Joel Melanie gears up for 2022 charity project |04 February 2022

Joel Melanie geared up and ready to conquer 2022

● ‘We all have Dreams’, the chosen theme

After successfully completing his ‘Run for a good cause’ challenge, enthusiastic runner and fundraiser Joel Melanie is putting the final touches to his preparation to launch a new challenge aimed at making a difference in the lives of the most vulnerable members of our society.

The last project – carried out within three years – was to support associations that are struggling to raise fund to put permanent base and other facilities to provide long-term support to Seychellois families and children.

A total of R500,300.53 was raised to help six associations, namely the Cancer Concern Association, the Autism Seychelles, Unique Foundation (Praslin), the Seychelles Stroke Foundation, the Seychelles Association for the Disabled and the Seychelles Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

The achievements were through the support of various people through their generous donation, big or small, that have been greatly appreciated.

Launched in 2018, the project was divided into two phases: with the first phase including the 21km race in the Eco Friendly Marathon on February 24, 2019 and a 21km challenge on February 28, 2021.

The second phase of the challenge took place last year, with the first race held on La Digue and nicknamed ‘Anmenn Mwan La Digue’ after the host island, while the second challenge – ‘Retourn Praslin’ – took place on Praslin.

The last race of the phase which took place on August 29 last year – from Stad Popiler to Anse Royale – coincided with the birthday of Mr Melanie’s mother – Regina Melanie – who was a well-known local author.

For his upcoming challenge, named ‘We all have Dreams’, Mr Melanie will be accompanied by the Runners of Charity, a group he set up to bring more flare to the activity.

Mr Melanie explained that after running alone for a while, he thinks it will make more sense and add more sparkle to challenges if it is done as a group.

He said most members of the group were also actively involved in some of his challenges in the past.

Most of them, he said, are part of a WhatsApp group created as a network to keep them together following the cancellations of most major runs due to the health restrictions in line with the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

The ‘We all have Dreams’ challenge will include three half-marathons and will kick off on Sunday February 27.

The event will begin at Stad Popiler and the runners will head east up to L’Escale Resort Marina & Spa, where they will turn and head to the Glacis district administration office via Persévérance.

So far, 22 runners have confirmed their participation.

The second run has been programmed for Sunday April 17 and the athletes will run from Stad Popiler up to Pointe Larue, then back to the starting point.

As was the case for the last event of the last challenge, for this year’s project, the last run will also begin at Stad Popiler and finish at the Anse Royale district administration office.

Funds raised during the ‘We all have Dreams’ challenge will go towards three main projects.

Firstly, it will be used to assist University of Seychelles student Samirah Sally with prosthesis, while two sculpture projects, portraying two individuals who have contributed greatly towards the country, will also benefit from the challenge.

The first sculpture will be to honour former track and field athlete Danny Beauchamp, who always defended the Seychelles’ colours with verve and determination.

On July 4, 2004, Beauchamp's athletics career ended when he was involved in a road accident which rendered him paraplegic, and although he made every effort to overcome his disability, he was never able to walk again. He died on November 12, 2010 at the North East Point Hospice. He was 41 years old.

The other sculpture will honour Mr Melanie’s mother who did not know how to read and write, until in her late 50s when she started to follow literacy programme (progranm alfabetizasyon) and later on taught others how to write in Creole and English and count.

Mrs Melanie went on to become a well-known writer and she is considered a pioneer in Seychellois Creole literature.

Through the sculpture, Mr Melanie wants everyone, especially the youths, to understand that it is never too late to learn something new.

Sports NATION wishes Mr Melanie all the best in his new challenge as he always say he runs with his heart and not with his legs.

Roland Duval