How NBC Dodoma Marathon is saving lives, transforming communities

DAR ES SALAAM: First comes the buzz of anticipation. Then the cheering crowds. Then the rhythmic pounding of thousands of running shoes striking the streets of Dodoma as participants push themselves toward the finish line under the July sun. For many, a marathon is about endurance, competition, personal achievement and perhaps the satisfaction of earning a medal after months of preparation.

But the NBC Dodoma Marathon has steadily evolved into something far greater than a sporting spectacle. Behind every race bib, every kilometre completed and every finish-line celebration lies a story that rarely makes the headlines. It is the story of children waiting for life-saving heart surgery, mothers needing safe delivery services, patients battling serious illnesses and families desperately searching for hope.

That is what makes the NBC Dodoma Marathon unique. While runners chase personal bests, the event quietly helps fund medical interventions that are transforming lives across Tanzania.

As organizers officially launched the seventh edition of the marathon in Dar es Salaam, one message stood out clearly: the NBC Dodoma Marathon is no longer simply a race. It has become one of Tanzania’s most impactful humanitarian platforms, blending sport, health and community service into a movement that continues to save lives.

Scheduled for July 26, 2026, in Dodoma City, this year’s event is expected to attract a record 15,000 participants from Tanzania and around the world. The target represents a significant increase from last year’s 12,000 runners and reflects the growing popularity and international recognition of the event. Behind the ambitious participation target are even bigger aspirations. Aspirations of children receiving treatment they otherwise could not afford.

Aspirations of mothers surviving childbirth. Aspirations of families hearing encouraging medical news after months or even years of uncertainty. Those are the victories that matter long after the medals have been packed away. During the launch event, emotion filled the room as health experts, sponsors, medical practitioners and organizers reflected on the marathon’s remarkable journey over the past six years. NBC Managing Director Theobald Sabi spoke passionately about the event’s impact, emphasising that its purpose extends far beyond athletics.

“This is not simply a race,” he said. “It is a race for hope. A race for health. A race dedicated to saving lives.” The results of that mission are already visible Over the past six years, the NBC Dodoma Marathon has raised more than 1.5bn/-to support healthcare initiatives across Tanzania. Through partnerships established under the marathon programme, more than 200,000 women have undergone cervical cancer screening.

For many of these women, early detection provided an opportunity for treatment before the disease progressed to more dangerous stages. In countless households, the marathon has become an unexpected source of hope and healing. Perhaps one of the most emotional aspects of this year’s campaign involves children living with heart conditions.

The Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute (JKCI) revealed that more than 1,500 children in Tanzania are currently waiting for heart surgery. Some of these children are infants. Others struggle with everyday activities that many people take for granted. Running, playing, climbing stairs or even breathing comfortably can become significant challenges. For parents, the experience can be heartbreaking. Many families face treatment costs ranging from 4m/- to 8m/-, amounts that remain beyond the reach of ordinary households.

As they wait for assistance, parents often live with a constant question: will their child receive treatment in time? This year’s marathon is helping answer that question. NBC has committed 200m/- toward supporting paediatric heart surgeries and improving cardiac treatment services. The funding is expected to help provide critical interventions for children who may otherwise struggle to access life-saving care.

According to JKCI Director Dr. Peter Kisenge, the marathon continues to provide meaningful support to families facing difficult circumstances.

“NBC Dodoma Marathon has brought hope to many families,” he said.

“This support will help save children who otherwise may never get access to treatment.” Medical statistics indicate that approximately two out of every 100 children are born with heart complications. While the numbers may appear small on paper, each figure represents a child, a parent and a family longing for a second chance. This year, thousands of runners will carry those hopes with them through every kilometre of the race.

The marathon is also contributing to another critical healthcare challenge: sickle cell disease. At Benjamin Mkapa Hospital, many children continue to battle the condition, with some requiring bone marrow transplant procedures that can cost as much as 200m/- per patient.

For most families, such costs are impossible to meet without support. Despite the challenges, encouraging progress is already being recorded. Benjamin Mkapa Hospital Chief Executive Officer Prof. Abel Makubi revealed that 30 children have successfully undergone bone marrow transplants and recovered.

Thirty children who now have an opportunity to pursue their dreams. Thirty families who have been spared unimaginable heartbreak. Thirty reminders that access to treatment can completely change a life. To build on this progress, another 200m/- has been committed through the NBC Dodoma Marathon initiative to help expand treatment opportunities.

“We want to increase the number of children benefiting every year,” said Prof.

Makubi. “For many families, this marathon has become a source of hope.” The impact of the marathon extends beyond specialised surgeries and hospital wards. It is also helping address one of Tanzania’s most persistent healthcare challenges: maternal and infant mortality. Since 2023, the marathon’s partnership with the Benjamin Mkapa Foundation has supported diploma scholarships for 200 midwives and nurses.

These healthcare professionals are now serving in more than 150 health centres spread across 31 districts nationwide. In many rural communities, access to skilled maternal healthcare remains limited. Mothers often travel long distances seeking medical attention, sometimes under difficult circumstances.

The presence of a trained midwife can make an enormous difference. One skilled healthcare worker can mean one safer delivery. One safer delivery can mean one mother returning home healthy. One healthy mother can mean a stronger family and a stronger community.

Benjamin Mkapa Foundation Chief Executive Officer Dr. Ellen Mkondya-Senkoro described the partnership as transformative, particularly for underserved communities that face shortages of healthcare personnel. Organizers hope to expand the programme further in the coming years to reach even more communities. Meanwhile, preparations continue for what promises to be another memorable race day.

This year’s marathon will feature four categories: the 5-kilometre Fun Run, the 10- kilometre Road Race, the Half Marathon covering 21 kilometres and the demanding Full Marathon stretching 42 kilometres. Elite athletes will compete for top honours.

Amateur runners will challenge themselves. Families will participate together. Friends will encourage one another through moments of exhaustion and triumph. There will undoubtedly be sore muscles, tired legs and perhaps a few runners promising never to do this again—only to register once more the following year. Yet the significance of the event now extends far beyond athletic competition.

The NBC Dodoma Marathon has increasingly gained recognition as one of Africa’s respected road races. In a major milestone, the event has been recognized as a qualifying race for South Africa’s renowned Comrades Marathon, one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious ultra-marathon competitions.

The recognition reflects the marathon’s adherence to rigorous international standards covering route certification, athlete safety, medical support, hydration stations and race management. For athletes, this provides an opportunity to use their performances in Dodoma as part of their qualification journey toward one of the sport’s most celebrated endurance events.

For Tanzania, it represents growing recognition as a destination capable of hosting world-class sporting events. The achievement underscores how far the marathon has progressed in just seven years. What began as a local sporting event has developed into an internationally respected platform that successfully combines athletic excellence with a mission centred on healthcare and community development.

Perhaps the most powerful truth about the NBC Dodoma Marathon is that every step taken by a participant helps carry someone else’s burden. Every registration contributes toward treatment. Every kilometre supports hope. Every finish line crossed represents the possibility of another life being changed.

That is why sponsors continue investing, partners remain committed and runners keep returning year after year. They are not merely supporting a marathon. They are supporting a cause. With registration now officially open through the NBC Dodoma Marathon portal and entry fees set at 45,000/- for individual participants and 43,000/- per runner for groups of 30 people or more, anticipation is steadily building.

Thousands will arrive in Dodoma seeking fitness goals, personal achievement, memorable experiences and perhaps a medal to display proudly at home. But elsewhere, parents will be waiting for updates from doctors. Mothers will be hoping for safer deliveries.

Children will be looking toward a future made possible by medical care they could not otherwise access. For them, the NBC Dodoma Marathon is not just another event on the sporting calendar. It is hope in motion. And when thousands of runners take to the streets of Dodoma on July 26, Tanzania will once again witness something remarkable: a race that is not only about crossing a finish line, but about helping others reach theirs as well. In the end, that may be the most meaningful victory of all.

The post How NBC Dodoma Marathon is saving lives, transforming communities first appeared on Daily News.

The post How NBC Dodoma Marathon is saving lives, transforming communities appeared first on Daily News.