Hundreds expected to participate in ‘Miles for Meals and Dignity’ Run in September
The Africa Feature Network (AFN) has announced its nationwide advocacy and fundraising campaign dubbed “Miles for Meals and Dignity — 1,000 Kilometre Run Challenge,” aimed at addressing child hunger and period poverty among schoolchildren in Kenya.
The endurance run, scheduled to take place from September 14 to October 10, 2026, will span approximately 1,000 kilometres, beginning in Kilifi at the Kenyan coast and ending in Busia County at the Kenya-Uganda border. The campaign will culminate in a closing celebration and community engagement event on October 11.
The initiative will be led by the AFN Founder and CEO Peter Aowa, alongside a coalition of organisations, athletes, youth groups, fitness communities, and individual participants.
Runners are expected to join at various stages of the route through organised community runs.
Participants
Participants will compete in categories of 5km, 10km, 15km, and 20km, with major activation events planned in Mombasa, Nairobi, Nakuru, and Eldoret. These stops will host public engagements, awareness campaigns, and media briefings to amplify the campaign’s message.
Registration for individuals, institutions, schools, corporate teams, and other groups will open on May 29, 2026, via an official online portal.
Addressing challenges
A statement signed by the Communication Officer of AFN, Milicent Nzige, stated that the campaign is a response to two persistent issues affecting thousands of learners across Kenya: lack of access to nutritious meals and limited access to sanitary products for schoolgirls.
“Many children attend school hungry, which affects their concentration, attendance, and academic performance,” the organisation noted.
“At the same time, girls continue to miss school due to the high cost of sanitary towels, impacting their dignity and confidence.”
Fundraising targets, impact
The campaign aims to raise KES 13 million to fund two key interventions:
School Feeding Programme: Targeting 1,000 learners across six primary schools in three counties for one academic year.
Pad a Girl Initiative: Providing sanitary towels and menstrual health support to 5,000 schoolgirls along the campaign route.
AFN says the school feeding initiative will incorporate a sustainability model involving local farmers, women’s groups, and school-based ‘Green Labs’ to support food production and supply.
Partnerships
The announcement also marks the start of AFN’s partnership and sponsorship drive.
The organisation is calling on corporate and financial institutions, development agencies, media houses, universities, and government bodies to support the campaign through funding, logistics, media collaboration, and in-kind contributions.
AFN emphasised that operational costs for the run will be covered through separate partnerships, ensuring that all funds raised go directly toward programme implementation and beneficiary support.
“Journalism should not only highlight problems but also help drive solutions,” the organisation stated, noting that the campaign blends storytelling, advocacy, and direct community intervention.
