Kenyan marathon runner fights against gender-based violence in memory of deceased athletes

Viola Cheptoo founded a foundation to raise awareness of gender-based violence and support victims. They visit schools, youth training camps and churches, educating young girls about the warning signs to look out for and stressing the importance of speaking out against violence.

Viola Cheptoo, a celebrated long-distance runner from Kenya with numerous victories, was deeply affected by the murder of her close friend and fellow athlete Agnes Tirop, just days after she set a world record in 2021. Agnes was stabbed to death in her home in the town of Iten in western Kenya and her husband was arrested for murder. She was only 25 years old.

The following year, another athlete, Damaris Muthee Mutua, was found strangled in her boyfriend's house in the same training town, Iten.

In response, Viola, together with other athletes and friends, founded the Tirop's Angels Foundation to combat gender-based violence (GBV).

The recent death of Ugandan runner Rebecca Cheptegei, who suffered a similar fate, strengthened Viola's determination to fight for justice and protect women and girls from violence.

After returning from the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, Cheptegei was doused with petrol and burned by her boyfriend in Iten, Kenya, where she was training, according to police. She died a few days later.

For Viola, this news brought back painful memories of her close friend Agnes Tirop.

The United Nations estimates that, on average, every 11 minutes, somewhere in the world, a woman or girl is killed by her partner or family member. The organization strongly condemned Cheptegei's death, saying that “gender-based violence is one of the most pervasive human rights violations in the world and should be treated as such.”

We first spoke to Viola about Tirop's Angels in 2023 and met her again after Cheptegei's tragic death.

“The death of Cheptegei really made me sad,” said Viola Africa Renewalher voice was heavy with emotion. “It brought back the bad memories of Agnes. We are grieving.”

Viola knows all too well the grim reality that many women in sport face. The pressure and control exerted by their partners is a disturbing pattern.

“Gender-based violence should be declared an 'epidemic' here and urgently combated,” she stresses. She wants justice for Cheptegei, just as she did for Agnes. Both deaths have reignited her mission to confront the violence that all too often affects successful women in sport.

Viola's journey as an activist against gender-based violence began after Agnes' tragic murder. She and Agnes had been friends and fellow campaigners, with Agnes having broken a world record in the 10,000-meter run just weeks before her death.

Viola remembers the time they spent together at the competition in Germany and the pure joy that Agnes felt at her success. But this joy was short-lived when she returned to Kenya. The incident shocked Viola. “Agnes was a phenomenal athlete, a lovely person and a good friend,” said Viola. “Her death hit me hard.”

The basis

Viola is not the kind of person who sits quietly; she lets her grief become action.

Based on her own experiences with gender-based violence in her family, she founded Tirop's Angel– a foundation named in honor of Agnes, which focuses on educating and supporting survivors of gender-based violence.

“I saw my older sister being a victim of gender-based violence and I didn't want to stay silent any longer,” Viola explained. “I turned to some friends and that's how the Tirop's Angels Foundation was born.”

With Tirop's Angels, Viola and her team work to prevent gender-based violence by educating women and girls about the early signs of gender-based violence, the risks, and how and where to seek help. They visit schools, youth camps, and churches, educating young people about gender-based violence and stressing the importance of talking about it.

Viola is aware that domestic violence has become the norm in many communities in the region, but she refuses to accept it.

“We tell our communities that violence is unacceptable!” she explains, determined to change that perception.

Their work goes beyond education.

In addition, the Tirop's Angels Foundation provides psychosocial, medical and legal support to victims of gender-based violence and provides safe accommodation for people in immediate danger.

“We provide survivors with exactly the comprehensive support they need,” she says, stressing that the organization’s efforts are a continuation of Agnes’ legacy.

1st Memorial Race

In March 2023, the Foundation organized the first Agnes Tirop Memorial Race, Over 1,000 athletes participated in the event to honor Agnes' memory and raise awareness of gender-based violence.

Viola’s message to women and girls is clear: “Don’t ignore the warning signs.”

She warns against dismissing threats or violent behavior as mere anger and reminds young women to look out for warning signs in their relationships.