Run4Schools – 20 years and still going strong

When Leslie Pangemanan, an ultra marathon runner from the Netherlands, established Run4Schools in 2004 even he could could not imagine the lasting impact it would eventually have. But he had a plan: run as many races as possible to help raise funds to support the programme.

What started out as an idea to offer children at Alpine Primary School in Beacon Valley a bit of after-school physical activity 20 years ago, during his stint as a young volunteer sports coach at the school, has grown to be come a fully-fledged, fully-integrated programme aimed at offering youngsters the opportunity to showcase their talents in sports and music at Alpine, Northwood, Tafelsig and Cascade primary schools in Beacon Valley, Woodlands and Tafelsig respectively.

Fuelled by his passion for Mitchell’s Plain and the programme, time and distance could not diminish his enthusiasm, as Pangemanan and a few like-minded supporters, set a plan in motion to make his vision a reality. At the weekend, Pangemanan, along with a large contingent of countrymen, including his daughter Faye, 18, who completed her first Two Oceans half marathon on Sunday, hit the street for Saturday’s 56km ultra run.

To mark this milestone, the youngsters involved with the project at the various schools presented a musical showcase at the Joseph Stone Auditorium on Monday April 15, taking the audience on a musical trip down a not-too-distant memory lane, touching on major high and low-lights over the past two decades, including South Africa hosting the Soccer World Cup in 2010 and president Cyril Ramaphosa announcing heavy lockdown measures during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Monday’s performance was not only about sharing the story of Run4Schools Foundation, it was sharing the story of Mitchell's Plain and our realities through the voices of our young students and own experiences daily such as death, poverty, mental health, community, etcetera,” said Run4Schools general manager, Kaylin Cedras, who alongside Justin Blake, see to it that their day-to-day activities run smoothly. Both started out as coaches before taking on managerial roles.

“We have a team of 14 coaches, all born and raised in Mitchell's Plain,” Cedras said.

“We cannot thank Run4Schools Foundation founder, Leslie Pangemanan and the rest of the board members in the Netherlands, enough. They have given us an opportunity to be part of something greater and for us as a team employed by Run4Schools to give back to the Mitchell's Plain community,” she said.

Called on stage at the end of the show, Pangemanan nearly choked on his tears as he expressed a heartfelt thanks to all those who supported the programme over the years.

“I’m 51 and I’m not about to break new records, but I will keep running for as long as my legs can carry me,” he said.

For more information about the programme, visit https://www.run4schools.nl