Cheptegei urges fellow athletes to support the needy

Kapchorwa, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | In an exclusive interview with Uganda Radio Network (URN) at his home in Kapchorwa, eastern Uganda, Olympic Champion Joshua Cheptegei, who won gold in the 10,000 meters, emphasized the importance of successful athletes being “destiny helpers,” describing running as a gift from God.

“I am asking my good-hearted fellow sportsmen and women to embrace my footsteps such that we can achieve this together,” said Cheptegei. He added, “I am already helping more than 100 needy children to acquire quality education through my foundation, Joshua Cheptegei Development Foundation (JOCDEF).”

Cheptegei stressed that unity in supporting charitable causes not only benefits those in need but also brings glory to God, who has gifted athletes with their talent and excellence. After retiring from track running to focus on marathons following the 2024 Summer Olympics, Cheptegei revealed his plans to dedicate most of his marathon earnings to charity.

“I believe in the near future, by God’s grace, we shall have a charity home in Kapchorwa which will harbor those without parents as they pursue their dream goals,” Cheptegei expressed.

Cheptegei shared that three years ago, his foundation, JOCDEF, partnered with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) to address climate change, promote sports tourism, and combat gender-based violence (GBV) across the Elgon region. This initiative includes tree planting in schools and organizing the Annual UNDP Elgon Half Marathon, which has already shown promising results.

“I can assure you that if we join hands together as athletes, we will be able to help these people to achieve their desired dream of becoming better citizens who are self-reliant,” noted Cheptegei.

Victor Kiplagat, the reigning Marathon World Champion, welcomed Cheptegei’s call to action, saying he is eager to support the cause. “Cheptegei is very right, and I want to appreciate him for reminding us of the significance of charity. I will surely join the campaign,” Kiplagat said.

Priscilla Kusuro, the coordinator of the Sebei Transformation Initiative (STI), a civic organization advocating for children’s rights, praised Cheptegei’s philanthropic efforts. “We’ve seen him supporting in almost every angle. When it comes to sports, he is there; say education, he is the first. Really, he is just God’s sent,” said Kusuro.

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