By Emmanuel Afonne
Run Club Abuja (RCA), a community of passionate runners and walkers promoting fitness, unity, and social impact, is targeting N12.4 million through its 6th Annual Charity Half Marathon.
Chairperson of the Local Organising Committee, Peju Lawanson, disclosed this while briefing newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja.
She said the money would be used to procure life-saving neonatal equipment for two public hospitals in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Lawanson said the RCA annual charity marathon had evolved beyond a fitness event into a platform for community development, mobilising individuals and organisations to support healthcare interventions.
“Proceeds from the event, scheduled for July 11, will be used to strengthen maternal and child healthcare and help reduce infant mortality, particularly in underserved communities.”
Lawanson said every registration, donation and volunteer effort would contribute towards providing critical medical equipment that would improve the survival chances of newborn babies.
“Our goal is to give more newborns a fighting chance at life by providing hospitals with essential neonatal equipment.
“Every participant, volunteer and donor is contributing directly to improving healthcare outcomes and building a healthier future for the next generation.
“The annual charity half marathon seeks to mobilise citizens, businesses and development partners to invest in healthcare while promoting fitness and community development,” she said.
According to Lawanson, the half marathon, themed “Run with Rhythm”, is expected to attract about 1,000 participants competing in the 21.1-kilometre, 10-kilometre and five-kilometre races.
Also speaking, the President of Run Club Abuja, Buchi Onyegbule, said all available slots for the event had been sold out, reflecting growing confidence in the club’s charity initiatives.
According to him, this year’s edition has also recorded increased participation from virtual runners outside Nigeria and Africa.
Onyegbule said the club had put in place adequate safety measures for participants, including hydration points, medical support, finisher medals and optional health checks during kit collection.
The Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Norrenberger Financial Group, Mr Tony Edeh, said the company’s continued sponsorship of the event for the third consecutive year underscored its commitment to improving maternal and child healthcare.
Edeh described the partnership as a long-term investment in community development, adding that the neonatal equipment to be procured through the race would deliver measurable social impact by saving the lives of mothers and newborns.
He said the initiative also demonstrated how private sector partnerships could complement government efforts to improve healthcare delivery.
Amani Momodu, Group Head, Strategy and Sustainability at Norrenberger, said maternal and neonatal health remained a major national challenge requiring sustained collaboration among the private sector, civil society and community organisations.
Momodu said the partnership aligned with the company’s sustainability objectives and supported the attainment of Sustainable Development Goal 3 on good health and well-being through measurable community impact. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
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Edited by Chijioke Okoronkwo