KAMPALA, Uganda — Absa Bank Uganda announced Wednesday it has handed over 400 million Ugandan shillings (about $108,000) raised from its third annual Absa KH3_7 Hills Run to eight organizations dedicated to empowering vulnerable girls across Uganda.
The funds, collected during the 2025 charity run held in partnership with the Kampala Hash House Harriers, will support initiatives focused on improving access to education, health, and opportunities for young girls. Michael Segwaya, Executive Director and Chief Finance Officer at Absa Bank Uganda, emphasized the event’s broader purpose. “The Absa KH3_7 Hills Run is more than a race; it is a platform to change lives,” Segwaya said. “Through our collective action, we are accelerating progress toward a just and inclusive future, especially for young girls who face tremendous barriers to education.”
Since its inception in 2023, the Absa KH3_7 Hills Run has raised a total of 900 million Ugandan shillings (about $243,000). These funds have been crucial in implementing programs to keep girls in school, improve menstrual hygiene, provide access to clean water, enhance school infrastructure, and offer skills training and transportation support.
Previous editions of the run have yielded significant results. More than 10,843 girls have received support since the program began. Partnerships with organizations like Amref Health Africa and World Vision led to the distribution of reusable sanitary pads and the construction of new sanitation facilities at Awach Primary School in Abim District. This benefited 5,700 people, including 897 girls.
Windle International provided 266 girls in rural refugee settlements with bicycles, reducing long and unsafe commutes to school and significantly lowering absenteeism and dropout rates. Amref Health Africa also supported teen mothers and other vulnerable girls with vocational skills training and school reintegration assistance.
Sarah Lokiru, a beneficiary from Karamoja, shared her experience, stating, “Thanks to the bursary and menstrual hygiene support, I no longer miss school during my periods.” A teacher from Awach Primary School noted, “We’ve seen a marked improvement in attendance and academic performance since the sanitation facilities were installed.”
The 400 million Ugandan shillings raised in the 2025 run will be distributed among the following partner organizations for transformative initiatives: 100 million Ugandan shillings to World Vision Uganda to enhance menstrual hygiene management in Eastern and Northern Uganda, benefiting 3,492 schoolchildren, including 1,648 girls, through improved access to clean water and sanitation.
Windle International will receive 60 million Ugandan shillings to procure smart school bags equipped with solar-powered lights and reusable menstrual hygiene products for over 600 girls in rural communities of Kitgum and Karamoja.
Baylor College of Medicine Children’s Foundation will receive 50 million Ugandan shillings to cover school fees for adolescent girls and young women under the DREAMS program in Mubende, Kassanda, Mityana, and Fort Portal. The Nyaka AIDS Orphans Project will receive 50 million Ugandan shillings to support 30 vulnerable girls in Rukungiri and Kanungu with tuition, scholastic materials, menstrual hygiene supplies, and psychosocial care.
Amref Health Africa will receive 50 million Ugandan shillings to facilitate the distribution of reusable sanitary pads and provide reintegration support for teen mothers who dropped out of school. Willow International will receive 50 million Ugandan shillings to offer vocational skills training to girls rescued from human trafficking, promoting their independence and dignity.
Katalemwa Cheshire Home will receive 40 million Ugandan shillings to supply assistive devices, scholastic materials, and reusable sanitary pads to help girls with disabilities remain in school.
Smart Girls Uganda will receive 60 million Ugandan shillings to empower girls in Eastern and Northern Uganda by training them to make solar-powered school bags, facilitating their continued education.
The Absa KH3_7 Hills Run, an annual charity event, takes participants through Kampala’s seven iconic hills, raising funds for educational equity and becoming a significant event in Uganda’s social impact calendar under the theme “Run for Her.”
