The Limapela Running Club started late one afternoon in July when three young lads from the Kafakumba Singers dropped in to say hello. I was about to set off for my daily run, so I invited them to join me. To my surprise, they agreed and ran the full 3.5 km without stopping and without complaint. The following afternoon, they brought several friends from the compound, and before long we had as many as 20 boys and girls in the group, although the number varies from day to day.

We run on Mondays and Fridays, and after running we sit and chat over cold drinks and snacks. The boys tell me that girls are not serious about running, and that we should have the occasional day without snacks, only water, so that we can see who really is serious. We have done that, but the numbers did not diminish significantly!

A few compete to be first, but Gift (12), whose English is quite good, usually hangs back so that he can talk to me while we run. He is in Grade 6 at the Baluba Combined School but has not been going recently because his uniform has worn out. He is the youngest in the family, and has three sisters and two brothers. In January his mother was incapacitated by a stroke. His mother had taught him to cook before the stroke, which he says is good, because now he can take his turn with his sisters in preparing meals. His father is a retired soldier. I am thankful at least to hear that his father is present. As we interact I can see that, like many Zambian children, he is glad of the attention and needs to be affirmed.