Tanzania's Akili Alumni Marathon Aims to Break a Guinness World Record while Sponsoring 100 Tech Students

On Easter Monday this April, a marathon in Tanzania’s commercial capital will attempt something no race has ever achieved: participants representing every nationality in the world, running side by side on a single course.

But the deeper ambition of the Akili Alumni Marathon, scheduled for April 6, 2026, is not a record in a book. It is a record of changed lives.

Organizers say the event’s primary goal is to raise $1.2 million to sponsor 100 Tanzanian students to study high-demand technology fields, artificial intelligence, cyber security, and blockchain technology in international universities. If successful, each $12,000 raised will fund one student’s full four-year education, including tuition, housing, and essential travel costs.

The race will be led by Tanzania’s Minister of Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Adolf Mkenda, who is confirmed to serve as Guest of Honour.

An Alumni Movement, Not Just a Marathon

Unlike traditional charity races, the Akili Alumni Marathon is built around a specific community: Tanzanian alumni who have studied abroad. Organizers are calling on graduates from universities across India, China, Europe, North America, the Middle East, and elsewhere to return, physically or symbolically, to the starting line.

The idea is simple: those who benefited from global education help open the same doors for the next generation.

“This is not just about running,” said Felician Chizelema, managing director of Akili Education and one of the event’s organizers. “It’s about alumni coming together to sponsor the future, one student at a time.”

Organizers estimate the marathon could attract 3,000 to 5,000 runners, along with thousands of spectators, students, and families. The race will feature three distances, 5 kilometers, 10 kilometers, and a half marathon, designed to accommodate both competitive runners and casual participants.

A Race Against a Skills Gap

Tanzania, like many African nations, faces a demographic paradox. The country has one of the continent’s fastest-growing populations, with a large proportion under the age of 25. But opportunities in advanced technology education remain limited.

While dozens of universities operate within Tanzania, demand for higher education continues to outpace capacity. Many students who seek specialized programs in areas like artificial intelligence or cyber security must look abroad.

At the same time, the country’s economy, driven by banking, telecommunications, logistics, and digital services, is increasingly dependent on technical expertise.

Banks face rising cyber threats. Government agencies are adopting data-driven systems. Financial regulators are exploring blockchain and digital currencies. Yet trained specialists in these areas remain scarce.

The marathon’s scholarship focus reflects those realities. Instead of funding a broad mix of programs, organizers chose three fields they believe will shape the next decade of employment.

“Technology is where the global economy is moving,” Mr. Chizelema said. “If we invest in these skills now, we change not just individual lives, but the direction of the entire workforce.”

A Global Expo on the Sidelines

Alongside the marathon, organizers plan to host a Global Universities and Scholarships Expo, with representatives from up to 100 institutions expected to attend. The expo will allow Tanzanian students and parents to explore admissions pathways, scholarships, and career-oriented programs.

For families, the timing is strategic. The event falls during the Easter holiday period, when schools are closed and travel is easier, conditions organizers say could significantly boost attendance.

The expo is expected to draw 7,000 to 10,000 students and parents, turning the marathon into one of the largest education-focused public gatherings in the country.

The Guinness Ambition

While the scholarship drive is the central purpose, the marathon’s organizers also hope the race will make history.

They are preparing an application to Guinness World Records to recognize the event as the first marathon to feature participants from every United Nations-recognized nationality. Major global races in cities like London, New York, and Berlin regularly attract runners from more than 120 countries. But no marathon has come close to universal national representation.

If the Tanzanian event succeeds, organizers say it could place the country on the global sporting and education map overnight.

“The world’s biggest marathons are known for speed and scale,” Mr. Chizelema said. “We want this one to be known for purpose.”

A Public-Private Effort

Funding for the scholarships is expected to come from multiple sources: corporate sponsors, alumni donations, university partnerships, and individual contributions. The event also includes registration fees and merchandise sales to support the fundraising target.

Each scholarship will be tied to a transparent sponsorship structure, with donors receiving progress reports on the students they support.

Organizers say the event’s long-term goal is to make the alumni marathon an annual tradition, creating a sustained pipeline of technology graduates.

Running Toward a Different Finish Line

For many participants, the race’s symbolism may matter more than the distance. The event’s slogan, “Run the Future: 100 Scholarships for Tech Leaders,” reflects its broader vision. Instead of a finish line defined by time, the organizers measure success in students sponsored, careers launched, and systems improved.

Ten years from now, the graduates funded through this marathon could be working in banks, telecom firms, government agencies, and startups across Tanzania, designing software, protecting data, and building the digital infrastructure of a new economy.

And if the organizers are right, it will all trace back to a single morning in April, when thousands of runners set off not just to complete a race, but to change the course of a country’s future.

Visit their website here: Akili Education