Cape Town - Going to school is about learning new things and having fun, but for pupils at Northwood Primary School in Woodlands it is not as simple as that.
Many of Northwood’s pupils do not have basic school necessities such as school shoes.
To alleviate their plight, the manager of the Run4Schools Foundation in Mitchells Plain, Frank Steyn, will run the Two Oceans Marathon on April 20 in school shoes to raise funds to buy them for those without.
Steyn, a former Woodlands High School pupil who grew up in Colorado Park, said he came up with the idea after a group of schoolchildren asked him for a soccer ball. “I told them no, because their parents would become stressed if they came home with broken shoes. What was sad was when one boy in the group said his school shoes were broken, and his parents didn’t have money to buy a new pair,” said Steyn.
“I would like people to donate school shoes for every kilometre I run.”
He posted this appeal on Facebook and more than 80 people commented on it, and the post has been shared more than 50 times. “I feel overwhelmed with the response from the people in Cape Town. It is an honour to do this for our children,” he said.
Bianca Erasmus, who replied on Steyn’s Facebook page, wrote: “I will donate R10 for every kilometre (Steyn runs) and will get friends involved.”
Under the guidance of Steyn and the rest of the management and coaches at the Run4Schools Foundation, 250 children will take part in a 5.6km fun run the day before the Two Oceans Marathon takes place.
“We have been doing this for the past 14 years already. It is always great to see a smile on their faces because there is more to life than the Cape Flats. They will be cheered on by a group of Dutch runners who the foundation brings over every year. The following day, these runners and I will take part in the ultra marathon.”
Before Steyn competes in his fourth Two Oceans, he will run the Cape Peninsula Marathon on February 17.
Founder of the Run4Schools Foundation Leslie Pangemanan said he was proud of Steyn for coming up with the school shoes initiative. “It is great to see that he will create awareness for others. It will be tough to run in school shoes, but he will succeed.”