ADRA Uganda Launches Nationwide Run to Support Girls’ Education

The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) Uganda has launched the ADRA Run 2026, a nationwide fundraising event aimed at supporting girls’ education and menstrual health in Agago District, Northern Uganda.

The run, themed “Run! Save HER Future,” is scheduled for Sunday, May 10, 2026, with the main event set to take place at Metroplex Mall, Naalya in Kampala.

Other regional venues will include Kitgum, Rwamwanja, Kyaka, Kotido, and Yumbe.

Organisers are targeting 600 runners and more than 5,000 supporters and spectators, with a fundraising goal of UGX 200 million.

ADRA Uganda’s Country Director Elder John Mwanza: “This cause speaks to the dignity, safety, and future of the Ugandan girl child. We are running to save her future by raising awareness and mobilising support for girls’ education and well-being, with a special focus on adolescent health and school dropouts in the Acholi sub-region, particularly Agago District, in 2026.”

“For too many girls in Uganda, the journey to education is interrupted by challenges such as early pregnancies, child marriage, poverty, and lack of access to menstrual health support.

“According to a UNICEF report, about 34 percent of girls aged 10 to 19 in Uganda experience early pregnancies, a major factor contributing to school dropout and lost opportunities.

“This is not just a sporting event; it is a public stand against silence, lost potential, and generational poverty.

“It is a way of turning public attention into public responsibility, ensuring that every girl has a chance to stay in school and build a better future.”

Participants will compete in three race categories including the 10-kilometre run/walk, 5-kilometre run/walk, and a Kids’ Dash/Fun Run.

The funds raised will be used to re-enroll out-of-school girls into secondary education, provide scholastic materials, and distribute menstrual health kits to help reduce school absenteeism and dropout rates caused by period poverty.

The initiative aims to support 100 out-of-school girls to return to school and remain enrolled through school fees, scholastic materials, and retention support. In addition, 1,000 menstrual health kits will be distributed, bringing the total number of girls supported to 1,100.

ADRA Uganda noted that the campaign seeks to address growing challenges affecting the girl child, particularly teenage pregnancy, child marriage, and school dropout.

In Agago District, up to 28 percent of registered pregnancies are among adolescents, which is above the national average of 24 percent. Nationally, more than 250,000 girls become pregnant annually, yet fewer than 20 percent return to formal education.

ADRA Uganda says the run is not only a fundraising activity but also an awareness campaign to rally communities, partners, and stakeholders to protect the future of the girl child through education.

The Adventist Development and Relief Agency is a global humanitarian organisation of the Seventh-day Adventist Church operating in more than 118 countries with over 6,000 staff worldwide.