Sometimes the best ideas live in our heads for a while before we finally bring them to life. For years, we’d talked about creating a space where women could run together — not competitively, but openly, with room for laughter, sweat, and conversations. On March 8th, 2023, that idea finally became reality with the very first Women’s Day Run.

It was a small start in Muyenga, with just 70 participants, but it was exactly what we had dreamed of: women (and a few supportive men and kids) moving together, talking together, and celebrating International Women’s Day in a way that felt authentic and energising.

The run was organised by Alex from Activate Uganda, alongside Agie, Fiona, and Maren — a team bound by the belief that exercise can also be advocacy, and that community is just as important as distance.

What we loved most wasn’t just the running itself, but the conversations that followed: women sharing openly about challenges, wins, and the reality of being a woman who runs. That energy carried on after the finish line with the creation of a women-only WhatsApp group called Activated Women — a space where those discussions continue, stronger than ever.

Reach out if you want to join the WhatsApp group!

To everyone who showed up for that first edition: thank you. Your participation helped spark a movement.