School of Excellence-Ex-players Partnership take Masaka by storm

Local authorities have been called upon to take interest in the development of youth. Speaking at the close of the soccer clinic at Kijjabwemi in Masaka on Saturday , Former Villa and Cranes defender  Daniel Ntale who also spearheaded the partnership with the charity asked local leaders to support grassroots initiative aimed at tapping talents. The Ex-players played a football match with Kijjabwemi football Club after conducting a series of soccer drills.

The Uganda Ex-players Association have partnered with Kampala School of Excellence Ministries a local Childrens’ Sports charity to conduct a countrywide talent search through a series of soccer clinics. The program supported by SAMONA Beauty products and Jodana Sports Management is expected to end in December 2011. The move is aimed at complementing efforts towards development of grassroots youth soccer and creating awareness about various social challenges relating to children and youths. The Project which has so far reached over 1200 children in the 5 Divisions of Kampala has also been implemented in Masaka and Mityana districts. Using their fame and technical football knowledge, formers players are inspiring talents and motivating communities to support these youngsters.

Jodana Sports Management donated a full set of jerseys to Masaka Soccer Academy at a function attended by a mammoth crowd. Former Cranes defender and Police FC coach Deo Sserwada advised the younger stars to desist from risky social behavior for successful soccer careers.

Paul Kiwalabye, the Director of Blessings Junior School , one of the schools that participate in the exercise commended the partners for the tremendous work in reaching out to children in rural areas. According to the Ex-players, they will be extending the program to Kalangala, Kabale and Gulu districts in March 2011 before moving to other areas of the nation.

Tackle Africa lauds School of Excellence

Kampala school of Excellence Ministries has been lauded for its contribution in using sports a a tool for community mobilisation. This according to Yianny Iaonnou, Coaching Development Manager at Tackle Africa is a sure way of mobilising communities for development. This was at KSEM's weekly program in Naguru a suburb of Kampala. Tackle Africa is a UK sports charity which execute health messaging and HIV/AIDS education through soccer. Tackle Africa is currently involved with partners on projects in more than 6 African countries.

Tackle Africa also does coaching education for coaches involved with youths in the communities especially with regard to Coaching with Health Messaging. Currently they have trained a large number of youth coaches in Uganda and this January over 20 coaches undertook the Beginners level course. Kampala School of Excellence Ministries has sent one of its youth coaches Moses Kalanzi for the course.

Kampala School of Excellence partners with the Uganda EX-Players Association to organise soccer clinics for children and youths in a number of areas in Kampala and beyond. This year alone the Partnership with the EX-players supported by SAMONA beauty products has reached a total of 800 children. Three Sports Clinics have been organised in the different divisions of Kampala starting with Central Division at Nakivubo Stadium, Kibuli Police and Naguru Police grounds.

Yianny was flanked by Ndunda Mukonyo, Tackle Africa Project Manager for Kenya who also manages a girls soccer project in Kenya aimed at empowering young girls and protecting them from social evils. Ndunda advised KSEM to consider reaching out to the girls and also to add Community sanitation work as part of the organisation's strategic activities.

KSEM runs a girls ministry called Girls Hope specifically founded to cater for the needs both spiritual and material of the young girls in the communities where we operate. The ministry is managed by Brenda Kawuma, a former top model and sports woman.