Diamond Trust Bank (DTB) has announced a $5,000 (Shs18 million) sponsorship package for the fifth edition of SDG Run 2023.
This year’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) marathon will take place on October 29, at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds.
Addressing journalists at Kingdom Kampala, Samuel Matekha, the head of Communications and Marketing at DTB said the sponsorship is part of the bank’s initiatives in implementing the sustainability agenda.
“As a financial institution, we know that we cannot survive without having sustainability as part of our agenda. Because of that we have what we call ESG Agenda which looks at Environment Sustainability and Governance, and that’s why we are coming to such an arrangement to be part of driving the agenda of sustainability,” Matekha said on Wednesday.
He further explained that DTB remains committed to championing the sustainability agenda by offering products that support green financing and environment-friendly projects.
“By that, our credit risk analysis all looks at how good your project is, does it affect the environment? So, to us, that’s what we are doing right now and because of that, we are also looking for more partners to come on board to see that we can push for products that will be supporting sustainability,” Matekha told journalists.
He also mentioned countrywide tree planting as one of the campaigns through which DTB is implementing the sustainability agenda.
“We are looking at planting 2 million trees across Uganda and the purpose is to reduce the carbon emission coming from the communities we operate in. This and other initiatives will be deployed to support the work alongside like-minded partners to tackle climate change".
On her part, Rebecca Kadaga, the Deputy Prime Minister extended her heartfelt gratitude to DTB and other partners for their unwavering commitment to promoting sustainable development especially the SDG Run 2023.
“The proceeds from this year's SDG RUN will be dedicated to the installation of a Solar Power supply system for Buliisa Health Centre IV in Buliisa district and planting trees in the same district to mitigate the impacts of climate change that may arise from oil processing in the Albertine region,” Kadaga said.
Speaking at the marathon launch, Ivan Tumuhimbise, a Country Director for the World Wide Nature Fund, said only 40% of households In Uganda depend on electricity, and the rest depend on biomass yet these are the ones that practice deforestation.
“We have got to work together to ensure that there are mechanisms that are able to disrupt dependency on biomass. Therefore through planting trees, we shall be able to curb these practices hence increasing afforestation,” Tumuhimbise said.
Championed by Youth Go Green, the SDG RUN, was initiated in 2017, with the aim of promoting the implementation of SDGs.
According to the organisers, runners for this year’s marathon will set off at 6:30 a.m. at Kololo ceremonial grounds.
Proceeds from this year’s run will be invested in supporting the installation of a solar power system for Bugana Health Centre III in Buliisa District and tree planting/growing at the Makerere University campus and other identified places around Kampala to reduce carbon emissions in the city.
