Ardent runners, Solly Malatsi who is a member of Parliament and member of the Provincial Legislature in Gauteng,
Makashule Gana, finally arrived in Tzaneen for their “The Home Run for Education” campaign.
They started their run in Soweto on July 26 and arrived in Tzaneen on August 8.
They ran a total of 500km averaging 35kms daily. The run is an initiative by the two runners to raise funds for school
uniforms and shoes, and sanitary pads for poor learners in Limpopo.
Malatsi and Gana aim to raise R500 000 for this cause. “As ardent runners who are equally passionate about playing
our part in opening the doors of opportunities in education for poor learners, we decided to launch the campaign to achieve this,” they said.
“Both of us know how poor learners in rural areas struggle with regards to lack of proper school uniforms and shoes. We also know the pain and shame that many female learners endure when they miss school during their menstruation cycle.”
ALSO READ: Spar groups back Malatsi and Gana’s 500km run
“Statistically, one in ten girls misses a day of school monthly during their periods because they cannot afford sanitary pads. We are leveraging our bodies to make a difference in this regard,” said Malatsi and Gana.
SPAR Women’s Virtual Challenge ambassador, Thandy Matlaila, spent part of her Women’s Day on the road running the third leg of the campaign with Malatsi and Gana.
She joined them on their leg between Irene in Centurion and Montana, north of Pretoria.
SPAR, sponsors of the run, met the runners at Montana SuperSpar where a donation of sanitary pads was handed
over by store manager George Montana. SPAR North Rand sponsorship manager, Retha Ingenbleek, presented
Matlaila with flowers and a hamper in celebration of Women’s Day.
Matlaila said she welcomed the initiative by Malatsi and Gana and felt it appropriate on Women’s Day to give support to the cause. “I am passionate about education and giving, especially giving girls the opportunity of going to school.
“As an ambassador of the upcoming SPAR Women’s Virtual Challenge, I am calling women to enter race to enable us to donate thousands of packets of sanitary pads to schoolgirls nationwide to help keep them in school.”
