Programmes aimed at helping vulnerable girls access, remain in and progress through education are set to expand across Uganda following the allocation of Sh700 million raised through the 2026 Absa KH3 7 Hills Run.
The funds will benefit eight organisations already working with girls and communities, supporting interventions designed to address the financial, social and infrastructure-related barriers that keep many girls out of school.
The allocation comes amid persistent inequalities in access to secondary education. A 2024 study by the Ministry of Education and Sports, the European Union and UNICEF found that secondary school enrolment stood at 43.1 percent among children from the wealthiest households, compared to just 8.2 percent among those from the poorest households.
Financial difficulties are among the major factors affecting school attendance and retention, with girls in vulnerable communities facing additional challenges including teenage pregnancy, long distances to school, disability, gender-based violence and inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene facilities.
Speaking during the handover of the proceeds, Absa Bank Uganda Managing Director David Wandera said the initiative is intended to address the different challenges girls face throughout their education journey.
“A girl’s circumstances can still have a significant bearing on whether she is able to remain in school and complete her education,” Wandera said.
He noted that while some girls struggle with the cost of basic scholastic materials, others are affected by distance to school, teenage motherhood, disability or inadequate water and sanitation.
Wandera said Absa had learned through the initiative that there is no single solution to keeping every girl in school, making it important to work with organisations that already understand the challenges in their communities.
The Sh700 million will fund a range of interventions, including school fees and scholastic materials, bicycles for girls travelling long distances, menstrual health support, school re-entry programmes for teenage mothers, clean water and sanitation facilities, disability-inclusive education, counselling, mentorship, vocational training and life skills development.
The Uganda Red Cross Society will receive Sh100 million to expand its Keep a Girl in School programme. The initiative will provide menstrual health kits to 10,000 vulnerable girls, menstrual health education to 15,000 adolescents, teachers and caregivers across 100 schools, and school re-entry support for 1,000 teenage mothers.
Windle International Uganda will receive Sh90 million to support girls in refugee-hosting and hard-to-reach communities through scholastic materials, bicycles, dignity kits, counselling and school reintegration support.
World Vision Uganda will also receive Sh100 million to improve menstrual health and hygiene management in Northern Uganda through better access to clean water, sanitation facilities and safer learning environments.
Amref Health Africa will receive Sh100 million to distribute reusable sanitary pads and support teenage mothers returning to school in Mbale, Kibuku and the island communities of Namayingo.
Plan International Uganda will receive Sh100 million to expand access to menstrual health kits, scholastic materials and vocational skills training in sanitary pad production, sewing and entrepreneurship.
RIDE-AFRICA will receive Sh60 million to strengthen school and community support systems in Kitgum District through water, sanitation and hygiene facilities, changing rooms, menstrual health initiatives, teacher training, school clubs and life skills development.
Kyaninga Child Development Centre will receive Sh60 million to support 100 girls with disabilities and improve the capacity of 18 schools to provide more inclusive and accessible learning environments.
Baylor College of Medicine Children’s Foundation-Uganda will receive Sh90 million to support 1,000 vulnerable girls in Hoima, Mubende and Fort Portal through education assistance, counselling, mentorship, vocational training and early identification of girls at risk of dropping out.
Alice Gitta Okecho, Hash Master of Kampala Hash House Harriers, described the handover as more than a financial contribution, calling it a celebration of collective commitment towards a greater cause.
“It’s not simply a handover but a celebration of commitment and the power of people for a greater cause,” Okecho said.
She thanked Absa for the initiative, noting that the cause resonates with the Hash House Harriers community because many of its members are parents, mothers and sisters.
“Supporting girls is an investment not only in her future but also in that of her family, community and country,” she said.
More than 8,000 people participated in the fourth edition of the Absa KH3 7 Hills Run in May 2026, taking on Kampala’s seven hills to raise funds for girls’ education.
Since the initiative was launched in 2023, the Absa KH3 7 Hills Run has raised a cumulative Sh1.6 billion and supported 52,713 girls through interventions in menstrual health, education access, school retention and related programmes.
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