The maiden Absa KH3-7 Hills Run was a success after over 25000 runners showed up in the wee hours of Sunday.
The run, a partnership between the Kampala Hash House Harriers and Absa Bank, featured 6km and 21km routes.
And there was plenty of entertainment at Kingdom Kampala including Vinka and Sheebah who entertained masses after the runners conquered the seven hills of the City.
The Kampala City Council Authority ED Dorothy Kisaka flagged off the event, was flanked by Michael Segwaya, Absa Bank Uganda’s Executive Director and Chief Finance Officer and Leonard Mugizi the Hash Mash of the Kampala Hash House Harriers.
Michael Segwaya, Absa Bank Uganda’s Executive Director and Chief Finance Officer, said, “The proceeds from today’s run will complement efforts already underway by Absa to skill over 500 teenage mothers enabling them to become self sufficient and develop income generating activities.
“A clear understanding of the obstacles that keep the school dropout rate among girls in Uganda high requires us to reflect and think of what more can be done to try and address this issue.
“I, therefore, appreciate you all for demonstrating the spirit of Ubuntu and joining us as we try to make a mark on the lives of so many girls in Uganda.”
It was confirmed that the proceeds from the event will go towards key initiatives to keep the girl child in school through providing skills training to teenage mothers to enable them to earn a sustainable living and by strengthening menstrual hygiene management to deter school absenteeism and reduce dropout rates among girls.
The run also coincided with World Menstrual Hygiene Day, which seeks to promote good menstrual health and hygiene (MHH) by breaking the silence, raising awareness and changing negative social norms around MHH and engaging decision-makers to increase the political priority and catalyse action for MHH, at global, national and local levels.
While speaking on behalf of the Kampala Hash House Harriers (KHHH), Mugizi Hash Master of the Club, said, “This run complements several other initiatives established by the Kampala Hash House Harriers to try and leverage our passion for fitness and living a healthy lifestyle to leave a positive impact on Uganda, and we appreciate Absa bank Uganda for their coming on board with a noble cause.”
This run marks the commencement of a 3-year partnership between Absa Bank Uganda and the KHHH geared towards promoting physical wellness.
“Advancing education and skills development is a key component of our Citizenship initiative, through which we work to be a force for good in the communities within which we operate, and I’m proud to reveal that as the run grows, so shall we grow its impact by providing scholarships to less privileged girls aged 12 – 18 years,” Absa’s Segwaya added.
The Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) 2020 National Survey on Violence in Uganda indicated that limited support is given to teenage mothers to stay in or return to school, and due to the stigma attached to teenage pregnancy, some young girls opt for marriage over returning to school.
