2013 Stanchart Nairobi Marathon Raises Kshs 23 Million

The 2013 edition of the annual Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon raised Kshs 23 million, an increase from the Kshs 21 million realised last year.

The marathon, whose overall winners were Kenneth Mung’ara and Winfridah Kwamboka in the men’s and women’s 42 km respectively, attracted 21,000 people.

The proceeds raised came from both individual and corporate participants’ registration fees as well as cash donations. The funds raised at this year’s marathon will go towards supporting the Kenya chapter of the Seeing is Believing East Africa Child Eye Health project. 

Speaking at the cheque handover ceremony, Standard Chartered Bank Chief Executive, Richard Etemesi said that this year’s marathon was even more successful than previous years despite the concerns around safety and security.

Etemesi said that “Seeing is Believing” was greatly boosted last year when the Bank committed to a further US$5 million towards child eye care in East Africa, covering Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. 

The Seeing is Believing East Africa programme which aims to improve child health and reduce avoidable blindness among children in the region will indirectly benefit over 45 million children, the total estimated population of children in East Africa.

“In Kenya, through the Nairobi Marathon, to date we have raised over one million dollars. Through this initiative, we gave helped restore sight to over 5,000 children in Kenya through the hospitals as well as purchased state-of-the-art equipment for the beneficiary hospitals; constructed and refurbished eye care health facilities; provided training for eye care medical personnel to increase their capacity and improve delivery of services,” said Etemesi.

In October, during this year’s World Sight Day, Standard Chartered Group announced that it will donate USD20 million over the next five years to the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust. The money will go towards funding eye care projects in Africa and India.

In Africa, these funds will be used to support a blinding trachoma programme across five African countries i.e. Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Uganda, and Nigeria. The programme will reach an estimated 3.6 million people in Kenya. Trachoma is the second leading cause of avoidable blindness in Kenya, with an estimated 7 million people at risk.

Next year’s marathon will be held on 26th October.

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