Uganda's gold medal runner wants all kids to 'make it.' But they need help

Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei had a message for the youth of our homeland after he won a gold medal in the 10,000-meter race at the Paris Olympics on August 2.

To youngsters watching in Uganda, the 27-year-old said: “You can achieve it; believe in yourself because when you don’t believe in yourself, you can’t make it in life.”

That kind of determination has fueled Cheptegei’s extraordinary career. Born under an avocado tree in the village of Cheptendan, he was one of nine children. His parents supported his education with their meager earnings — his father a teacher and his mother a peasant farmer.

In school, his flair for running was discovered. Like hundreds of young athletes in Uganda, he could only afford to train at a free government facility, in his case at the Uganda Police Athletics Club in Kapchorwa.

The private sector lent a helping hand as well. As he grew up, he was spotted by Jurrie van der Velden of the Netherlands, who co-founded the Global Sports Communication company, which provided world-class coaching and training facilities. He has helped guide and manage Cheptegei’s running career.

Cheptegei has gone on to win many international medals. He holds the world record for the 10,000-meter competition and set a new Olympic record last week with his time of 26:43.14.

But he needed to be in school to gain this attention and support. And in Uganda, 70% of kids drop out before completing primary school.

The high costs associated with education in Uganda present insurmountable barriers for many, leading to these high dropout rates and squandered potential. For each of the year’s three terms, a family must pay for uniforms, meals, scholastic materials and exam fees. The tab ranges from $30 to $100 a semester for primary schools and $150 to $300 for secondary schools, depending on the region, and private education costs are even steeper.

This reality points to a pressing need for increased investment in education, an investment that nurtures diverse talents and molds leaders across all fields of life.

A World Bank report noted last year: “… more than 60 percent of adults in Uganda are very worried about school fees; for 40 percent of adults, school fees are the biggest source of financial worry.”

Compared to our counterparts in East Africa, we fall short. Uganda spent 11.3% of its national budget on education in 2021. In Kenya, Rwanda, and Tanzania, the percentage is in the 17-20 range.

My story: a long run to school, fueled by a sweet potato

As I know from personal experience, completing an education can be a ticket out of poverty — what kids need to, as Joshua Cheptegei says, “make it in life.”

By age 10, I had lost my mother to cancer and my father to HIV/AIDS. My grandmother moved in to care for me and my older brother, who had dropped out of school to support the family.

With the support of my grandmother and a dedicated teacher, I persisted in my education. Distance was also a challenge. Each morning, I’d run over 8 miles daily to school on a cup of milk and a sweet potato for breakfast.

I graduated at the top in my county after primary school. But my grandmother couldn’t afford the fees associated with secondary school. A stranger from her church recommended I seek a scholarship from the president of Uganda.

After traveling 300 miles by bus and camping at the gate to the president’s home, I was received by the First Lady, who bestowed upon me a scholarship that changed my life. At high school, I wore shoes consistently for the first time and debated issues with the children of politicians and business leaders, despite my rural background.

But it was only by a stroke of luck that I got my chance and was able to fulfill my dream of being an educator. It's clear: If we want our students to succeed, we must prioritize and amplify our investments in education from government, philanthropy and civil society to make sure every child has a fair shot at fulfilling their dreams.

A few years ago I met Sharon, the daughter of a single mom. Sharon herself sold bananas on the streets of a small town in Luwero, central Uganda, during school term breaks to earn the money to help pay school and household bills.

Despite the challenges, Sharon finished her primary education at the top of her class and is now in secondary school. “I am determined,” she told me, “to become the first female doctor in my county.” That’s a gold medal goal. And a goal Uganda and all our philanthropic and private sector partners should support.

James Kassaga Arinaitwe is an Aspen Institute Global Innovator co-founder & CEO Emeritus of Teach For Uganda and A Senior Advisor at Teach For All. Find him on LinkedInand on X @Kassaga4UG.