The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
The overall winners
Women
1. Kareen Chemusto
2. Annet Chesang
3. Saibi Chebet
Men
1. Philip Kiptoo
2. Brian Ategeka
3. Aggrey Agaba
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Philip Kiptoo won the Absa KH3-7 Hills Run on Sunday in a time of 1:13:36 to win himself a plot of land as funds were raised to the advancement of girl child education and menstrual hygiene support.
Proceeds from the run dubbed “Run Her Race” and organized by Absa Bank Uganda and Kampala Hash House Harriers (KH3) will go towards initiatives that focus on returning girls who have dropped out of school prematurely, to school as well as providing urgent menstrual hygiene support to impoverished schoolgirls who often drop out of school due to prohibitive costs of sanitary products.
Over 5,000 runners took part in the Absa KH3-7 Hills Run. The annual ‘marathon’ challenges runners to traverse the length of the proverbial 7 hills that make up Kampala City.
The overall winner, Kiptoo (1:13:36), won a 50×100 land title donated by Bakayima Real Estate Agents. Additionally, the Top 2 Females (Chemusto and Chesang from Joshua Cheptegi Athletics Club) and the Top 2 males (Ategeka and Agaba from KH3 Running Club) and will be sponsored by Absa Bank Uganda to participate in the Johannesburg leg of the 2025 Absa Run Your City Series in South Africa.
Mumba Kalifungwa, the Managing Director of Absa Bank Uganda, speaking to why the bank chose this initiative said that the bank’s Citizenship ambition is to be an active force for good in the communities where it operates.
“Advancing education and youth employment as well as promoting a just society are some of our key citizenship pillars. Additionally, the 4th Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) speaks to the need to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all while the 5th one speaks to achieving gender equality for all. We believe that this is our small contribution to achieving this goal in Uganda.”
Last year’s funds were used to support over 2,750 girls with menstrual hygiene management, supporting teenage mothers to return to school with fully paid school fees, and skilling others to become self-sustainable with culinary skills, tailoring, knitting, and making liquid soap.
Wilberforce Kyambadde the KH3 Hash Master said he was pleased with the momentum that the Absa KH3-7 Hills Run was gathering in only its second year, now even attracting professional runners.
This year’s marathon in particular has attracted participation from elite runners coordinated by the Cheptegei Development Foundation whose activities among developing local talent include targeted programmes like providing safe haven for girls fleeing FGM in the Sebei region. Often, cultural practices like these also present a barrier for girls continuing with education.
The Marathon was flagged off by Thomas Tayebwa, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, who remarked that the ‘Run Her Race’ initiative was in line with the government agenda to promote girl child education.
The run had a 5km and 22km leg and attracted several sponsors and partners such as Kampala Pharmaceutical Industries, Vivo Energy Uganda, Aquafina, New Vision Group, Bakaima Real Estate Agents, Biyinzika Pearl Chicken, Next Media Services, Fenon Premium Events, Kakira Sugar Limited, DHL Express, UAP Old Mutual, Graphics Systems, Case Medical Services, Hostalite Ltd, Prudential, KCCA and Uganda Red Cross.
