A Letterkenny woman has represented Donegal on the global stage after completing Africa’s largest road race, the Great Ethiopian Run, raising vital funds for Orbis Ireland’s work to eliminate avoidable blindness.
Jackie O’Connell, originally from Letterkenny, was among 78 Irish participants who travelled to Addis Ababa to take part in the iconic 10km event, which attracts more than 50,000 runners annually. The Irish team raised over €300,000 to support Orbis Ireland’s sight-saving programmes in Ethiopia.
Orbis Ireland marked a major milestone this year, celebrating 20 years in operation and more than €1 million raised to fight avoidable blindness in Ethiopia. Since 2008, the charity has brought over 650 Irish supporters to Ethiopia to participate in the run and visit life-changing eye care projects in some of the country’s most rural regions.
Jackie, who attended Scoil Mhuire primary school and Loreto Convent secondary school in Letterkenny, works with aviation leasing company Falko and travelled to Ethiopia alongside colleagues from the aviation sector. Orbis Ireland has a long-standing connection with the global aviation community through its Flying Eye Hospital, a fully equipped ophthalmic teaching hospital on board a converted aircraft.
“This was my second time taking part in the Great Ethiopian Run with Orbis Ireland, having first travelled in 2022,” Jackie said. “Our General Counsel at Falko had gone on the trip previously and came back encouraging others to take part. Once you experience it yourself, you really understand the impact of the work and why people want to keep going back.”
Reflecting on the race itself, she added: “The run is incredible. Whether you jog or walk, the atmosphere is so vibrant and uplifting. Running alongside tens of thousands of Ethiopians in Africa’s biggest road race is an unforgettable experience.”
This year’s group of 78 participants was the largest Orbis Ireland team to date, a fact Jackie says reflects positively on the aviation industry’s commitment to social impact.
“It made me very proud of our industry to see how over-subscribed the trip was. To be given the opportunity to travel to Ethiopia, experience the culture and see Orbis’s work on the ground was extremely humbling. You come home with a renewed sense of purpose. It’s genuinely life-changing.”
Jackie, who was recognised on Airline Economics’ prestigious 40 Under 40 list in 2023, said the experience has given her a broader perspective on life and community.
“Growing up in Letterkenny and then seeing life in Ethiopia are worlds apart. The trips have really transformed my outlook and encouraged me to look beyond my own bubble and try to make a positive difference where I can.”
Ethiopia continues to face one of the highest burdens of avoidable blindness globally. Over a third of children are affected by trachoma, a preventable eye disease, while an estimated 1.2 million people are blind and a further 2.7 million live with visual impairment. Funds raised through the Great Ethiopian Run directly support eye surgeries, antibiotic distribution and the training of local eye care professionals.
Orbis Ireland is part of Orbis International, a global charity dedicated to eliminating avoidable blindness by strengthening local eye health systems through training, partnerships and patient care. Orbis Ireland is a registered charity in Ireland
