Whenever you ask someone in Nakivale their favorite sport, the most likely answer is futbol. It's the most watched and most played sport here. So, it was no surprise when we learned that Augustine, an ARC team member who helps keep the office neat and tidy, plays and coaches futbol himself. His team is called Twegerane which means 'together' in Swahili. The team brings together young boys and girls who have come to Nakivale from all different countries – Congo, Burundi and Rwanda. "We're always together and when we are together we are united," Babu, a young team member tells us. "That's why I play with this team." Augustine works hard coaching his team several times a week. But, a few months ago their one and only soccer ball broke. "We haven't really been able to play for the last few months," Augustine explained. "In the meantime, we have been teaching each other languages – English and French," he said. All it would take to get this team back to playing futbol was a … [Read more...] about Together Again

Yesterday, we met some of the amazing teachers of Ruhoko Primary. They participated in the World Refugee Day 5k in Nakivale refugee settlement to raise the funds to get their students futbol equipment. But, they had another idea to make their futbol team complete. "Our second idea is to level our futbol pitch," explains Simon, a teacher here at Ruhoko. Looking at the futbol pitch, you wouldn't even know that it was intended to be a playing field. Filled with thorny bushes, dirt mounds and rocks, it was a dangerous place for kids to play. We first started by using a grader to level the field, making it even, flat and properly sized. Once this was done, it was time to paint and install new goal posts and nets. The last finishing touch was painting lines to demarcate the different zones of the field. Within a few days' time the futbol pitch was complete. "Wow, we are happy for this work and a new field here at Ruhoko," said Simon. Special thanks to Clif Bar and Kenan … [Read more...] about Safe and Flat

Everyone loves futbol here in Nakivale and the students of Ruhoko Primary School are no exception. The teachers had an idea to get their students more futbol equipment. They work tirelessly to educate and encourage their students – both inside the classroom and out. "I think sports are so important for my students because it helps in their development – it helps them to learn to make decisions quickly and easily," says Fred, one of the teachers. We also heard from several of the teachers that having sports equipment would encourage kids to continue coming to school. It was time to do the doable for Ruhoko Primary. With just a short trip to town, we had all the necessary supplies for a futbol team – jerseys, shoes, futbols, pumps, a whistle, cones and a first aid kit. "You have reached in the source of my heart," exclaimed Edward, one of the teachers. "Now, we are fully equipped. We are very much pleased." Thank you so much to the Mortenson family, Sarah Kiefer, and … [Read more...] about Everybody Loves Futbol

We met Alex back on Day 179, and heard about his dream to bring fresh, nutritious food to his runners – to keep them healthy and strong. With this health challenge out of the way, Alex is thinking bigger. He plans to create a running club for girls and younger kids – those who might be afraid to run without a safe group to be part of. “It is good to have a team to practice together,” he says. So on day 196, we met Alex and his running club at practice to bring running shoes and gear to help him recruit additional runners to the team. Two women runners eagerly switched out their shoes for the new pairs, finding just the right fit. They joined the rest of the club in running laps, laughing along the way. But the new gear is just the beginning of the dream for Alex. Once he recruits new members, he’s training them to run competitively – to participate in regional and international running competitions. “With healthy athletes, we are ready to compete” he says. Last fall, … [Read more...] about Get Out And Run

Seeing the Burundian drummers of Nakivale perform is something you will never forget. Despite the constant movement and even carrying their heavy traditional drums on their heads at points, their energy never wanes over the two hours. Their extraordinary talent makes them a must for any community event in Nakivale refugee settlement. "We're working to keep our culture going here in Nakviale. We like to share with the neighbors around us – Somalis, Congolese and Rwandese," says Therence, a drummer in the group. They also teach the younger generations to pass along the traditions they had to leave behind in Burundi. But, sometimes their drums get damaged or they don't have enough to teach the younger groups. The group took part in the World Refugee Day 5k on June 20 hoping people would support their cause and raise money for more drums. "The difficulty is that the drums we have found here are not our Burundian drums. They are made differently and the sound is not the same. … [Read more...] about The Beat of the Drum

The teachers at Kashojwa Primary School in Nakivale Refugee Settlement had four ideas for getting their students playing and active. And today – Day 194 – is our fourth and last day at Kashojwa, and we’ll be focused on futbol (or soccer) which seems to be everyone’s favorite around here. It was Reagan Tukkasibkle’s idea to upgrade the futbol facilities. “Boys, girls, it makes no difference. The most popular sport at Kashojwa is futbol,” he told us. Reagan and his team of teachers ran in the World Refugee Day 5k in support of their idea, and generous supporters stepped up to make it a reality. There was a lot to be done at Kashojwa. Brush and anthills were all over the field, one of the goal posts was missing a crossbar, neither had a net and the field had none of the required markings. So, we recruited a team to help us. A local welder got to work replacing the crossbar for the goal. And a few people began working on the field itself, taking out the prickly bushes that … [Read more...] about A Futbol Refresh

More kids come to school on basketball days than a regular school day. That’s Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. That’s one of the reasons that Coach Joan Akasingura wanted to get real basketball equipment for the Kashojwa Primary School players. You see Joan is not just one of the basketball coaches. She’s also a teacher at Kashojwa. So, when she thought about what kind of play and sports opportunities she wanted for her students the answer was simple. Basketball equipment would give them an opportunity to improve their skills, but it would mean more kids in school. “It will help with school dropouts,” Joan told us. “Having opportunities to really play basketball with the appropriate equipment will engage our students and break the boredom they may be feeling.” So Joan, her fellow coaches, and teachers ran in the World Refugee Day 5k in support of their idea. And on Day 192, we were able to make it happen. We brought all the supplies to outfit the Kashojwa girls basketball … [Read more...] about Can’t Miss Basketball Practice

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. … [Read more...] about Run Kashojwa, Run!

It happens all the time. People make decisions intending to benefit as many other people as possible. It's well-intentioned but it means that some smaller groups are regularly overlooked. That's why we were so glad to talk with the teachers at Kabazana Primary School in Nakivale Refugee Settlement. When we asked other schools what play equipment or materials their students need, most teachers immediately thought of equipment such as uniforms, shoes, or updating the school's play space - things that benefit most students. But at Kabazana Primary School, we heard something different. There we met Pauson, whose idea - along with other teachers - was to buy games for the special needs classroom. About 20 students, including boys and girls with both physical and mental disabilities, attend Kabazana Primary in a special classroom. Pauson was looking for memory and brain games that would be good for these students – effective at educating by promoting critical thinking and … [Read more...] about Some Indoor Fun

You might remember the first time you put on a new jersey or sports uniform... You probably felt pretty cool, like you were somehow more skilled or powerful than you were before - like you and your team were ready for the toughest opponent. And that's exactly why the students and teachers at Kabazana were so excited to see us today. And why shouldn’t they be – they’ve been waiting for this for quite a while. Back in April, we talked with teacher Moses and others at Kabazana Primary School in Nakivale Settlement. Moses let us know that one of the big things they needed for their students was sports equipment. The favorite sports at Kabazana are futbol, volleyball and netball – but the kids didn’t have the gear to play safely or properly. So we helped make a video with Moses to tell people about Kabazana, and Moses and his team ran in the World Refugee Day 5k in support of their school. On Day 189, we were able to deliver the jerseys, shoes and balls the students needed. … [Read more...] about Jumping for Jerseys!