New Haven Independent

Holding a 5-K race in early February — on Super Bowl Sunday — was a bit of a risk, but as the director of the sponsoring organization said, “Refugees take risks all the time, so why shouldn’t we?”

And as it turned out, the weather was delightful for the first annual Run for Refugees: sunny, calm and in the low 40s. IRIS (Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services) Executive Director Chris George (pictured post-run) said 350 people signed up. Almost as many actually ran the course. True to his goal of raising awareness about refugee issues, George said he thinks the New Haven run is the first of its kind in the country — but that he hopes the idea will spread to the 300 other refugee resettlement organizations around the country.

The race was also a fundraiser, “We hope to raise at least $3,000, and that’ll go toward food and rent, case management services, toward education, finding jobs for refugees, helping them become self-sufficient.”

Jeff Nelson from New Fairfield (pictured with East Rock in the background) won without another runner in sight up the final stretch on Orange Street by Wilbur Cross High School. He said his time (about 15:30) was not a personal best, but the course was somewhat challenging, going part-way up East Rock and down again. He added that there aren’t many races in Connecticut this time of year, so he was glad to find it on the Internet, as he’s in training for a half-marathon.

“The Run for the Refugees program helps the community, and that’s one of the great things about a lot of these races - they bring the community together to support many worthy causes. I think this is one of them and I’m proud to be part of it.”

Liya Assefa (pictured) is a Yale freshman from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Her father was a refugee from Ethiopia, having been granted political asylum and bringing his family over. She said she doesn’t know much about IRIS, but has a few friends who are involved with it, and she may start volunteering herself.

Donatien Djirangaye (pictured at the top of the story), from Chad, joined his refugee father in New Haven in 2002. He’s now a student at SCSU. He said running is good for staying in shape, and he heard from some friends that this run was “about refugees, and Africans,” so he wanted to participate.

Gamal Kuwa just arrived two months ago from Sudan. His wife is in Khartoum, hoping to join him soon. Why did he leave? “As everybody knows, war is in my country, especially our area, Darfur. The government supports tribes to fight other tribes. That is why many people escape.” He said in Darfur, it’s kill or be killed. He said IRIS has supported him with rent for his apartment and bi-weekly cash payments until he can get on his feet. (The goal is for refugee families to be self-supporting within six months.)

Chris George said, “There’s a real motivation to do something healthy and good for your body the morning of Super Bowl Sunday, in light of what you’re going to do in the evening watching the Super Bowl, when you’re going to be eating a lot.”

George is a runner, so how was his time? “I ran it sort of at schmoozing speed, so I wasn’t even looking at the watch. I just wanted to thank people for coming out and talk with people along the way.”