Kampala, Uganda: Sunday 17th March 2024. Vivo Energy Uganda, the distributor and marketer of Shell-branded fuels and lubricants in Uganda, is proud to announce its sponsorship of the second edition of the ABSA KH3 - 7 Hills Run, organised by ABSA Bank Uganda and Kampala Hash House Harriers (KH3) as a community-focused event aimed at promoting health and wellness while raising awareness about the importance of girl child education.

Despite high levels of enrolment, recent data shows that only 53% of Ugandan girls aged 6–12 complete the required seven years of primary education, and merely 22.5% of the female Ugandan population enrols in secondary education. This can be due to a variety of challenges that girls in our communities encounter, including poverty, cultural barriers, early marriages, unplanned pregnancy, and difficulties managing menstrual hygiene

The Run, held on Sunday 17th March attracted over 5,000 participants and included 5km and 21km races covering the seven iconic hills of Kampala, started and ended at Kololo Independence Grounds. It was officially flagged off by Thomas Tayebwa, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, who remarked that the initiative was in line with the government's agenda to promote girl child education.

Proceeds from the Run will benefit projects aimed at returning girls who have dropped out of school prematurely to school, as well as giving urgent menstrual sanitation assistance to disadvantaged schoolgirls who frequently drop out due to the prohibitively high cost of sanitary goods.

With a generous contribution of twenty million Uganda Shillings, Vivo Energy underscored its commitment to supporting initiatives that positively impact the community and align with its corporate social responsibility objectives, with a focus on education.

Mumba Kalifungwa, Managing Director of ABSA Bank Uganda, said, “I would like to take this opportunity to appreciate all our partners and the runners who participated today. Last year, we had over 2,500 participants, and the funds raised were used to support over 2,750 girls with menstrual hygiene management, support teenage mothers to return to school with fully paid school fees, and skill others to become self-sustainable with culinary skills, tailoring, knitting, and making liquid soap. We shall continue to support such initiatives that support girls to leverage their potential to become contributing members in their communities.”

Johan Grobbelaar, Managing Director of Vivo Energy Uganda, emphasised the significance of the sponsorship, stating, "At Vivo Energy Uganda, we recognise the pivotal role that education plays in empowering individuals and communities to thrive. Our sponsorship of the ABSA KH3 - 7 Hills Run reflects our commitment to promoting education as a catalyst for sustainable development. By supporting initiatives that promote wellness and education, we contribute to building a brighter future for generations to come."

This sponsorship aligns seamlessly with Vivo Energy Uganda's overarching goal of promoting education and supporting United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all, and Goal 5 to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. Through strategic partnerships and initiatives like the ABSA KH3 - 7 Hills Run, Vivo Energy remains steadfast in its mission to drive positive social impact and create lasting value for the communities in which it operates.

ENDS

Media Contact:
Valery Okecho
Corporate Communications Manager,
Vivo Energy Uganda
Mobile: +256 776 754322
Email: [email protected]

Notes to editors:

Vivo Energy operates and markets its products in countries across North, West, East and Southern Africa. The Group has a network of over 2,700 service stations in 23 countries operating under the Shell and Engen brands and exports lubricants to a number of other African countries. Its retail offering includes fuels, lubricants, card services, shops, restaurants and other non-fuel services. It provides fuels, lubricants, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and solar energy solutions to business customers across a range of sectors including marine, mining, construction, power, transport, wholesalers and manufacturing. The company employs around 2,850 people, has access to over 1,000,000 cubic metres of fuel storage capacity and has a joint-venture, Shell and Vivo Lubricants B.V., that sources, blends, packages and supplies Shell-branded lubricants.

For more information about Vivo Energy, please visit www.vivoenergy.com