By Barrie Alpha

Africell, Afrimoney and Street Child Sierra Leone on Tuesday, 19th March, 2024, officially launched the 2024 Street Child Marathon slated for Makeni in May.

In his welcome address during a well-attended ceremony at the company’s headquarters at Wilberforce in Freetown chaired by Africell’s Abdul Aziz Kamara, Abdul Karim Sesay, Africell’s Media Relations Manager, said they are extremely delighted to partner with Street Child to foster the growth of vulnerable kids across the country.

Speaking, the Country Director of Street Child Sierra Leone, Kelfa Kargbo, underscored that on 1st December, 2008, the organisation was officially launched in Sierra Leone starting with a staff of four focusing on about 100 kids.

‘Since December 2008 up to this time, I am proud to say that we have an organisation that was born in Sierra Leone that is now operating in 21 countries. It’s something we as Sierra Leoneans must be very proud of, that we gave birth to a baby that is now across 21 countries,’ he boasted.

He noted that they are in the 11th edition of which the journey would have never been possible without Africall.

‘They believe in our dreams that together we can work; together we can make the difference. I know this is the start of greater beginning,’ Kargbo stated.

In his brief statement, Africell Chief Corporate Affairs Officer-Joe Abass Bangura expressed his company’s excitement, adding that they are proud to say they are all the way in this 11 year journey of this Marathon from the beginning.

 “As a company we are super proud to partnering in this journey to support, to help, to make sure that there is a safe space for every child in Sierra Leone we will continue to do all what we’ve been doing all these years,” he assured.

Mark Manghan, the Global Challenges Manager, Street Child, who has been very involved since 2012 noted that the Street Child Sierra Leone Marathon has become one of the nation’s biggest sporting events in Sierra Leone.

He furthered that they’ve help to create a credible platform to develop a lot of talents that are going on to represent Sierra Leone abroad, citing the likes of Idrissa Kargbo, who won the first and second marathon, and also went on to run the London and New York marathons.

‘The Street Child Sierra Leone Marathon has the opportunity to bring different people from across the world to Sierra Leone and see the beauty of the country to support the charity and do amazing things.’

‘For me, the marathon has played a huge part in the growth of Street Child to an international NGO. We have been able to attract more donors, more people, more supports. We carefully look at exciting new ways to develop the marathon. The Street Child Sierra Leone is a platform where we can encourage people to take part, to celebrate Sierra Leone, to celebrate Makeni, to celebrate the joy of running therefore,’ the Global Challenges Manager continued.

‘We have a 5km option, 10km option, and 21km option and this year, we are introducing a brand new 42km full marathon. We also have a cycling challenge we are offering a 75km cycling challenge around Makeni. The Sierra Leone Marathon and the Cycle Challenge will provide the adventure you are looking for,’ he further disclosed.

Explaining how to sign up for this year’s Street Child Sierra Leone Marathon, Director of Afrimoney, John Konteh said, ‘How you get to pay for your Street Child Marathon sign up fees? It’s called the merchant payment, it’s on the Afrimoney platform. Dial*161# or dial *161*4#, you will bring up the screen that would show you where you should enter the merchant code. For Street Child merchant code it’s 64732. Once you enter that, you go to the category and enter the amount. Once you enter that you go to where you are to enter your pin and enter it.’

Statements were also made by Alusine Kanu, the Race Director, Street Child Sierra Leone Marathon, the Sierra Leone Athletics Association (SLAA)’s Marathon Competitions Organiser, Ibrahim Moses Kargbo and other sponsors.