Afowiri Kizito Fondzenyuy (born 26 December 1972) mononymously known as Toghu Marathoner,[1] is a Cameroonian Philanthropist, social entrepreneur, charity fundraiser, and long-distance marathon enthusiast, who runs marathons in Toghu attire to raise funds for various charitable causes.[2][3] He holds the Guinness World Record for the fastest marathon run in traditional Toghu attire.[4][5] and is an Abbott Major Marathon Six Star finisher.[6]
Fondzenyuy was born in Bamenda, northwest Cameroon. He began participating in marathons in early 2011, initially competing in triathlons that combined swimming, cycling, and running.
He is the founder of the Amom Foundation, a non-governmental organization, and also established African BBQ Sauce (ABS), a food brand based in the United States.
In September 2024, Fondzenyuy took part in the Medellín Marathon in Colombia, to raise funds for underprivileged children.[23] On March 25, 2025, Fondzenyuy participated in the Antarctica Marathon,[24][25][26] completing the race in an official time of 6 hours and 52 minutes. This marked his 19th international marathon and his sixth continent completed in running marathons around the world.[27]
Afowiri Standing beside the donated Toghu in Yaounde
Fondzenyuy is also known for his involvement in various charitable activities.[31] In 2006, he established the Amom Foundation, a non-governmental organization aimed at supporting underprivileged communities through education, health, and infrastructure development.[32] Through the foundation, he has contributed to various causes, including autism awareness, school construction, and providing educational materials to children in rural areas.[33][34][35]
Notable initiatives by Fondzenyuy includes school construction in communities like Nfiengong in Cameroon’s North West Region’s Donga-Mantung Division. He has also supplied didactic materials, readers, and arithmetic tools to schools in Bui and Donga-Mantung Divisions. Before the regional socio-political crisis, reaching over 20,000 children with these efforts.[12]
Following his 2025 Antarctica Marathon, he directed proceeds toward education projects in Cameroonian communities.[40][41] That same year, he donated the Toghu attire from the Tokyo Marathon and his Guinness World Recordscertificate for running in traditional dress to the National Museum of Cameroon in Yaoundé.[42][43][44][45]
Fondzenyuy has also been an advocate for children with autism. He has supported awareness programs and announced plans to establish a dedicated autism centre in Yaoundé as a pilot phase of a national project estimated at 50 million FCFA and funded through personal resources. In his interview with Cameroon Tribune in 2025, Fondzenyuy said: "The autism centre will be an environment where when kids come in, they will like to come to school every day."[12]
Personal life
Fondzenyuy married Alice N. Fondzenyuy in 2011, and has three daughters Verma, Nalowa, and Seevi.[46] He resides between Cameroon and the United States and frequently travels to participate in international marathons and speaking engagements. He is also the founder of African BBQ Sauce (ABS), a U.S.-based food brand.[14]
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
