Old Mutual Soweto Marathon runners to change lives of young and old
More than R2.5 million has already been raised for charitable causes by participants in Old Mutual endurance events over the past few years.
Old Mutual offers runners and cyclists the opportunity to raise funds and awareness through its successful More Than Yourself platform, which is linked to sponsorships like the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon, Comrades Marathon, Old Mutual Om die Dam Marathon and the nine-day Old Mutual joBerg2c mountain bike event.
Through More Than Yourself, athletes can donate directly and safely to a cause, support a participating friend’s chosen cause, or start a fundraising campaign to support and improve communities across the country.
Now the Old Mutual Soweto Marathon has also aligned itself to More Than Yourself. Runners are being encouraged to run in aid of the Imbumba Foundation’s Caring4Girls programme.
The Caring4Girls programme provides dignity packs for young girls in townships and rural schools. An annual girls’ Trek4Mandela expedition to Mount Kilimanjaro was launched in July 2012 as part of the programme to increase awareness of the tough challenges faced by girls in underprivileged schools and to help raise funds for them. To date, the programme has already distributed more than 130 000 packs of sanitary pads and improved the lives of more than 10 000 girls.
The increasingly popular 10km, 21km and 42km runs take place each year in and around the historic heart of Soweto.
Keen runner and fitness activist Letshego Zulu, who will be running the marathon this year to raise awareness for Caring4Girls, says: “This is a cause that touched my heart and also my husband’s, especially as we are parents to a little girl.’
She adds: “As a woman, I can’t imagine having access to sanitary towels. This is an issue in our society that I just need to highlight. If it means that I need to climb Kilimanjaro for the next 10 years to create awareness for this cause then that’s what I will do.”
To further help highlight and alleviate the monthly plight of underprivileged girls across South Africa, the Old Mutual Foundation donated R150 000 towards the programme.
“With every event we sponsor, our aim is to leave the country better off after the event,” says Old Mutual Chief Marketing Officer Vuyo Lee.
“This ranges from contributing to school desks, as we have done through the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon this year, to the Mandela Day Library Project. The wonderful thing about More Than Yourself is that it makes it easy for customers, employees and event participants to get involved and support communities in need.”
All Old Mutual Soweto Marathon runners, friends of runners, Soweto residents and spectators are encouraged to visit the Old Mutual Soweto Marathon Expo and donate sanitary towels at the Old Mutual stand or visit the More Than Yourself website on https://morethanyourself.co.za/ and pledge a donation to the Caring4girls initiative.
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