In May this year, Vodacom Lesotho Foundation sponsored Sepheo School’s entry in the 2017 Malealea Monster adventure race. Their support of M10,000 covered race fees, meals and accommodation for 11 of our most dedicated students, enabling them to compete in 3 days of running and cycling in the Lesotho mountains. 

Vodacom has partnered with Sepheo since 2016 to get children off the streets, to keep them in homes to give them a second chance at education. 

Sepheo uses the Malealea Monster as the peak culminating event in its physical training and character development program, where children learn endurance and resilience to cope with their daily challenges. Students underwent selection to attend the event, which included gruelling daily training sessions. 

Those who passed selection were rewarded with the 3 day trip and the ability to test themselves against other athletes in a 2km night run, a 28km mountain bike race and an 8km trail run.

Sepheo's team performed brilliantly across all three events. In the night run, Sepheo took out the entire podium. In the 28km mountain bike race Sepheo took fourth place and had numerous top ten finishes; a particularly impressive result given it was the first time on a bike for most students. In the the 8km trail run our students took second and third place, as well as the majority of top ten finishes.

With Vodacom’s support, children were given the chance to succeed and to push themselves beyond what they thought they could achieve. Before coming to Sepheo School, these races would have been well outside of their reach. Life on the streets for children is hopeless, but Sepheo helps them form a new identity and achieve excellence. This experience solidifies that it is indeed possible to achieve Excellence out of Poverty.