Cheptegei launches foundation
‘Future champions’ at the starting point of last year’s Joshua Cheptegei Foundation-organised Christmas Run, one of the ways in which youngsters in Sebei regions are engaged. PHOTO | ALLAN CHEKWECH
What you need to know:
- Joshua Cheptegei Development Foundation has played a crucial role in pushing for the realisation of the basic human rights for women, men, boys and girls since 2016 as a community-based organisation.
- It organises the annual Christmas Run and it uses these platforms to engage parents to keep children in school, distribute scholastic materials, engage men and women not to fight or subject each other to sexual gender based violence.
World and Olympic champion Joshua Cheptegei is today slated to launch his Foundation in Kapchorwa Municipality, a day before his introduction ceremony.
The Joshua Cheptegei Development Foundation was started in 2016 with a purpose to transform communities into strong, united and influential partners in development.
However, the team has been working behind the scenes to enable the Foundation off its feet.
Transforming community
“Our main agenda is to use sports for community transformation taking note that Sebei Sub-region in Uganda is one of the communities that still grapples with challenges of gender-based violence, early marriages, teenage pregnancies, poverty, high levels of school dropouts, female genital mutilation, HIV/Aids and now the effects of Coronavirus (Covid-19),” Cheptegei explains.
“We want to promote gender equality and equity, fight for women and girl child rights through engaging men/boys, eradicate poverty through income generation, boost gender and capacity building, promote social justice and tranquility and encourage girls to stay at school as well as fighting early child marriages, nurture talent in sports, establish schools, establish a sports academy, contribute to the establishment of health care facilities taking note that for every 1,000 women giving birth daily, 170 die due to pregnancy-related deaths,” he added.
Festo Majinjach, the Foundation’s Secretary to the board, said the dream of touching the lives of communities was now becoming a reality through the generosity of Cheptegei, good-hearted Ugandans and partners.
“This is a dream come true and our potential is great. I call upon everyone to generously contribute towards this dream and support the work of the Foundation to educate the needy, economically empower women and fight harmful traditional practices,” Majinjach said on Wednesday.
Partners
He added: “I appreciate First Lady Janet Museveni, the Embassy of Japan, MTN and all organisations that have supported us and are willing to support us to make it a better place.”
New Vision boss Don Wanyama is expected to be the chief guest at the function starting at 10am with a march through the town, ceremony at the Foundation offices, and a hand-over of a washing machine to the maternity ward at Kapchorwa Hospital.
Joshua Cheptegei Development Foundation has played a crucial role in pushing for the realisation of the basic human rights for women, men, boys and girls since 2016 as a community-based organisation.
It organises the annual Christmas Run and it uses these platforms to engage parents to keep children in school, distribute scholastic materials, engage men and women not to fight or subject each other to sexual gender based violence.
