Nyaka and the New York City Marathon

Run the World’s Greatest Marathon. Change Lives in Uganda.

Since 2018, 121 runners have set out through the five boroughs of NYC, representing Nyaka, in the world’s most iconic marathon. These incredible people have raised more than $785,000 for our children and grandmothers in rural Uganda, and our 2026 team will be on the course this November adding to that story. Now we’re building the 2027 team.

Sign up to join our invitation list, applications open in February 2027 and Team Nyaka will be selected in March.

Race day: November 7, 2027 · Fundraising commitment: $5,000 minimum

WHY TEAM NYAKA

Three stories come together when you run with us.

Your story. You take on 26.2 miles through all five boroughs, in front of two million spectators, in the biggest marathon on earth. Whether it’s your first marathon or your fifteenth, this is the run people dream about. Many of our runners describe the experience as life-changing, citing the close-knit community, encouragement, and purpose that make Team Nyaka extra special.

Nyaka’s story. Nyaka began in 2001 with a promise. Twesigye Jackson Kaguri, who grew up in rural southwestern Uganda running seven miles barefoot to school and seven miles home, watched the HIV/AIDS epidemic devastate his village and leave a generation of children orphaned, and he answered by building them a school. Twenty-five years later, that one small schoolhouse has grown into three top-performing schools, clean water systems, healthcare, safe homes, programs protecting survivors of sexual violence, and a community microfinance bank, all woven around the most remarkable force in the organization: the grandmothers. More than 23,000 women have taken in over 96,000 orphaned children, many of them no relation at all, and organized into groups that save together, lend together, start businesses, and lead their communities. Now, Nyaka is carrying this model across all of Uganda to equip 1.46 million women, because 25 years have proven a simple truth: when you stand with the women raising children, entire communities rise.

The story no other team can tell. On marathon morning, while you run New York, Nyaka’s grandmothers and students run their own marathon in Kanungu, Uganda, in solidarity with you. Two races halfway across the world from each other, all running together for one shared mission.

WHAT YOU RECEIVE

As a member of Team Nyaka 2027, you get:

Guaranteed entry to the sold-out TCS New York City Marathon (Nyaka pays the NYRR charity partner fee for your spot)
A head start on day one: your NYRR registration fee credited straight to your fundraising page, so you never start at zero
A personal fundraising page with your own link and QR code, plus a complete Resource Kit: photos and video from Uganda, graphics, booklets & informational documents, and our Fundraising Guide, the playbook behind eight years of runners meeting and beating their goals
A team behind you all year: five monthly Zoom calls, our active team WhatsApp group, a Team Nyaka Strava club, and one-on-one support from coordinator Matt Stauble whenever you need it
Backup for your biggest asks: for major donors and corporate sponsors, Matt and founder Jackson Kaguri will join your call or email. You open the door; we help close it, and you receive 100% of the credit to your fundraiser
The Team Nyaka Welcome Party in Manhattan the Friday of marathon weekend, where you’ll meet your teammates, Nyaka staff, volunteers, and supporters, and receive your official race shirt and gifts
Race weekend together: Jackson, who has run this marathon three times himself, attends every marathon weekend; a designated post-race celebration spot; and your family cheering with Team Nyaka signs and flags on the course

And our promise on the hard parts: if injury or life forces you to withdraw, you keep your fundraising commitment but earn guaranteed entry to the following year’s race with obligation to fundraise that next year. And in eight years and 121 runners, we have never had to charge a runner for a shortfall. Runners who make their list and reach out to their people with their story, have always gotten there.

WHAT WE ASK

Team Nyaka runners are fundraisers first and runners second. We ask you to:

Raise a minimum of $5,000 by one week before race day, with a personal goal you set as high as your ambition ($5,000 to $26,200). Most runners aim well past the minimum, and we ask you to keep fundraising even after you hit it; every additional dollar becomes education, food, loans for grandmothers to start businesses and safe homes for their families.
Reach out personally. Make a list of everyone you know and share your story one person at a time. This is the whole secret, and we will show you exactly how
Stay connected: respond to team emails within 48 hours, take part in the WhatsApp group and monthly Zooms, and join us for the Welcome Party and race weekend activities
Wear the shirt. Run November 7 in your official Team Nyaka shirt, as we cheer for you from the sidelines

WHAT YOUR $5,000 BECOMES

Your minimum isn’t an arbitrary number. $5,000 is a full year of secondary school for five students: education, housing, meals, medicine, and supplies. It’s also fifty micro-loans for grandmothers starting small businesses, or medical care, counseling, and legal support for over 200 survivors of sexual violence.

100% of every dollar you raise goes directly to Nyaka’s programs in Uganda. All donations are tax-deductible; Nyaka Inc is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, EIN 35-2153719.

View all Nyaka’s financial and impact reports here

Nyaka has a four out of four star and 100% rating on Charity Navigator

TWO MARATHONS, ONE DAY

This is the part that changes people. On the same morning you line up on the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, hundreds of Nyaka grandmothers and students have just finished their race in Uganda for the Nyaka solidarity marathon, running in your honor as you run in theirs. During race weekend, we bring you photos and videos from their race, and you can share both events with your donors.

No other charity team does this, and each year it brings wonderful tears of joy.

ALREADY HAVE YOUR OWN BIB?

Won the lottery, finished your 9+1, or running another race entirely? Team Nyaka Ambassadors (new for 2027) fundraise for Nyaka with their own entry at a lower minimum, and get the shirt, the WhatsApp group, and the Welcome Party invitation. Email Matt at mstauble@nyakaglobal.org to join us today.

BRING YOUR COMPANY ALONG

Team Nyaka sponsorships run $2,500 to $10,000+ with benefits from gift-bag contributions to premier logo placement on team jerseys. Runners simply make the introduction; Matt handles everything else, and the full amount credits to your fundraising.