Meghraj School’s Student-Led Fun Run

On Saturday 21st February, three of Right4Children’s team members – Rabin (our extra-curricular activity coach skilled in break-dancing, self-defence and fine art), Lekhnath (our trusty office handyman) and Padam (our ultramarathon competitor and running coach) – drove to Puranchour to take part in Meghraj Lower Secondary School’s monthly fun run.

Over the last seven years, we’ve worked closely with this school under our Child Friendly Schools Programme, delivering teacher-training, supplying educational materials and encouraging holistic learning through the promotion of art and extra-curricular activities – such as those in Rabin’s expertise. Our aim: to make education more appealing for students, foster a well-rounded development and empower children to realise their full potential.

True to Right4Children’s core focus on empowering community-led initiatives, our team have supported Meghraj to become self-sufficient, gradually handing over full responsibility of our projects over the past two years.

It was really heartening to see that, on top of continued education improvements run by teachers, the school pupils have kept their monthly fun run going. Originally introduced by our team at Right2Run – an initiative that works with twelve different schools in the Pokhara, Kaski region giving trail running coaching and nutrition – the fun run has continued to thrive. Fully student-led, the school children have formed the Meghraj Child Club, which has expanded to include children from other schools in the local area. This is a powerful testament to our Right2Run project, showing the ripple effect it has had on surrounding communities.  

Children warm up before the running session.

When our team arrived, the school kids were already circled around the school grounds, having begun their warm-up routine led by their running captains. Our running coach Padam was out of a job! Once the warm-up was complete the students lined up into their age groups to collect their race numbers.

Participants before the session.

There was a buzz of excitement as everyone then piled out of the school gates to line up at the race’s start line before Rabin gave a countdown to let the race begin.

The beggining of the Fun.

Every child crossed the finish line with a team of people cheering them on. Occasionally, a tractor or a motorbike would drive by, passing under the red ribbon to cheers from the supporters.

Here they are running full pelt off into the distance towards Machapuchare mountain!

Waiting for Prize Distribution.

The following prize-giving ceremony clearly filled the kids with a sense of pride and achievement, with many of the winners admiring their medals and posing for photographs. Although seemingly small, these ceremonies are so important for instilling a sense of achievement in the kids who partake in these events.

Meghraj School is an exemplar of what Right4Children are aiming to achieve, where external support evolves into self-sustaining community-led practices. There are so many benefits to something as simple as a monthly fun run; community spirit, a sense of achievement, ownership and all of the health benefits too!

Some of the children with their poster supplied by a local sponsor with their motto: ‘run for fun, together we run!’