Absa Bank Uganda has handed over the shs300 million proceeds from the 2024 Absa 7 Hills Run, an annual charity event organised in partnership with the Kampala Hash House Harriers (KH3) to raise funds to keep the girl child in school.
In 2023, an analysis done by the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) revealed that an estimated 1.2 million learners enrolled in primary school drop out before reaching primary seven.
These high school dropout rates have been attributed to various factors including poverty, early child marriage, and teenage pregnancy.
On Wednesday, officials from the bank handed over the cheque to the beneficiaries.
“We believe that education is a right that every child should have access to, regardless of gender. The Absa KH3-7 Hills Run is our way of giving support to the girl child, because their story matters. We have divided these funds among reputable social enterprises through which we are honoured to make a contribution towards tackling a societal challenge; supporting the girl child to pursue an education; providing skills training; and improving menstrual hygiene management,” said Mumba Kalifungwa, Managing Director Absa Bank Uganda.
According to officials, beneficiaries include Joshua Cheptegei Foundation shs50 million for bursaries for 22 girls, ssh20 million to Nyaka AIDS Orphans Project which has two schools in Kanungu and Rukungiri, shs50 million to Baylor College to provide school fees for 111 girls under their Determined Resilient Empowered Aids Free Mentored and Safe (DREAMS) programme in Fort Portal City and shs 30 million to Amref Health Africa that will provide 1,875 girls with reusable sanitary pads under their Heroes of Gender programme.
Other beneficiaries this year are Windle International that gets shs60 million , benefiting 266
Girls and shs90 million to World Vision to strengthen menstrual hygiene management in Karamoja,
by providing access to clean and safe water benefiting over 5,000 girls.
The Absa Bank Uganda Managing Director commended the public and partners for supporting the noble cause of keeping the girl child in school.
“Overall, through this support, we intend to contribute towards a reduction in school absenteeism and dropout rates among girls. We are grateful for the overwhelming support of the general public who showed up for the run to support this noble cause.”
