I feel proud and fulfilled.
Sometimes, the most meaningful projects are not the ones you create and lead yourself, but the ones you support. For more than a year, I have had the privilege of coaching and mentoring Mauro, a young Belgian runner, as he pursued his dream of creating a documentary about Kapchorwa's unique running culture.
Where nature and running come together
Last week, together with Mauro's Community mentor and our lead guide, Shadrack, I had the opportunity to watch the draft. For someone who had never done video editing before, the result is truly impressive.
The documentary beautifully and subtly connects life in the forest with the organic food that runners eat, the way children grow up running and the motivation & discipline that drive athletes towards Olympic and World Championship medals. At the same time, it confronts us with the devastating effects of climate change on Mount Elgon, where several families were buried under mudslides last November. Olympic champion Joshua Cheptegei and several other members of our Kapchorwa running community explain why protecting Mount Elgon National Park matters so much, not only to produce future champions, but to preserve life here on this beautiful mountain.
Mauro filming in Mount Elgon National Park during six weeks of documentary production in Kapchorwa
What makes Kapchorwa's running culture so special is the Community and lifestyle that supports talent development. Parents walking children to school before sunrise. Farmers cultivating fertile mountain soils. Coaches, teachers, guides and neighbours who all contribute, in their own way, to an environment where discipline, resilience and generosity are part of everyday life. That's exactly what Mauro manages to capture: not only the champions themselves, but the ecosystem that helps them grow.
a journey of resilience and inspiration
I also strongly recognised Mauro's own journey. The misconceptions about his intentions, the patience required to build trust, and the time it takes to bring people on board - he wisely planned six weeks for the filming alone. Those are challenges that I recognise all too well.
But above all, I was inspired by the way he handled them: with energy, resilience and an unwavering belief in the power of teamwork.
That spirit culminated in a replay of Cheptegei's Olympic victory at Da Place Discotheque in Kapchorwa Town, where around 70 of Mauro's friends came together to celebrate the gold medal once again. It became the recurring theme throughout the documentary.
Mauro filming for his Kapchorwa running culture documentary during a youth running event in Tuban village
Focus on the beauty and strengths
The same values have helped us build Home of Friends over the years. Seeing them reflected through Mauro's fresh perspective and youthful energy was both inspiring and deeply rewarding.
These are also the values that underpin Run Kapchorwa: connecting running, tourism and Community development so that local talent creates opportunities for local livelihoods. Seeing those ideas reflected so naturally in Mauro's documentary gave me renewed confidence that this is a journey worth continuing together.
It has shown me once again how important it is to focus on the strengths of a culture and Community, rather than its gaps. That is much easier said than done, but it is a mindset that is more than worth striving for, every single day.
What are the stories we are telling each other?…
This is what probably touched me most about this project. Rather than telling people what is wrong, the documentary celebrates what already makes this place extraordinary. It invites people to look beyond the medals and discover a unique Community and lifestyle defined by its terrain, fertile soils and remarkable people.
Joshua Cheptegei's home village of Kwoti, on the edge of Mount Elgon National Park
The documentary ‘Our Forest our Champions’
Last week, we also heard that Mauro’s documentary ‘Our forest our champions’ had already won an international award, even before the avant-première in Antwerp on 12 September. The project also resulted in a 10-page feature in the July edition of Runner's World, now available across Belgium and the Netherlands.
We hope Mauro's documentary encourages more people not only to watch Kapchorwa from a cinema seat, but to experience it for themselves. Walk the forest trails. Meet the people behind the medals. Share a meal with the people behind the champions. And discover why this remarkable mountain has inspired generations of champions.
Ready to experience the Land of Champions yourself?
If Mauro's story has inspired you, we'd love to welcome you to Kapchorwa.
Perhaps, like Mauro, you'll leave with a few stories of your own.
Learn more
Interested in Mauro's inspiring journey?
• Visit the Our Forest Our Champions website.
This blog is written by Daan Oxener, a Dutch social entrepreneur who is based in Kapchorwa since 2016. Daan manages Home of Friends Guesthouse, together with his wife Eliza. He is passionate about exploring Mount Elgon’s stunning nature and authentic culture. Through Run Kapchorwa he empowers youth with skilling & employment opportunities.
