THE annual School Shoes Charity Run took place in Katlehong, Ekurhuleni, on Wednesday, 31 December.
Runners showed love and compassion by taking part in the event.
The charity run, organised by the Katlehong Athletic Club, aims to support needy pupils from eight local schools by raising funds to buy school shoes. While some participants donated money, others arrived with school shoes and dropped them off at the race venue.
Runners took to the streets on Wednesday, competing across three distances of 31km, 21km, and 10km.
Club chairman Silas Matshaba said the Shoe Run has become a proud tradition in the community.
"This is our annual charity run, and we've been hosting it every year since 2017. The main purpose is to raise funds to support disadvantaged children in Katlehong," he said.
Silas explained that all proceeds from the run go towards buying school shoes for pupils from Quintile 1 schools, which serve the poorest communities.
The club supports about eight local schools in the Katlehong area.
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He stated that the initiative goes beyond just school shoes.
"We also have a youth development programme within our club where we support children from disadvantaged backgrounds, especially those from informal settlements.
"Through this programme, some of our runners have received scholarships to private schools, while others have even gone to the United States to further their studies," he said.
According to Silas, the impact of the Shoe Run is massive.
"On average, we manage to donate about 1 000 pairs of school shoes every year. That makes a huge difference in the lives of these children and their families," he said.
He also said the event helps address social issues by encouraging people to live healthy lifestyles through running.
"This event brings people together and spreads a positive message about fitness and healthy living."
Silas said this year's turnout was bigger than previous years, showing that the event continues to grow.
"The support keeps increasing every year. We've improved our marketing and worked closely with other local clubs across the province. As a result, we've almost doubled the number of participants."
He said the final list of beneficiary schools will be confirmed in January after assessments are completed to identify those most in need.
One of the runners, Moses Motsai (65) of Lesedi Athletic Club, praised the initiative, saying it makes a real difference for needy children.
"This kind of programme brings ubuntu to the community. We should always help where we can, because these children deserve to go to school without feeling different from their peers," he said.
