Tirop’s Angels Foundation
On a Mission to Unite Against Gender-Based Violence
Agnes Tirop’s Story
A story that shook up Kenyan athletics and global sport.
Agnes Jebet Tirop (23 October 1995 – 13 October 2021) was a Kenyan professional distance runner born in North-west Kenya.
Agnes trained with unworldly dedication in the altitude training town of Iten, Elgeyo-Marakwet County, Kenya.
Agnes first came to prominence at junior national level in 2012, coming runner up to the world junior cross country champion Faith Kipyegon at the Kenyan National Cross Country.
In 2014, she finally stepped out of Kipyegon’s shadow winning the Kenya and African Cross Country titles.
In 2015, 19 year old Agnes stepped up to the senior ranks and, despite being the fourth youngest in the field, became the second youngest runner to ever win the World Cross Country Championship.
Valiantly, Agnes came a close 4th in the 5000m at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
Later that year Agnes set the world alight with the womens-only 10,000m World Record in 30.01 minutes.
Soon after returning back to Iten in Kenya, Tirop was sadly found dead with multiple stab wounds and authorities believing a domestic altercation had occurred with her husband.
Tirop’s murder shook up Kenyan athletics and global sport.
Origins of Tirop’s Angels
In Agnes’ memory, fellow Kenyan athlete - and friend - Viola Cheptoo Legat founded Tirop’s Angels in 2021 to unite against gender-based violence in Kenya.
In an interview Viola said:
“Violence is something I have experienced at a personal level.
As a young girl, I saw my elder sister go through gender-based violence. And to see Agnes’ life snuffed out at such a young age made me act. I was not going to keep quiet any longer and wait for somebody else to act.
I decided to do something and say no to gender-based violence.”
What Our Donations Will Support
Tirop’s Angels help to unite against gender-based violence by creating awareness to empower women, girls and boys in Kenyan communities with the right informed education.
-
Tirop’s Angels visit schools, youth camps, and churches to teach these young men and women about gender-based violence, how to prevent it, what to do and where to go should they become victims.
-
In some Kenyan communities, gender -based violence has been normalized. Many think it is a normal thing for people couples to fight. The society always makes excuses for men. For example, women may be challenged with: What is your husband unhappy about? Can you change those? Can you try to do something to prevent him from hurting you?
-
Tirop’s Angels teaches girls how to protect themselves from gender-based violence and avoid being a victim.
They also teach them what to do if they become victims, and also where to go and how to seek help.
-
Tirop’s Angels also provide safe houses for gender-based violence survivors. They offer flexible, expert advice and overall support that they would need and Tirop’s Angels is one of the places where they can seek help.