Empuumo Marathon 2024 – MBARARA CITY, 27-October-2024 – Initiative for Better Health Uganda

Theme: Kick HIV/AIDS out of South Western Uganda by 2030

A charity event to raise awareness and resources for HIV/AIDS interventions for adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in South Western Uganda, particularly in the Ankole and Kigezi sub-regions.

Empuumo Marathon derives its name from the Runyankore word “Empuumo”, which means “energy”, which symbolizes the effort and hope for an HIV-free future.

Event Organizer: Initiative for Better Health

Initiative for Better Health (IBH) is a non-profit organization dully registered with the NGO Bureau with the mission of improving the health and economic security of young people and women in Uganda through mobilization, skilling, linkages and advocacy. IBH’s work addresses critical health issues through advocacy and community-based interventions that empower grassroot communities to take ownership of their health and well-being.

HIV/AIDS in Ankole and Kigezi

The latest estimates from Ministry of Health show that out of every 1000 adult Ugandans, 54 have HIV; 5.4% of Ugandans aged 15-49 years – with prevalence significantly higher among women at (6.8%), people in Western Uganda (7.3%), Ankole and Kigezi subregions (up to 14.4%). New infections are highest in adolescent girls and young women (nationally and in Ankole) and higher in areas identified as HIV/AIDS hotspots in some areas as high as or more than 17%.

The Empuumo Marathon 2024 is part of the response by IBH and its partners, you as an individual or Institution or as a community to support the scale-up of HIV/AIDS awareness, prevention, treatment and eventually end of HIV/AIDS infections in adolescent girls and women in the region thereby contributing to ending HIV/AIDS by 2030.

Empuumo Marathon 2024: A Mobilization of Community, Stakeholder and Population Efforts, Resources and Energies to stop AIDS by 2030

Uganda has made impressive progress in the fight against HIV. The large majority of HIV-positive people know their status, are on medication and have suppressed the virus, and fewer of them are dying from AIDS.

However, we are not doing well as a country in the progress towards the global objective of eliminating AIDS by 2030. New infections remain high (51,516,) per year, especially among adolescent girls and young women and other vulnerable populations. An estimated 17,644 people in Uganda died from AIDS-related causes according to the 2022-2023 Uganda AIDS Commission Annual Joint AIDS report.

The Empuumo Marathon 2024 and its interventions will inspire and ignite, and make critical contribution towards ending AIDS by 2030 by mobilizing actors at all levels to maximize their contribution and support “COMMUNITY TAKING THE LEAD” interventions (Uganda AIDS Commission).

The Empuumo Marathon 2024 is an opportunity for you and your Institution to partner with IBH to;

Re-ignite HIV/AIDS response energies in Western Uganda as a poor-performing region.
Communicate targeted messages for adolescent girls and young women in the region.
Recognize and act on the vulnerabilities of adolescent girls and women that push them into HIV/AIDS exposure.

With everyone’s goodwill, support and participation in this inaugural Empuumo Marathon 2024, IBH and partners will travel the last mile to mobilize communities, create awareness, support community health outreaches, facilitate adolescent girls and young women to follow-up their peers with prevention and treatment, adherence support, referral processes and strengthen community support systems in the programing period (2025- 2030), in collaboration with All Districts and Cities in South Western Uganda to reach the 2030 target.

Objectives of Empuumo Marathon

To raise awareness about the HIV vulnerability among adolescent girls and young women in the Western region and nationally;
To raise resources for interventions to prevent infections among vulnerable groups and the general population;
To raise resources for skilling Adolescent Girls and women living in HIV/AIDS hotspots in Western Region
To promote access to HIV services, including services for community and self-care.

Modus Operandi

This marathon will take place in Mbarara City starting and ending at Kakyeka Stadium

Date of the event:

October 27, 2024

Distance

The marathon will cover 21km, 10km, and 5km

Priority targets

This initiative targets 20,000 runners, aged 18 years and above

Funding for the marathon

This Marathon will be privately funded by well-wishers (Individual Donors, Development partners, Corporate Organizations, Private sector etc), through purchase of marathon kits, cash donations, in kind donations, among others. The organizing committee will explore options for future funding to ensure the event’s sustainability.

Planned Activities

Marathon for 20,000 runners/walkers, with options of 21km, 10km, and 5km
HIV testing and counseling services (HCT)
Safe male circumcision (SMC) for HIV prevention
HIV awareness and prevention information and commodities
Award ceremony and prize giving
Blood donation
Cultural performances and entertainment (music, dance, and drama)

Expected Impact

The event aims to raise awareness and resources to support HIV/AIDS interventions in Western Uganda, ultimately contributing to a reduction in HIV/AIDS prevalence in the region and achievement of global HIV/AIDS response goals.

SUPPORT EMPUUMO 2024 MARATHON – CONTRIBUTE TO ENDING HIV/AIDS BY 2030

Mr. John Aturinde Kateba
Executive Director
INITIATIVE FOR BETTER HEALTH (IBH)
Plot 1417, Grace Road, Namirembe, Kampala
P.O. Box 151738, Kampala
Tel: 0773256294/ 0701569020
Email: aturindejohn@gmail.com; ibhuganda@gmail.com
Website: www.ibhuganda.org

Empuumo Marathon 2024 contacts

1) Event Chairperson: Hon. Rosette C. Kajungu Mutambi, Email: rosemutambi@gmail.com
2) Publicity: Mr. Bernard Barigye, Email barigyeb@gmail.com
3) Administration: Mr. John Aturinde Kateba, Email: aturindejohn@gmail.com

Account Title: Initiative for Better Health (IBH) Account No: 0167936001, Bank: Diamond Trust Bank – Mbarara Branch