Kenyan athletics legend and Peace Ambassador Tegla Loroupe has taken on a monumental challenge: an 840-kilometre peace run from Turkana County’s Kakuma Refugee Camp all the way to Nairobi.

Over a gruelling seven-day journey, Loroupe and her team are using the power of sport to shine a spotlight on the challenges facing refugees while championing peace, education, and inclusion.

The campaign kicked off on Monday, August 17, at Kakuma, one of the largest refugee camps in the world. By Tuesday, the second day of the trek, Loroupe and her team had reached Lodwar Town, pressing onward toward Kainuk before crossing into West Pokot.

From there, the route cuts through Trans Nzoia before culminating at Nairobi’s iconic Uhuru Park.

Crucially, the route carries deep symbolic weight.

Traversing areas historically affected by pastoralist conflicts, cattle rustling, and resource disputes, the run doubles as a moving dialogue on peaceful coexistence.

Joining Loroupe on the open road are 28 refugees, adding a deeply human dimension to the campaign.

The initiative aims to foster understanding between host communities and displaced populations, creating awareness around the everyday realities inside camps like Kakuma and Dadaab.

For the Tegla Loroupe Peace Foundation, using athletics as a vehicle for peacebuilding is a proven mission.

Loroupe frequently points to success stories like Yiech Pur Biel, who rose from Kakuma to represent the Refugee Olympic Team on the global stage, as living proof that talent thrives when given the opportunity.

The timing of the run is equally strategic.

As the country edges closer to an upcoming election period, the campaign serves as a timely call for unity, encouraging dialogue and harmony across political, cultural, and social divides.

By the time the runners cross the finish line at Uhuru Park, Loroupe hopes this 840-kilometre journey will have accomplished far more than covering ground, amplifying refugee voices, strengthening regional peace, and reminding the nation of sport’s incredible power to heal and unite.