The PONDO Trail Run returns from 28 May – 1 June 2025, offering runners the chance to traverse one of the world’s most untouched coastlines while raising funds for The Pondoland Conservation Trust as well as the Cipla Foundation’s Miles for Smiles initiative. Cipla is once again a proud partner, helping to fund corrective surgery for children born with a cleft condition.
The PONDO Trail Run is a one-of-a-kind event, taking participants through the remote and rugged northern section of the Wild Coast, a region home to over 150 plant species found nowhere else on Earth. Runners will take on this three-stage trail run, pushing their limits while making a lasting impact.
CEO of Cipla South Africa, Paul Miller, said the following about the Cipla Foundation’s involvement: “This will be the fourth consecutive year that Cipla is participating in this event, not just to help preserve the jaw-droppingly beautiful Pondoland coast, but also to help make a tangible difference in local communities.”
Funds raised from the event will directly support Operation Smile
South Africa, an organisation delivering free, life-changing cleft surgeries to children from underserved communities. In November 2024, the Wild Child Africa team had the privilege of attending a surgical program at Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital in Mthatha, where a dedicated medical team performed eight cleft lip surgeries, 14 cleft palate surgeries, and one fistula repair. In addition to surgical interventions, a parallel dental outreach program saw 885 patients receive critical oral healthcare.
“The impact of these missions is profound,” says Tim Botha, Director of Wild Child Africa. “Standing alongside Cipla at the Mthatha surgical program, witnessing the smiles that our fundraising efforts made possible, was incredibly powerful. We are honoured to continue supporting this work through the 2025 PONDO Trail Run.”
Beyond its role in raising funds, Cipla will also be sponsoring paramedic support for this year’s race, ensuring runners receive expert care at the “Cipla Blister Bar”, where weary feet can be nursed back to health at the end of each day.
The event also continues to champion conservation, with funds supporting the Pondoland Conservation Trust, which works to uplift the local community and protect this ecologically rich and fragile coastline through low-impact, high-end eco-tourism.
For more information visit www.wildchildafrica.com.
For more information about Miles for Smiles, visit https://www.cipla.co.za/cipla-foundation/miles-for-smiles