SHERATON HOTEL, KAMPALA — The Kids of Africa Run will return on Sunday, September 13, for its 14th edition, with organisers turning the annual community race into a rallying call against gender-based violence under the theme “Stand Against Gender-Based Violence.”
The 2026 edition, which will feature 21km, 10km and 5km races, is expected to attract about 1,000 participants as the initiative seeks to channel its proceeds towards addressing the growing challenge of gender-based violence and supporting vulnerable women and children.
The race, organised by Kids of Africa, has grown from a modest community initiative into an established annual event since its inaugural edition in 2011. It has only missed two editions during the COVID-19 lockdown years.
Kids of Africa proprietor Tege Budolfsen, his son Esbern Budolfsen, the initiator of the run, and members of the organisation’s marketing and publicity department, including Daniel Ssetuba and Benjamin Kizito, were among those present alongside officials from Sheraton Kampala Hotel and other invited dignitaries.
The organisers say this year’s campaign is driven by the urgency of gender-based violence, which continues to affect women and children across Uganda.
“An estimated 95% of women in Uganda have experienced some form of gender-based violence,” the organisers state in their 2026 press release, describing GBV as an immediate community concern rather than a distant statistic.
The initiative also seeks to draw attention to the dwindling support for shelters and safe spaces for survivors, with organisers warning that the closure of some GBV sanctuaries amid declining international funding is leaving vulnerable women and children without adequate protection.
“We run because they need us too,” the organisers say, positioning the race as both a fundraising platform and a public awareness campaign.
A run with a growing social footprint
The Kids of Africa Run has steadily expanded since its launch.
The inaugural 2011 edition attracted more than 300 runners, rising to over 500 participants in 2012.
Participation reached 780 runners in 2017 and peaked at 900 in 2018 before the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the event’s momentum.
Participation subsequently fluctuated, with 540 runners recorded in 2023 and 586 in 2024, before climbing to 836 participants in 2025.
This year, organisers are targeting 1,000 runners, underscoring their ambition to make the event increasingly influential both as a sporting activity and a vehicle for community development.
Beyond the race itself, the initiative has previously supported menstrual health awareness and the production of reusable sanitary pads for girls in community schools.
Last year, Kids of Africa says it reached and trained approximately 800 pupils from 12 primary schools in Wakiso, Luwero, Kiryandongo and Alebtong districts.
The organisation also established a modern sewing workshop for the production of reusable menstrual pads at Kids of Africa Village and in Buhweju District.
For 2026, however, the focus has shifted decisively towards building GBV sanctuaries.
Three races, one cause
The races will start and finish around Kids Pioneer Primary School in Bugiri-Kisubi, Katabi Town Council, with routes taking participants through the Wakiso countryside and villages along the shores of Lake Victoria.
The 21km race will start at 7:30am, followed by the 10km at 7:55am and the 5km at 8:15am. Participants are expected at the venue from 6:30am to collect their event T-shirts and race numbers.
The 5km race will have five age categories — Under 12, 13–17, 18–34, 35–49 and 50-plus — while the 10km will cater for 13–17, 18–49 and 50-plus. The 21km is open to participants aged 18 and above.
Medals and prizes will be awarded to the top three male and female finishers in the respective race categories and age groups.
Registration costs UGX 30,000, while late registration on race day will cost UGX 50,000, without a timing facility or event T-shirt.
The race continues to enjoy backing from a broad range of corporate and institutional partners, with I&M Bank serving as the main sponsor for the 2026 edition and YAKO Bank as co-sponsor.
Other supporters include Sheraton Kampala Hotel, MMAKS Advocates, Flora Events, Divine Esthetics, ROKO, Kisubi Hospital, Multisport Centre, Eden Fitness Gym, Sai Pali Institute of Science and Technology, Kids Pioneer Primary School, Katabi Town Council, Basamulekkere Foundation, Sembeza Africa, Umoja Women Group, Rugby Swans Club, Miss Tourism Teso, CoRSU, Memprow and Chrysym Digital Solutions.
On September 13, the message will be clear: stand against gender-based violence.
