Cape Town - A group of runners have tightened their laces in determination to raise funds to ensure school children enter the new school year in dignity and warmth, by providing free school shoes.
Lace Up for Change held its weekly half marathon run, number 27 of the 50For50 challenge which commenced in Bo-Kaap, covering Green Point, Sea Point and back.
The challenge comes from a motivation set by its vice-chairperson Irafaan Abrahams for his 50th birthday celebrated in December 2020.
Chairperson Faizel Jacobs said: “The idea is that once a week throughout the year, he’ll be running a half marathon or 21.1 km in aid of raising funds for school shoes and we hope that by the end of this campaign, we can fit in 50 schools with each learner getting a brand new pair of school shoes.”
Jacobs said the organisation aspires to use sport to facilitate change within impoverished communities.
The organisation is also known for its “Boeber Run” where runners meet in the evenings and run 5km to the nearest informal settlement to feed the homeless and residents.
Last week, the organisation with Syntell provided Dietrich Moravian Primary in Philippi with a computer lab consisting of 20 computers.
Around R100 000 has been raised for the school shoes campaign, with a target set at R5 million. To date, four schools have benefited with all learners receiving brand new pairs of school shoes.
Co-founder and vice- chairperson Irafaan Abrahams appealed to businesses, corporates, and the private sector to get involved.
“We are so chuffed with all the responses and support that we’ve received from the local community. I just feel that it’s time for some of the big businesses and private sector to come on board and try to sponsor a classroom for maybe R7 500 or sponsor a school with an average of 500 learners at a primary school,” said Abrahams.
“It gives us an opportunity to put smiles on kids’ faces and to give them a sense of belonging and knowing that they can put a brand new pair of school shoes on to start the year 2022.”