Viola Cheptoo founded Tirop’s Angels foundation in memory of fellow athlete Agnes Tirop
Viola Cheptoo Lagat, 34, has run and won many races in her illustrious career as a long-distance athlete. However, her world changed when her friend and fellow athlete, Agnes Tirop, was killed just days after breaking a world record. Viola together with other female athletes and friends founded ‘Tirop’s Angels’ foundation to fight Gender-Based Violence. After the 2023 New York marathon, she toured the UN Headquarters where she spoke to Africa Renewal’s Zipporah Musau about her organisation’s work. Here are excerpts from the interview:
Africa Renewal: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Ms. Cheptoo: My name is Viola Cheptoo, but some people know me as Viola Lagat because that is the name I used previously when I was running track and field races.
I am a professional athlete. I run marathons. I represented Kenya in track events in 2015 and in the Rio 2016 Olympics in 1,500m. After that, I moved from track to marathons in 2019.
I am also a wife to Elias Ngisirei.
You took part in the 2023 New York Marathon early this month (5 Nov). How did that go?
Well, I came in the 6th position. Unfortunately, I did not make it back to the podium this time around like I did in 2021 [2nd position]. I think I made a big dash way too early, but I am proud that my Kenyan sisters went home with the win. Helen Obiri was first, and Sharon Lokedi was third overall.
Congratulations! What is your next race?
Next would be a spring marathon. I am taking this week off to process yesterday’s race; after that, my agent and I will plan another marathon, probably Boston or another race in the spring.
Away from the field, you have started a foundation that is fighting Gender-Based Violence. Tell us more about it and why you focus on GBV?
The foundation is called Tirop’s Angels. I founded it in 2021 following the killing of my friend and fellow athlete – Agnes Tirop.
Agnes was a phenomenal athlete, a lovely person, and a good friend. She had just broken the world record in the 10,000m race in September 2021. We traveled to Herzogenaurach in Germany, the Adidas headquarters, because like me, she was an Adidas athlete. They usually organize races there. This is where Agnes broke the world record for the 10,000m race. Before that, she had taken part in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics where she came 4th in the 5,000m race.
A few days after we travelled back to Kenya, Agnes was killed. Her husband was charged with her murder. She was only 25 years old. That really hit me really hard.
What did you do next?
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.
So, I reached out to a few friends, and that is how we started Tirop’s Angels to help prevent gender-based violence and to also support those affected by GBV.
How does the organisation help prevent Gender-Based Violence?
We help prevent gender-based violence by creating awareness and hence empowering women and girls in our community with the right information.
First, we educate them on what GBV is all about. We visit schools, youth camps, and churches to teach these young people what it entails, how to prevent it, what to do and where to go should they become victims.
This is because, in some of our communities, GBV has been normalized. Anyone from Africa understands this. Many think it is a normal thing for people to fight. But sometimes it is not just a fight, these people end up really hurting each other.
My friends and I decided to sensitise our community that GBV is not acceptable.
As a young girl, I witnessed GBV firsthand. My older sister would be abused by her husband, and she would run away and come back home to our parents. But they would tell her: Hey, go back to your home and children! Go persevere. And it would be the same thing over and over. The society always making excuses for the man. For example, I would hear my sister being asked: What is your husband unhappy about? Can you change those? Can you try to do something to prevent him from hurting you?
What is your message in these speaking events?
We tell our communities that violence is unacceptable! This is particularly important. We go to schools to speak to the girls and boys about GBV because we do not want to leave anyone behind.
Besides, we realise that some of the boys could also be going through some sexual violence, especially those in boarding schools. It is an issue that is starting to come up in our society now. As for the girls, some had to drop out of school at a very young age of 9, 10, or 12 years.
We teach the girls how to protect themselves from GBV and avoid being a victim.
We also teach them what to do if they become victims, and also where to go and how to seek help. Tirop’s Angels is one of the places where they can seek help. We offer psychological, medical and legal support services.
We also provide safe houses for GBV survivors. We offer just the overall support that they would need.
Is all this work in honour of your friend?
We do this work in the memory of Agnes Tirop. We want to make sure that her legacy continues through our activities.
We organise events such as races. For example, we organised a marathon in Agnes’ honour in March [2023]. More than 1,000 athletes took part in the inaugural Agnes Tirop Memorial Race.
We also hold fundraising events.
What are some of the red flags women and girls need to look out for in preventing GBV?
For women in romantic relationships, it could be as simple as your partner telling you ‘I will beat you up,’ or ‘I will kill you’. Do not ignore it, because he will go ahead and do exactly that. Those threats are not empty.
Also, be careful about the way your partner talks to you and the way they handle you. If you are in an argument and they are shaking you in the heat of the moment, know that something bad is going to happen to you. Do not look at it as just a way of expressing anger. Don’t give excuses that your partner was just upset. Before you know it, they will hit you hard and you may end up losing your life.
For young girls, the sexual violence they face is sometimes disguised as friendly gestures. For example, men entice schoolgirls by telling them: ‘Hey, you need Ksh50 shillings [about $0.30] to buy sanitary pads? I will give it to you. Just come with me.’
I tell these girls it is better you talk to your parents so they can buy you whatever you need, and if your parents cannot afford it, speak to somebody responsible – like us at Tirop’s Angels is always here. We provide sanitary pads for girls in schools.
How can one get in touch with your Tirop’s Angels?
People can write us messages and we will respond.
What is your message to these young people?
My message is for us to find ways to solve our issues peacefully and not always resort to violence.
Let us preach peace and avoid violence. Let us treat each other with kindness. We do not all come from the same family, we are different.
Let us work together to end gender-based violence. That way we will make sure what happened to Agnes Tirop doesn’t happen to someone else.