Nairobi, Sunday
Former Kenya Pipeline Company Managing Director Joe Sang has wrapped up his intensive local training ahead of next Sunday’s Sydney Marathon, carrying the educational dreams of dozens of vulnerable children on his shoulders. Sang is set to join global elite running stars to tackle his third World Marathon Major, aiming to raise vital educational funds as anxious beneficiaries of the Joe Sang Foundation back home eagerly await his performance at the finish line.
The upcoming race marks a major milestone since the official launch of the Joe Sang Foundation, which was established to transform the lives of underprivileged youth through comprehensive academic sponsorships and vital infrastructural support.
Through the foundation, the corporate leader turned philanthropist is currently financing the education of 10 bright but underprivileged children drawn from across the country. The deep human impact of this initiative is already evident in the lives of its early beneficiaries.
Joe Sang (second left) and his Joe Sang Foundation training group that includes East African Breweries Limited General Manager, Spirits, Alvin Mbugua (second right) train in Karen ahead of the Sydney Marathon to be run on August 30. (Photo / JSF)
Among them is an exceptionally gifted boy currently excelling at Lenana School, and another resilient youth who completed his secondary education last year and successfully qualified for university admission. The foundation has also thrown a vital lifeline to a young girl from the remote, drought-prone region of Samburu, anchoring her academic journey at a time when deep economic hardships threatened to pull her out of school entirely.
Educational Infrastructure
"Today, our support is intentionally spread across Kenya to ensure a national impact," Sang said during a briefing after his final grueling long run in the hilly terrains of Ngong. "But we have also realized that school fees alone are not enough if the learning environment itself is dilapidated. Children cannot learn effectively in crumbling structures."
Driven by this reality, the Joe Sang Foundation has expanded its footprint into educational infrastructure. The charity has just completed the construction of a modern, fully equipped classroom at a primary school in Kitui County. The facility will be officially launched next month to coincide with the reopening of schools for the third term, giving local children a dignified, safe place to learn.
Jinaro Kibet, Chairman of the Joe Sang Foundation, speaks to journalists after a training session with former Kenya Pipeline Company Managing Director Joe Sang in Karen ahead of the Sydney Marathon. Sang is running World Marathon Majors races to raise funds for the education of needy children across Kenya. (Photo / JSF)
Sang made his World Marathon Majors debut at the 2024 Chicago Marathon, where he clocked an impressive three hours and seven minutes. Building on that momentum last year, he completed the Berlin Marathon just seconds shy of breaking the three-hour barrier, crossing the finish line in 3:00:57. Each grueling mile covered in these international races has been a direct fundraising vehicle to lift children out of poverty.
While Sang’s previous majors in Chicago and Berlin were contested on flat, fast courses, the upcoming Sydney Marathon on Sunday, August 30, presents a vastly different physical battle. The Australian course is significantly tougher, characterized by rolling hills, sharp turns, and a demanding technical finish across the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The men’s course record stands at 2:06:06, set by Ethiopia’s Hailemaryam Kiros, while the women’s record was shattered last year in 2:18:22 by Dutch Olympic champion Sifan Hassan.
Double Current Intake
To prepare for these undulating conditions, Sang focused his training on hill climbs and sustained pacing, balancing his demanding corporate schedule with elite-level amateur athletics. In Sydney, he will share the global limelight with elite Kenyan stars, including reigning World Marathon Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist Peres Jepchirchir and the iconic Vivian Cheruiyot.
Time to stretch for the Joe Sang Foundation team that includes Chairman Jinaro Kibet (left), Joe Sang (second right) and East African Breweries Limited General Manager, Spirits, Alvin Mbugua (centre) in Karen at the start of a morning training session on Saturday ahead of the Sydney Marathon to be run on Sunday (August 30). (Photo / JSF)
Funds raised from the upcoming Sydney race will directly bankroll the next cohort of high school scholarships, ensuring that the foundation can double its current intake of students by the 2027 academic year and scale up underfunded public schools with desks, learning materials, and clean sanitation facilities.
How You Can Support:
The Joe Sang Foundation invites corporate partners, individual well-wishers, and sports enthusiasts to join this noble cause. Your contribution will directly keep a needy child in school or help build a safe classroom.
Donations can be made securely via M-Pesa or direct bank transfer:
Bank transfer:
Account Name: Joe Sang Foundation
Bank: Cooperative Bank
Account Number: 01101217532001
M-Pesa:
Paybill No: 400200
Acc. Number: 0560285782372
Official Enquiries & Sponsorships:
Contact the Foundation Secretariat at: info@joesangfoundation.org
Below - Pictorial: Former Kenya Pipeline Company Managing Director Joe Sang and supporters of the Joe Sang Foundation train in Karen ahead of the Sydney Marathon to be held on Sunday, August 30. Sang and some members of the team will run in Sydney to raise funds for the education of needy children across Kenya (Photos: Joe Sang Foundation):
