A Hong Kong charity has cancelled its upcoming "Race for Water" fundraising event just weeks before it was due to take place, leaving participants and supporters surprised after months of preparation.

The event, organised by the charity A Drop of Life, had been designed as a large-scale endurance race intended to raise funds for clean water initiatives in developing regions.

Participants typically compete in long-distance trail routes while carrying containers of water, symbolising the daily struggle faced by communities that must travel long distances to access safe drinking water.

The initiative has previously drawn more than a thousand participants and generated significant donations to support water and sanitation projects overseas.

Organisers confirmed that the event would not proceed this year, announcing the decision only weeks before the scheduled race date.

While the charity did not detail every operational factor behind the cancellation, the move follows mounting logistical and planning difficulties that can affect large public sporting events in the densely populated city.

The annual competition has become a prominent feature in Hong Kong’s charity sports calendar.

Participants typically run distances of around fifteen or thirty kilometres while carrying roughly five litres of water, a challenge designed to give runners a small insight into the hardships experienced by villagers in remote areas lacking reliable water supplies.

Funds raised through the race have historically been directed toward building water infrastructure in communities in countries such as Cambodia and Nepal.

Organisers said they remained committed to their broader mission of improving water access in vulnerable communities despite the cancellation.

The charity continues to run programmes aimed at providing clean water, sanitation facilities and hygiene education in regions affected by water scarcity.

Supporters of the initiative have expressed disappointment that the event will not go ahead this year, but many also voiced continued support for the charity’s work.

Organisers indicated that alternative fundraising efforts and future events may still be planned as part of the organisation’s ongoing campaigns.

Charity races and endurance challenges have become a popular way for Hong Kong organisations to raise funds and awareness for global humanitarian causes.

These events combine athletic participation with fundraising efforts, encouraging thousands of runners and walkers each year to contribute to projects ranging from poverty relief to access to clean water.

Although the "Race for Water" will not take place this year, organisers say the long-term goal remains unchanged: mobilising public support to bring reliable drinking water and sanitation facilities to communities that continue to struggle with severe shortages.