Kupenda Expands Global Disability Inclusion Through Youth Running Clubs

Partnering since 2016, Micah 6:8 has come to trust Kupenda’s disability expertise—engaging us in 2024 to adapt and pilot an inclusive Youth Running Clubs (YRC) program. We are now supporting them to scale this model with partners across 16 East African countries over the next four years, advancing stigma reduction and inclusion for more than 50,000 children.

Running Clubs Alignment with Kupenda’s Mission

The YRC program supports the wellbeing and holistic development of children during “middle childhood”—a critical stage for building skills, relationships, and confidence.

The 25-week program is led by local community leaders such as pastors and teachers, who introduce the program to their communities, recruit coaches, and engage youth participants. This approach mirrors Kupenda’s mission to dismantle disability stigma by equipping trusted leaders to advocate for inclusion. In many communities, harmful beliefs still portray children with disabilities as cursed or products of witchcraft. By embedding disability inclusion into a widely visible, community-led program like YRC, we are expanding opportunities for children with disabilities and shifting cultural attitudes at their roots.

Program Impact

YRC uses movement to strengthen brain development, help children process difficult emotions, reduce stress, and build community connections. Alongside running, participants learn about nutrition, health, teamwork, and problem-solving—skills that benefit them on and off the track.

Impact to date:

• 29% reduction in trauma symptoms through movement-based healing
• 25% increase in key life skills through mentorship and community support
• 2,845+ local coaches trained to mentor and guide youth toward brighter futures

By making this program inclusive of children with disabilities, Kupenda ensures these benefits reach all children while transforming the culture of participating schools, churches, and communities.

Adapting the Curriculum for Inclusion

In 2024, Micah 6:8 partnered with Kupenda to review and adapt the YRC curriculum for accessibility and relevance to children with diverse disabilities. We:

• Added a new lesson titled “Inclusion and Person First Language”
• Integrated disability inclusion content into the existing curriculum
• Developed a feedback tool for program facilitators to track impact and inform improvements

We then piloted the adapted curriculum at Gede Special School and Marafa Special School, where pastors and school leaders—already trained through Kupenda’s advocacy programs—helped raise awareness, recruit coaches, and enroll 40 students with and without disabilities.

Early Results and Expansion

The pilot showed clear gains: children interacted more freely, supported one another, developed leadership skills, and demonstrated greater disability awareness. Teachers and coaches reported stronger friendships between children of all abilities and a reduction in harmful beliefs.

In 2025, Micah 6:8 supported Kupenda to expand the inclusive program to four additional schools, reaching 80 more students, and to mentor five other nonprofits to apply inclusive best practices in their own running clubs—impacting hundreds of additional children with disabilities.

Looking Forward

As this inclusive model scales to all 16 countries, Kupenda’s influence will ensure that tens of thousands of children with disabilities share equally in the benefits of participation—friendship, confidence, leadership, and opportunity—while communities become more inclusive, supportive, and united.

Want to keep updated on Kupenda’s work?

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, and X.

Learn more about Kupenda in our podcast.

Sign up for our newsletter.

Or provide a child scholarship for just $35 / month.