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Spark sat down to chat with Ari deJonge ’02, executive director of We Run, We Rise—a community of running clubs that empowers African youth—about the magic of running, the importance of reaching middle school kids, and deJonge’s growing partnerships with communities throughout Africa to nurture the wellbeing and holistic development of youth. Though she frequently travels to partner communities, deJonge lives in the Grand Rapids, Michigan, area with her family where she enjoys long runs and hanging out with her three daughters.

Q: What area of study did you pursue at ÐßÐßÊÓƵ?

A: I earned my bachelor’s degree in political science and government. One of the things I took away from my four years in the program was the importance of investing in women and girls as a mechanism for sustainable community development.

Q: How did you first get involved with running clubs in East Africa?

A: The idea wasn’t mine. I spent about 15 years overseas working in international development—first in HIV and palliative care and later in philanthropy. During that time, I met Michael Mulder, a track and cross country coach at Holland Christian who had piloted a few small running clubs in Rwanda. When I moved to Tanzania to serve as World Renew’s country director, Mike reached out and asked whether we could test the model there. Once we piloted the clubs, the impact blew me away. We were able to track shifts in knowledge, attitudes, and daily practices (KAP). We saw kids healing from emotional stress and traumatic experiences. Families reported seeing huge changes in their kids and communities. For example, we saw dramatic changes in girls’ confidence and in how communities viewed young women. It was more transformative than almost anything else we were doing.

Q: What made the model so effective?

A: Two things. First, the clubs hit the three developmental needs identified by the Harvard Institute for Human Development: a safe space, a stable adult, and practical life skills. Our coaches are trained to be trusted mentors, and the clubs combine running with lessons on topics like water and sanitation, road safety, and sexual health. We’ve seen significant reductions in early pregnancies simply because boys and girls now understand how pregnancy happens. Second, running itself is powerful. There’s strong science behind its mental health benefits, and it’s accessible—you don’t even need shoes. Some South Sudanese kids who joined our clubs with no running background are now competing internationally.

Q: Who do the clubs serve?

A: We focus on middle schoolers —an age group often overlooked but developmentally crucial. Unfortunately, kids eight to 14 are often ignored and underserved, but it’s a crucial time as they form beliefs about identity. We wanted to dive into that space to help kids build confidence and embrace their intrinsic value.

Q: How has the program grown?

A: What began with a couple of partners is now 19 partners, 1,500 clubs, and 50,000 kids. The demand is enormous. The clubs integrate easily into churches, schools, and community programs. 

Q: What keeps you connected to the work now?

A: Running has become part of my own life. I travel to East Africa four or five times a year, and last summer I ran 150 miles across northern Tanzania to help launch the nonprofit. Though we’ve been doing the work since 2016, the organization officially established as its own 501c3 in September 2025, and we’re still growing—but the heart of the work remains the same: helping kids rise.