Absa Bank Uganda has announced the handover of shs400 million raised during the third edition of the Absa KH3_7 Hills Run, an annual charity run held in partnership with the Kampala Hash House Harriers, to eight partner organizations working to improve access to education, health, and opportunity for vulnerable girls across Uganda.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, Michael Segwaya, Executive Director and Chief Finance Officer at
Absa Bank Uganda, noted that the Absa KH3_7 Hills Run is more than a race but a platform to change lives.
"Through our collective action, we are accelerating progress toward a just and inclusive future, especially for young girls who face tremendous barriers to education. This initiative is aligned with our purpose of being an active force for good and advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 4 on quality education and SDG 5 on gender equality," Segwaya said.
Since its inception in 2023, the Absa KH3_7 Hills Run has raised a total of shs 900 million.
These funds have been used to implement impactful programs across Uganda to keep girls in school,
improve menstrual hygiene, provide access to clean and safe water, enhance school infrastructure, and
support vulnerable girls with skills and transportation.
Over 10, 843 girls have been supported since inception while through Amref Health Africa and World Vision, reusable sanitary pads were distributed and new sanitation facilities constructed at Awach Primary School in Abim District, benefiting 5,700 people including 897 girls.
The proceeds have also eased school attendance in remote communities through Windle International, 266 girls in rural refugee settlements received bicycles, helping them overcome the barrier of long and unsafe journeys to school.
This support has significantly reduced absenteeism and the risk of school
dropout among girls living in hard-to-reach areas.
According to Sarah Lokiru, a beneficiary from Karamoja, the bursary and menstrual hygiene support have ensured she no longer misses school during her periods.
The shs400 million raised in the 2025 edition will support transformative initiatives with shs100 million going to World Vision Uganda to enhance menstrual hygiene management in Eastern and Northern Uganda, benefiting 3,492 school children including 1,648 girls by providing access to clean water and sanitation.
Shs 60 million will go to Windle International to procure smart school bags equipped with solar-powered lights and reusable menstrual hygiene products, to support over 600 girls in rural
communities of Kitgum and Karamoja while shs 50 million will go to Baylor College of Medicine Children’s Foundation.
This support will help cover school fees for adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) under the DREAMS program in Mubende, Kassanda, Mityana, and Fort Portal.
Also shs50 million will go to the Nyaka AIDS Orphans Project to support 30 vulnerable girls in
Rukungiri and Kanungu with tuition, scholastic materials, menstrual hygiene supplies, and
psychosocial care while shs 50 million for Amref Health Africa to facilitate the distribution of reusable sanitary pads and providing reintegration support for teen mothers who dropped out of school.
On the other hand, shs50 million will go to Willow International to offer vocational skills training to girls rescued from human trafficking to promote their independence and dignity and 40 million for Katalemwa Cheshire Home to supply assistive devices, scholastic materials, and reusable sanitary pads to help girls with disabilities remain in school.
Another shs60 million will go to Smart Girls Uganda to empower girls in the remote Eastern and
Northern regions of Uganda by training them to make solar-powered school bags, facilitating their
continued education.