The teachers at Kashojwa Primary School were some of the most eager we met in Nakivale Refugee Settlement. When we asked them if they had an idea to create more play and sports opportunities for their students, they said, ‘Yes, of course. We have four!”
So, each of the Kashojwa teachers hopped onto one of their four idea teams, and they all ran in the World Refugee Day 5k on June 20 in support of their ideas.
The first idea was Sylivano’s – to start a Kashojwa running club. The problem? No shoes. No uniforms. They had the space in the schoolyard, but large anthills made the surface too uneven.
On Day 191, we tackled the space first, mowing the grass, knocking down and smoothing the anthills, and then measuring and chalking lanes for the runners.
With the running course sorted, we turned to the runners. Sylivano and the teachers wanted uniforms for the kids and shoes that could be shared amongst them. When we handed them over, the teachers and students were thrilled. “Running really takes energy and patience,” said Sylivano. “This new equipment has our learners excited, and I think it will encourage them to practice and stay focused on running and their studies.”
At the end of the day, we didn’t forget Sylivano and the other dedicated teachers. We left behind a couple of coaches’ uniforms and shoes, so that the coaches were equipped to do what they need to do and share in the energy with their student athletes.
Special thanks to Emily, Andrew, Carly, and Jenna & Mike Myrland for making the Kashojwa Running Club a reality!
