BA ISAGO University will on September 16 host the inaugural BA ISAGO @21 Half Marathon in Francistown. The half marathon is part of the learning institution’s 21 years of existence celebrations and will focus on the development of the country’s second city.
Francistown is the institution’s birthplace and BA ISAGO University eyes to give back to the city. Speaking at the race launch held recently, BA ISAGO University’s business development director, Omogolo Gabasiane said the marathon is a charitable course and the beneficiary is the community in and around ‘Ghetto’. She said as one of the leading education providers in the country, BA ISAGO University would direct the returns of the race to education development in the area.
“Given that we are in the space of higher education and this is what we have focused on in the last 21 years, we think that it will be in line with our mandate, our vision, and our mission to focus on CSR (Cooperate Social Responsibility) with a focus on education and empowerment.
So the particular (marathon) project, we will speak more about this over time but we will be focusing on education empowerment particularly those who are disadvantaged either in terms of circumstances, orphaned children and all the like, but we will speak more about it as time goes on,” Gabasiane told the gathering. The BA ISAGO @21 Half Marathon incorporates the 5km run, 10km run, and the 21.1km race. Aspirants will be charged registration fees of P200 for the 5km, P250 for the 10km, and 21.1km costs P300.
The organisers have availed corporate spots as 10 participants will be charged P2,000 for the 10km and P2,500 for the 21.1km. The learning institution also announced that people living with disability will enter the race free of charge. The marathon director, Bobo Keikotlhaile said the race is a non-qualifying marathon but it will meet all the elite marathon race standards. He said the organising committee has since sought the blessing of local athletics body, the Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) through its affiliate, Gaborone Striders Runners Club.
“The objective is to give back to the community as a CSR. It is also in our objectives to also contribute and improve sports tourism and socio-economic situation in Francistown and most importantly for community engagement,” he said. BA ISAGO University has partnered with Protime Sports as timing partners, Mmegi, Gabz FM, MRI Botswana, and BA ISAGO Events and Marketing. Registration for the race is on until August 26.
