U.S. Olympic speedskater Joey Cheek is following through on his promise to lend a helping hand to children in Africa.
Cheek met with U.S. lawmakers Tuesday to promote the work of the humanitarian aid group Right to Play. The gold and silver medalist made headlines during the Olympics when he donated his $40,000 Olympic bonus to support the group's work in Sudan's violence wracked Darfur region.
The organization, founded by Norwegian Olympic champ Johann Koss, emphasizes sporting and recreational activities for children in 23 countries, 14 of them in Africa.
Cheek told VOA's English to Africa service that he plans to visit Zambia in April to observe some of the group's projects. They include AIDS awareness and prevention, and vaccinations against diseases.