Uganda: Buwate Sports Academy
Soccer Gala Spreads Hope: Q2 2018
September 23, 2018
Naku Charles Lwanga
Summary of Activities
- Buwate Sports Academy organized and held holiday sports programs for the academy children, and serious training began, especially for those attending boarding school, in order to prepare them for the holiday matches.
- Buwate Sports Academy children traveled to Kayunga District for yet another friendly competition at Namagabi Muslim Secondary School’s playgrounds. The competition was Buwate versus Colaster Secondary School in the categories of under-11, under-13, and under-17. Buwate emerged as the overall winners in all of the matches played.
- Thanks to RMF’s support, the Kireka senior team had the opportunity to participate in the Kampala Central Fourth Division League.
- Wages for Buwate Sports Academy support staff were paid promptly, enabling the program to run smoothly.
- Buwate Sports Academy continued implementing a system of visiting former students who, after completing their training in the vocational department, are now self-employed. This is a way to inspire, empower, and provide technical support to the graduates who are referred to as success stories and to the current trainees who hear their stories.
- Buwate Sports Academy has greatly impacted the lives of its vocational trainees by enabling students, especially those who were previously employed as house helpers in the community, to start up their own business and generate a daily income. For example, Nakanwagi Zahara and Maria Akello are very proud and enthusiastic about running their small businesses.

Results &
ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Scholastic Materials
School is Good
With the aid of RMF funds, scholastic materials were procured and distributed to the children returning for the second term, enabling them to study without interruption.
Buwate Sports Academy has helped to sustain and retain children in school. This is because of scholastic materials that are given to the children and sensitization provided during trainings: “School is good.”

RMF Pays School Fees
Reducing Illiteracy
School fees were paid for 80 children in Buwate Sports Academy, with funds from RMF.
The project is contributing to reducing illiteracy in Uganda. Every year, RMF’s support enables more children to complete their primary or secondary education, and some of our sponsored children have completed their Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE).

Kamuli Tournament
Promoting Aids Awareness
Buwate Sports Academy children were invited to participate in a friendly tournament in Kamuli District, in eastern Uganda, where the theme of the day was using football (American soccer) to combat HIV/AIDS in the community. Children displayed their talent and skills as they played in matches with different teams (under-12 and under-17).

Vocational Training
Promoting Gender Equality
The vocational department has successfully trained and prepared its students to compete in the outside market, and with RMF’s support, they have been able to establish small startups.
The impact of Buwate Sports Academy’s vocational training program is evident in the community and has even led some male youths to enroll for hairdressing and tailoring training. In the past, these were seen as jobs only for females.

Slum Soccer Gala
Providing Hope
Buwate Sports Academy was invited to the Slum Soccer Gala, a sports gala organized for youth living in slum areas of Kampala. The children were taught to use football (American soccer) to help control the negative behaviors that can result from living in slums, such as theft and prostitution, to use football as hope, and to build their talent and skills. Children from the slums of Namuwongo, Banda, Kireka, and Bwaise attended the event, and the games were played at Kyambogo University’s sports grounds.

Academy Meeting
Engaging Parents
Buwate Sports Academy staff organized and engaged parents in discussions concerning their children, such as promoting academy programs, monitoring children in school to enhance good education, career development, behavioral change, and combating poverty by starting income generating activities to promote better standards of living.

Background
& Objectives
Background
In early 2013, RMF, the Mother Teresa Children’s Foundation in Italy (Devoti Madre Terese Per I Bambini) and World Children’s Fund started funding support of the Buwate Sports Academy. Buwate Sports Academy is a sports club and activity group for children living in Buwate village, Kira Town, Kampala District. The Buwate Sports Academy seeks develop the youth advancement component of our humanitarian work through games, sports training, vocational training and other educational opportunities.
Objectives
- Provide funding to assist the operations and growth of Buwate Sports Academy
- Provide funding to allow children from surrounding slums to attend school
- Provide funding for vocational training opportunities including tailoring, hairdressing, and cosmetology
- Increase Buwate’s popularity in hopes that this will attract social services from the government and other development partners

More
Photos
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Numbers
Served
Community Benefactors
April to June 2018
RMF paid school fees for 80 children in Buwate Sports Academy.
About 2,000 persons in the Buwate, Kireka, Bwyogerere, and Seeta communities benefit from the Buwate Sports Academy project.

More Reports on: Buwate Sports Academy Archive
Country Page: Uganda
Initiative Page: Buwate Sports Academy