Sarah’s blog 17/10/26
Back in May, when Liz and I visited Malawi, Levison presented ‘Bola Yane’ project. This translates as ‘My Ball’ project at a Council meeting in Chitipa. I was invited to go with him which was an honour. It was very interesting to be a small part of one of these monthly meetings. Bola Yane is a sports project reaching all the schools in the Chisenga Zone. This time My Ball Project – Bola Yane – Rugby is the subject.
This project is engaging young people in sport, giving them skills, promoting teamwork, discipline and confidence. Through our supporters, we are able to send preloved sports clothes and balls to share with teams at the various schools in the area. Even having a smart, matching sports kit, is making a huge difference to vulnerable children being able to feel they belong and are part of something important. They know people that they have never met are thinking about them when they are donating preloved sports kit. We are delighted that so much sports kit is being recycled and reused and having a new lease of life!
Jack Mphande, Senior Rugby Development Officer for Malawi Rugby Union, and a very good friend of ours, has once again travelled to Chitipa from Lilongwe to teach touch rugby. We are so grateful for Jack’s commitment and enthusiasm and knowledge. He is a true ambassador for rugby and wants to see his sport grow and also the young people benefitting from all that rugby has to offer. Jack is wearing red trousers in the photos.
Jack spent Thursday and Friday teaching and coaching teachers from 12 local schools. We are also grateful to Patrick Simwayi, District Education Sports Officer, for his support for the project and attending the training event for the teachers. Patrick was guest of honour at the Celebration Day when Liz and I were in Malawi. He is now another friend of ours and we thank him for his help with supporting the vulnerable children in the Chisenga education zone. Patrick is wearing the green t-shirt.
Jack will be visiting schools in the area this week, working with those teachers who attended the training sessions and students at those schools. Patrick will also be joining him in is role as the District Education Sports Officer. I will share more photos in another post and introduce a few more people from the photos.
Thank you so much to Jack and also to Patrick. And not forgetting Levison and team who have facilitated and hosted the event, we are very grateful. I hope you enjoy the photos and videos of My Ball Project – Bola Yane – Rugby. Thanks also to Levison, Jack and Elisha for the photos and videos.
All of these events cost money to put together and we need to fundraise for them. So if you would like to support touch rugby in rural northern Malawi, we would love to hear from you. We are looking for donations to send boxes of kit. Also to feed teachers and children at these events and to pay the transport costs for Jack for him to come from Lilongwe on the bus. In Jack’s words ‘Rugby Rise Malawi’. contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com Thank you, Sarah x
ps we have a new fundraising page that I wanted to share. Children desperately need food ahead of the rainy season and also exercise books that they cannot afford. Please read the fundraisers and donate if you can. Thanks, Sarah x https://localgiving.org/charity/changing-lives-malawi
