Ten-year-old Lonwabo Nkukuma was unfit and overweight when he took up running in April last year. His coach tells how he could hardly run 50 metres, and always came last in school races.

Now, the grade six pupil from Gugulethu is beating more experienced runners, and has a new lease of life.

"I started running because I wanted to be fit. It was very hard at the beginning," Lonwabo says. "But now I can run eight km."

"I enjoy running. I'm very happy. Running has changed my life. I now enter competitions."

Lonwabo is just one of the hundreds of learners benefiting from the ‘Active Cityzen’ campaign designed by the City of Cape Town, Western Province Athletics and the JAG Sport and Education Foundation to promote healthy lifestyles.

The JAG Foundation uses sport as a tool to inspire disadvantaged children to achieve their potential and build a positive future for themselves. Learners are encouraged to get active; release constructive energy; set and strive for personal goals; bond with their peers, and have fun. They train twice a week and often attend fun runs and other events over the weekends. The City's sponsorship of the JAG Foundation involves providing the children with transport to these races and a snack, as well as covering their entry fees.

"Running provides an easy and affordable option for children and youth who are not involved in the other mainstream sports types such as football, rugby and cricket," says Gert Bam, Director: Sport, Recreation and Amenities.

Kathleen Shuttleworth of the JAG Foundation says discussions between JAG CEO Elana Meyer (an Olympic silver medallist) and the City's Sport and Recreation Department led to the City also contributing R72 000 to the Foundation.

"It is quite a massive contribution to our Foundation. The City is very involved, and City officials are always at our events.

"One of the main things that keeps the kids motivated to keep training is going to the fun runs, and that's why the City's contribution to our programme is so crucial."

Marshall Moila, the head coach of the RCS Gugulethu Athletics Club, says a month after Lonwabo started training he could run a full lap, and graduated to completing a five km fun run last August. "He got really into it, and I noticed that he even started to lose weight."
Another runner in the club battles to wake up – except on race days, when they have an early start, and he is always the first to arrive at the meeting point.

"Most of these youngsters really enjoy running, and we are trying to get them to balance out their lives with education too," Moila said.

Sidney Hendricks, a teacher and one of the head coaches in Mannenburg, says the City's contribution is invaluable. "This City really works for me," he laughs. "Without the City's involvement, we would not have been able to be where we are at today."

"The most positive thing I've seen in this programme is the zest for life that is coming out - they are more interested in what is happening around them, which manifests in behavioural changes.

"We work with really de-motivated children, who have no interest in proving themselves or doing anything for themselves. But as their fitness levels pick up, they become more interested in life, their manners change, you can even see smiles appearing on their faces. And they become more friendly too, they don't fight with each other as much. There's a certain camaraderie on the training ground, and it's nice to see them work as a team," he said.

"I think this should be rolled out at every school – and who knows, maybe we will see some Olympic gold medals coming out of this!"

The City, through its Sport and Recreation Department, also supports 12 road races and fun runs in Cape Town. It is a partner in the Two Oceans Marathon and major partner in the Nedbank Cape Town Marathon. In agreement with Western Province Athletics, it supports the Women’s Challenge, Don Lock Memorial race, Stragglers’ Beachcomber race, Landmarks, Gugulethu Reconciliation Day race, Mitchells Plain Titans, Top Form, Eerste River, SPAR Women’s and Strand races.