- The plan is 500 participants and raising 500 pairs of school shoes for donation to children in marginalised communities
- Organisers say having BAA as custodians of the marathon was crucial for setting criteria for the safety of the children
Expected to attract at least 500 children between the ages of 3 and 16, this year’s annual Summer Kids Marathon will be held on the 22nd of April from the Three Dikgosi Monument at the Gaborone CBD and back there, The Business Weekly Sports has established.
In addition to the marathon that is scheduled to start at 7am, there will be other kiddies’ activities like robotics games, jumping castles and face painting.
Building from the success of its inaugural edition in 2022, the Summer Kids Marathon is a non-competitive affair aimed at encouraging a healthy lifestyle and promoting fitness from the grassroots. It is also an effort in philanthropy that donated school shoes worth P10, 000 to Medie Primary School in Kweneng District from its inaugural run last year. Said co-founder Martin Fani in a statement recently: “We are advancing in terms of planning. It is a mammoth task dealing with children because it is also through the consent of the parents and guardians.
“We are closing with different corporates who are joining this initiative. Our main stakeholder, BAA, are the custodians of the marathon and are the ones who allocated us the date for the marathon.” He added that the organisers of the marathon found ideal to have BAA as a part of the marathon for sanctioning the and setting criteria for the safety of the children. “We are big on the safety of the children,” Fani said in the statement.
“We have partnered with different trained marshals, medical and emergency entities to make sure that all our patrons are safe. We have also added a new category of children with special needs to participate in the marathon.” He noted that the target for this year is 500 participants and raising 500 pairs of school shoes for donation to primary school children in marginalised communities, mainly in rural areas.
“As it becomes a norm with the marathon, we are giving back to the community,” he said. “As the youth we have the power to change the world and part of doing that is building dignity among all children. This is also aligned to the country’s Vision 2036 goal of Prosperity for All.’’ Fani disclosed that the chief runner of the marathon and sponsors will be announced through the hosting company, Fan’Mo Sports Agency, in mid-February 2023. Tickets are selling for P220 at Grip Runner Store at Sebele Mall in Gaborone and on social media platforms of the Summer Kids Marathon.
