Here we interview runners who have participated in the Uganda Marathon, so they can share their stories and experiences from the 7-Day Adventure. After all, it’s their involvement which makes the week so special, from the impact they have on the Charity Projects to the community feel they give to Race Day.
Andy joined us for his second Uganda Marathon in 2022, having enjoyed his experience in 2019 so much! Below, he talks about the “happy and positive vibes” of the event, how he celebrated the Queen’s Jubilee during the race, and what it was like to return to Uganda.
Plus, Andy also tells us about his special relationship with the Charity Project, ‘Youth with a Vision’, which highlights how the runners do much more than fundraise and volunteer – they form lasting connections with the projects and their communities.
What made you return for a second Uganda Marathon and was it what you expected?
I had such a great time in 2019 I couldn’t wait to go back. I signed up for 2021 which didn’t happen [due to the pandemic] so I was really excited for 2022. I was a bit nervous wondering if it would live up to expectations or feel too similar. But in fact, it was even better and totally different! The welcome I received on my return was amazing from so many people and it felt like seeing members of my family… I guess it was my ‘Ugandan family’!! During the week I was able to reconnect at a deeper level with old friends as well as make new ones. Visiting Masaka again felt like coming home! There had been changes to the town (more buildings and new roads) and everybody had been through a lot over the last 3 years… The whole week had such a fun, happy, positive vibe!
Could you tell us how you were first introduced to ‘Youth with a Vision’ at the 2019 event, and how your relationship has developed with the organisation since?
In 2019 I fundraised for a different project but during the week our “clan” had visits to see other projects who were also supported by the Uganda Marathon Foundation. One of these projects was the charity ‘Youth With a Vision’. Our clan leaders Eric and Frank (see later) took us to meet John Mugabi and his team. John is the founder of Youth With a Vision (YWAV), and has helped several thousand young people. John is also on the board of the Uganda Marathon.
YWAV have a small office in Masaka where we were warmly welcomed. John made a great impression on me when he shared his testimony. His life story is very moving. His mother did not have access to basic education and his father died young. Many of his siblings died of preventable diseases. The family went through very hard times… John founded this charity since the youth do not get any support in Uganda. They have so many ideas but they cannot get going. YWAV works on a lot of initiatives, such as taking in street children, and also runs a microfinance scheme for young people (which is supported by runners’ fundraising). They give out a small 1-year loan to youths who have good ideas, help them with business plans, and provide ongoing mentoring. As part of our stay, we got to visit 3 beneficiaries of this programme: a lady with a hairdressing salon, a young man with a chicken farm and another with a brick-making business. They had all turned their lives around, using the support of the microfinance scheme to make their ideas a reality, and in turn, earn a living.
I met John a couple of times again that week including during the marathon race where we gave each other some much-needed mutual encouragement! On my return to the UK I kept in touch. YWAV are very good at producing newsletters and using social media to promote their work and John is a great communicator, so we started to message each other regularly. I told people where I live on the Black Isle, Scotland, about Masaka and YWAV and together with friends started to run some fundraising breakfasts. One of the great things about the charity is that any money raised goes directly to individual people who need it the most. During the pandemic, there were severe food / basic necessity shortages and John kept in touch and we were able to help with targeting those in the most need. During lockdown, we had a “virtual breakfast” and linked up with friends in Masaka and Kampala as well as in the Black Isle, and “shared” matooke [a Ugandan dish] and haggis!
“It was joyful, fun, intense, humbling, and certainly one of the best weeks of my life!”
What was it like to visit ‘Youth with a Vision’ again on ‘See Your Legacy Day’ during the 2022 event?
I couldn’t wait to visit YWAV again and this year was able to visit them with my Kkobe clan members (Clan leaders, Martha and Tealey, with runners Jan, Paul, Conrad and Ragnhild) on Legacy Day. It was fantastic to visit and see everyone again (my diary says “What a day! One of the best ever”). Such a warm welcome with hugs, food and drinks and lovely generous words from John, Muleme and new recruit Saphinah. It was really special!
A canopy has been erected outside and we met 20 new beneficiaries who were enrolled in this year’s microfinance scheme, and whom we had all been fundraising for. We got into groups with different students who had different business interests. I worked with 5 young people (all around 16 years old or maybe younger!) who were starting “piggery projects”. The task was to help them with their business plan, so it was to get them to consider what was needed for a successful enterprise and to get them to draw logos for their business. This initially felt a bit daunting… not exactly being an expert on anything pig or even business related but my Dad had kept pigs and worked on a pig farm and this got the conversation started. With the help of the amazing Martha, we got the young people to share what they already knew, which turned out to be a lot! They knew the importance of good hygiene, of good quality feed, of a sound budget, record keeping and much more. They talked about collaborating with each other and looking after others too. This ‘looking out for others’ is part of the philosophy of YWAV, and if seen to be an active part of the new business, is rewarded with extra investment. One of the beneficiaries Patience fed back to the whole group of 20 beneficiaries in much detail. She was extremely articulate and turns out that she wants one day to be a lawyer!
We then went for a walk to visit one of the previous beneficiaries who runs a successful fashion business and recently expanded to 2 sewing machines. John’s wife (who is a teacher) joined us for the walk. When we came back we all shared a lovely lunch of traditional Ugandan food with the beneficiaries and the YWAV team. John then presented all the Kkobe clan members with certificates for our help on the legacy day!
Could you tell us about your experience of running the marathon on Race Day? What were the highlights?
With so much going on in the week you sometimes forget about the marathon. But then it was the 5 a.m start and the adrenaline kicked in. The day started cool (but not for long!) with a real buzz as everyone came together at the start. I had brought 2 flags ..the black, yellow and red Ugandan one and the Union Jack (as it was the Queen’s Jubilee weekend) and they both proved popular with people borrowing them for photos! I ran much of the race with Jan (from my Clan) which was great fun..and a highlight at the end was sharing an ice bath!! Running through two projects supported by the marathon, Bugabira School and the school for the deaf, was an amazing experience with everyone clapping. Another highlight was on my second lap ..when the temperature had gotten up and to be honest I was struggling on one of the hills… then out of nowhere 6 youngsters appeared – they took my hands 3 each side and hauled me up the hill!
Finally, what was your best overall memory from the 7-days, and how would you sum it up for someone who hasn’t been?
There were so many highlights of the week. My best overall memory was being reunited with old friends and making new ones: John and his family and the team at Youth with a Vision; My amazing artist friend Frank and his fellow creators and visiting their studio; Meeting Doreen a trainee nurse who we have been sponsoring on the Black Isle; The Kkobe clan members and Tealey, Martha, Faridah and the whole Uganda Marathon team were all amazing.
It was joyful, fun, intense, humbling and certainly one of the best weeks of my life!
