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Olympians Join Fight Against Ebola

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The fastest man in the world, Usain Bolt, has stepped up to do his part to fight the deadliest Ebola outbreak in history.

The six-time Olympic gold medalist joined former track and field Olympian Carl Lewis on Wednesday to unveil the campaign, dubbed #TargetEbola.

Sponsored by the World Olympians Association (WOA), the project aims to raise money to combat Ebola in Sierra Leone and other hard-hit West African countries.

Jamaican Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt looks on after winning the "Mano a Mano" men's 100 metres challenge on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro on Aug. 17, 2014.
Jamaican Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt looks on after winning the "Mano a Mano" men's 100 metres challenge on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro on Aug. 17, 2014.

According to WOA officials, the group has partnered with charities Oxfam and Medisend International, a non-governmental organization known for building health care systems in the developing world, to launch the campaign, headed up by Sierra Leone native and two-time Olympian Dr. Francis Dove Erwin.

Oxfam teams are working with local communities to stop the spread of Ebola by conducting public education campaigns andproviding treatment centers and communities with critically needed safe water and sanitation facilities.

Medisend International is training healthcare workers and shipping medical and personal protective supplies to doctors and nurses.

For his part, Bolt has donated a set of signed running spikes that will be put up for auction.

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