There was something so special about that girl. She was shy, but she held herself with such dignity. Her eyes were locked to mine the whole time we talked. When I asked her what she thought made her a great runner, she said it was only because she was passionate about working hard.
Spending time with these brilliant young women had me humbled, inspired, ignited. I wish every young American athlete to see this -- see what it means to have passion, dedication, work ethic. Their success has absolutely nothing to do with a scholarship or the brand of their shoes.
As I left, I realized that this isn't simply another story of girls passionate about sports. Theirs is a story of survival.
When you hear people say that African women are the cradle of the world... this is probably an example of what they mean. The resilience displayed by these young women is beyond inspiring. It's a reference point for how you adapt to your environment and erect brilliance. I think that many of us can learn from these girls and many like them. I am so envious that you have a front row seat to peak in at their stories share it. Too often I am conflicted about how stories are told about African people as it often feels like exploitation or stories of pity. You do a brilliant job here of showcasing the power of the human spirit, the grit and passion that these gals have. Thanks!
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xo
meeks