Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
In rural Uganda, particularly among Sebei communities, female genital mutilation (FGM) remains a significant human rights and public health concern, linked to entrenched gender norms, child marriage, and school dropout. Poverty both drives and results from these practices, creating a cycle of harm for affected girls.
The Joshua Cheptegei Development Foundation, in partnership with the UN Population Fund, UNICEF, and their joint program, uses sport to engage young people—especially girls—who might otherwise be excluded from such opportunities. A female coach described how girls trust her to share their experiences of pressure to undergo FGM, leave school, or enter unsafe relationships.
A highlight of the initiative is an annual Christmas run that brings together boys and girls from the community for competition and selection; 12 girls are chosen for educational sponsorships, supporting their enrollment and continuation in junior school. Many of these girls come from areas where FGM is still practiced and, without this support, might have left school or entered early marriage.
Alongside athletic training, the program provides age-appropriate sexual and reproductive health education, personal safety advice, and psychosocial support. Coaches help girls manage societal pressures that may accompany athletic success in communities where female autonomy is often challenged.
These efforts have led to gradual changes in attitudes among some parents, who increasingly see athletics as a way to transform not only individual girls but also entire communities. The program helps girls move away from harmful traditional practices toward futures they choose for themselves.