On Sunday, May 18th, Simbisa Brands, in partnership with the Harare Athletic Club (HAC), hosted the 2025 Roger Brackley Half Marathon at Old Georgians Sports Club in Mount Pleasant, Harare. The event, which featured 5km, 10km, and 21km races, was held to raise funds for the USAP Community School. It brought together a vibrant community of runners and supporters and successfully raised ZWG 62,100 and USD $7,140.
The event commenced at 6:30 AM with the 21km runners leading the way, followed by the 10km and 5km participants. As the races unfolded, the USAPCS marimba club filled the air with lively music, energizing volunteers and spectators who danced along to the rhythms. By 7:30 AM, runners began crossing the finish line, greeted with medals and refreshments. The atmosphere was electric with cheers, photo opportunities, and shared stories of the run. Notably, USAP alum Neka Ben (Class of 2024) completed the 21km race in an impressive 1 hour and 32 minutes (quite an elite runner indeed). We are also very proud of our cross country team as well as USAPCS faculty Raquel Ramirez and Farirai Majoni, USAP Alumni for participating in the races.
At 10:00 AM, the event transitioned into a lively Zumba session led by Zorro. Runners and spectators alike joined in, following the instructors’ moves with enthusiasm. The M.C. kept the energy high with engaging commentary, making the workout both fun and memorable. As the event wound up, it also became a time for networking and creating relationships for the betterment of the community. We are grateful to our sponsors for this year’s Roger Brackely run-Simbisa Brands, Ecobank and the Harare Athletics club.
As a reminder, this year USAP celebrates 25 years of transforming lives through education. To mark this incredible milestone, we are hosting a 25th Anniversary USAP Run on September 20 at our permanent school campus on Ruzawi Road, Marondera. Whether you are a current Education Matters friend or a new supporter, we invite you to join us as a runner, or cheerleader in celebrating the thousands of stories made possible through USAP. Let’s make this anniversary unforgettable.
You can reach out to fundraising@edmattersafrica.org or schedule a virtual coffee chat (https://lnkd.in/dQvZx9-t) with one of the Education Matters team members to learn more about sponsorship opportunities.
