After a successful inaugural run last year that saw school shoes worth P10 000 being donated to Medie Primary School in Kweneng, organisers of the Summer Kids Marathon are coming back inspired to do more for charity from this character-building effort that enjoys the support of BAA
GAZETTE REPORTER
The second annual Summer Kids Marathon is set for April following its successful inaugural ‘run’ in Gaborone last year, Gazette Sports has established.
The highly-anticipated event is expected to host at least 500 children between the ages of 3 and 16 years in different distance categories.
It is slated for the Three Dikgosi Monument at the Gaborone CBD as the starting and finishing point on 22 April 2023.
The marathon being a charity event, the goal is to raise 500 pairs of school shoes and books for donation to primary school children in marginalised communities.
According to the organisers, the kiddies’ activity is a non-competitive affair aimed at unearthing talent, encouraging a healthy lifestyle of fitness and contributing to sports development from the grassroots.
The marathon is also a philanthropic effort to uplift local communities, especially underprivileged and marginalised groups, hence the organisers are delighted that they are building on the success of its inaugural edition in last year.
In an exclusive interview with Gazette Sports, the co-founder and project leader Moagi Madisa said preparations are on track to make this year’s edition more inclusive and diverse. “We are advancing in terms of planning,” Madisa said.
“It is a mammoth but interesting task dealing with kids because it has to be through the consent of their parents and guardians.
“We are grateful for the participation of parents as major stakeholders in this marathon. We have been working hard to raise awareness about this initiative and are happy to say have advanced in that area.
“We have included a special category in this year’s edition, which is children with special needs and is in line with our values as we strive for inclusion and diversity, as well as supporting sports development at the grassroots level.
“What is more important is to create a platform for kids from different backgrounds to interact with one another in a recreational setup.”
He disclosed that the authenticity of the marathon was boosted by its endorsement by the Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) and that several companies have shown interest in supporting it.
“Our main stakeholder, BAA, are the custodians of the marathon,” Madisa said. “They have sanctioned this event because they recognise its mandate. It was important to have BAA with us so that we follow criteria set for such activities, especially the safety of the children.
“We are prioritising the safety of kids hence we are grateful for BAA guidance in this regard. We have partnered with several trained marshals and medical and emergency entities to make sure that all our patrons are safe.”
He emphasised that the aim of the charity aspect of the event is to raise 500 school shoes and books for donation to primary school children in marginalised communities, particularly in remote areas.
“We are giving back to the community,” he said. “As young people, we have the power to change the world, hence a part of this is building character among the kids. It is also aligned to the country’s Vision 2036 goal of prosperity for all.
“We’ll be collecting donations of school shoes and books. We donated school shoes worth P10 000 to Medie Primary School in Kweneng District last year. We intend to go further this year in our efforts to motivate children to go to school.” through the company host,
The organisers of the Summer Kids Marathon say they will launch this year’s chief runner and sponsors through Fan’Mo Sports Agency in mid-February.
Tickets are already being sold and are going for P180 and P220 at Grip Runner Store in Sebele Mall or online through the store’s social media platforms.