Press Release

December 9 2016

Run through the slums by Birmingham charity to give children in Uganda a better future

Case Study of brother and sister available

A group of children who live and work in the slums of Kampala in Uganda have taken part in a race organised by a charity based in Birmingham in the UK.

Money raised from the event - known as the Slum run - goes towards helping the youngsters to a better future. Many spend their childhood working in the local quarry to raise money for their families and to pay for their education and out of school activities.

The race - through the slums of Kampala is organised by the Birmingham charity Chrysalis Empowerment Networkhttp://cyen.org.uk/slumrun2016which has its education base in the city. There is no free education available and children carry out difficult and highly dangerous work to pay for everything from school uniforms to books. Others collect scrap metal in their spare time.

The children start work in the quarry from as early as the age of six.

Chrysalis Director, Ben Parkinson said: "Working 12 hours a day in the quarry is soul destroying and no life for a child. It is also highly dangerous work, and children are regularly injured and even killed. Raising money through these runs will help keep them in school longer and also means they can take part in other activities which may contribute towards a better future."

Mr Parkinson said many of the youngsters had developed incredible stamina from working in the quarry and were encouraged to take part in other sports like long distance running. The charity takes a group of children to the national sports stadium once a week where they can practise.

He said: "We want the youngsters to have a full childhood and find out things they are good at and enjoy like singing and dancing and sport. They look forward to taking part in the event because they know that all the money raised will go towards helping them have a fuller childhood which is what every young person deserves.

About thirty youngsters took part in the six kilometre event which cuts through the slum areas. An adult run of 12 km took place at the same time. The Slum Run is an annual event which is also replicated in Birmingham in England every year.

This year the Slum Run in Uganda raised £300 in sponsorship and the same amount in kind. The run in Birmingham in the UK raised around £2,000 including sponsorship for the event.

Corporate organisations sponsoring the Kampala Slum Run include Good African Coffee, GAME (a large superstore), Regal Paints, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Aquacoolers.

Ends

Notes to editors:

Chrysalis Youth Empowerment Network

Chrysalis Youth Empowerment Network is a charitable organisation based in Birmingham, UK, but operating in Uganda, supporting the development of young social entrepreneurs from remote rural and disadvantaged slum districts, utilising the unique methodology of the Butterfly Project.

As well as this we work with Ashoka Youth Venture, as their representative for Northern Uganda and also deliver the TED-ED programme in schools, to help locate and support new catalysts for change in Uganda.

We are registered charity no.1158392.  Our registered office is 31 Prince of Wales Lane, Yardley Wood, Birmingham B14 4LB.

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The Slum Run was founded by 17 year old Francis Ssuuna in 2012. Francis is a product of the CYEN Butterfly Project which trains social entrepreneurs.