More than 120 young participants joined the fourth “Steps for the community” run at the Bossco Gia Lai urban area, where children aged 4 to 11 competed over distances of 800 metres and 1,600 metres. The event was organised by Lalisa Foreign Language System in coordination with local partners.
Participants included students and children from the Pleiku General Social Protection Center, who joined free of charge, underscoring the initiative’s inclusive and humanitarian focus. Along the route, parents and spectators created a lively and supportive atmosphere.
Under the message “Every step is a brick”, each Lalisa student contributed 200,000 VND (about $8) to a housing fund for poor households. Organisers said the fourth edition raised a total of 50.4 million VND (about $2,016), including 21.4 million VND (about $856) from participants and parents, with the remainder coming from sponsors and in-kind support.
All proceeds will be used to build homes for disadvantaged families in the province.
For some participants, the cause provided strong motivation. Loc Van Thuong, who won the 800-metre race, said he pushed through fatigue with the goal of helping families in need. Others highlighted the emotional value of the event, with parents saying it helped children understand empathy and social responsibility.
Organisers and partners say the model of combining sport with fundraising has strong growth potential in Gia Lai, where similar initiatives remain limited but are gaining traction.
Beyond charity, running events in the province are also promoting environmental awareness. The nationwide “BIDV Run – For a green life” programme, held in Pleiku from April 5 to 26, drew participation from bank staff and the local running community.
Participants ran five kilometres, with results tracked via a mobile app. Each kilometre completed was converted into a donation of 1,000 VND (about $0.04) to a tree-planting initiative.
After six seasons, organisers say the programme has helped foster green habits and strengthen community engagement, particularly among young people, while reinforcing the role of grassroots initiatives in driving social change.