Robyn is helping to raise money along with her friends Rich and Nicky to build an Elementary School in memory of Workneh Dechasa in his home village in Ethiopia, by competing in the Swim Serpentine Super 6 Mile (10km) marathon swim.

Workneh was born in Malkaa Dhagaa-Gudar in the Oromia region of Ethiopia in 1960. He spent most of his working life in Camden supporting refugee children access education and cope with life in London.

Workneh planned that, when he retired, he would build a school in his home village. Sadly, in the summer of 2017 he was diagnosed with cancer and on 13th May 2019, his brave struggle with the disease, was lost. In his memory, his widow, Aster and son Yadata have committed themselves to realising Workneh’s ambition to establish a good quality elementary school in Guder.

Workneh was a very special person who made many friends in his life; twelve of those friends who now live in the UK, Belgium, Norway and the USA as well as those still in Ethiopia, are in the process of forming a charity Workneh Dechasa Education Foundation. They plan to raise £100,000 by sponsorships and fundraising events, and a sister charity in Oromia will cooperate with the education authorities there, to build and run the school.

Workneh was known closely to our teammate Nicky and his family and they became his friends; his loss was so tragically unfair. Workneh was a lovely human and we would like to contribute to this project in his memory.

Thank you all so much for your support!