Convent of the Sacred Heart will host the annual Run for Uganda, a 5K Run and 1K Fun Run/Walk, to raise money for its network schools in Uganda Saturday October 18.

This is the fourth year that students, family, and friends will participate in the event that raised a total of $4,260 last October, over $2,000 dollars more than the previous year.

The money raised will help sponsor the tuition for students at the Sacred Heart Primary School in Kyamusansala Hill and St. Charles Lwanga Secondary School for Girls in southwest Uganda. The cost of tuition for one girl is around $700, which includes her education, uniform and book fees.
Africa Task Force, a student-run club, first organized the event in 2011. The club’s mission is to provide an educational outreach program for Sacred Heart’s sister school in Uganda by sponsoring different community service events.

“It’s heartbreaking to think that only 57 percent of girls in Uganda complete secondary school,” junior and co-head of Africa Task Force Elizabeth Considine said. “I feel like by contributing to the Run for Uganda, it does make a difference in their lives.”

Sophomore Mackenzie Jordan, who claimed first place at last year’s race, is looking forward to the opportunity to participate in the event this year.

“I’m so excited to be running in the Run for Uganda race again this year. It was such a great experience last year and the fact that it’s for such a great cause makes the race so much more memorable,” Mackenzie said.

Due to the construction on the Sacred Heart campus, both the run and walk will start and end in the front circle of the school. Director of Campus Ministry, Upper School Community Service, and Summer Enrichment Mrs. Lori Wilson believes that this format will be exciting because it allows spectators to see more of the runners.

The new course is not the only change in the run this year. A Ugandan Olympian and specialist in the 800-meter track event, Mr. Julius Mutekanga, is scheduled to present awards after the run at 12:50 pm. Mr. Mutekanga participated in the 2011 World Championships in Athletics in Daegu, Korea and the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, England.

Registration for the runners begins at 11:15 am in Sacred Heart’s cafeteria. The fees are $100 for a team of six, $25 for individual runners and $20 for walkers. The 5K run commences at 11:45 am and the 1K Fun Run and Walk begins 45 minutes later.
For more information about the event, please contact Mrs. Wilson.