By Lubulwa Edrine
The Ugandan Long distance runner legend, Joshua Cheptegei has launched the 7th Christmas Kids Run at Joshua Cheptegei Development foundation ( JOCDEF) headquarters in Kapchorwa.
The edition is set to take place on Saturday 14 December 2024 in Kapchorwa, Uganda.
Organized by the Joshua Cheptegei Development Foundation (JOCDEF), this year’s event emphasizes youth empowerment while addressing social challenges like sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and female genital mutilation (FGM).
This year’s run is expected to attract over 1,000 participants, with race categories for various age groups. Distances will range from 3 kilometers for young children to 21 kilometers for adults.
The Run has become a signature event in the Sebei region, blending athletics with social advocacy and community development.
According to JOCDEF project coordinator Abraham Kiplimo, the initiative goes beyond identifying athletic talent to provide broader opportunities in education, agriculture, and business development.
“We aim to engage youth in ventures that help them become self-reliant while understanding their role in sports development and its linkages to health, economics, and agriculture,” Kiplimo explained.
World 10,000m record holder and Olympic champion Joshua Cheptegei shared his excitement about the event, which has garnered support from key sponsors such as Total Energies, Nike, and Infinix, alongside local companies.
“We have enough funds to support the activity, and I encourage participants to prepare for the day,” said Cheptegei.
