Peddling 300km to Level the Playing Field

On Saturday the 14th May I'm cycling the Wild Mayo Ultra 300km (because I’m bonkers!) and hoping to raise €3,000 (£2,500) to fund the creation of a sports field for the children of St Francis de Sales School for children with deafness and disability in Jinja, Uganda. Some of you might remember our epic ride to 'Uganda and back' during the 2020 lockdown to raise the funds to build the school, construction is now complete, the school has its first intake of pupils, a staff of specialist teachers and an on-site nurse.

Leveling the playing field

Children with disabilities are often those most vulnerable and marginalised in Uganda. In classrooms that often have to cater for over 100 pupils they quickly get left behind. But with a little extra help these young people can reach their full potential. St Francis de Sales aims to give children with additional needs a solid foundation education allowing them to enter and thrive in mainstream schools wherever possible.

The pitch!

We all know the benefits of sport for physical and mental health. €3,000 will fund the purchase of an acre of land adjacent to the school. Flatten it to create a football field, netball pitch and running track. It will also provide football nets, netball equipment, kits, shoes, balls and other sports equipment.

There is a brilliant article in the UN website here about the benefits of sporting facilities in personal and team development along with those of integration and inclusion. It will be fantastic to see students taking part in tournaments and inviting other schools to play on their pitches.

Extra time

In addition, facilities can be hired out to provide additional income for the school helping it reach its sustainability goals.

The land will be big enough to house a kitchen garden to ensure that the pupils have a healthy supply of fresh fruit and vegetables to fuel their sporting endeavors.

A bit about HUGS

Helping Uganda Schools (HUGS ) is an established no-overhead charity based in the UK, working with trusted local grassroots Uganda NGOs to improve basic living conditions and help the poorest and marginalised children access education. With education, children can escape poverty, violence and crime. Your donations will go a very long way to making a positive difference.