With the main aim to support the girl child and promote the sport as well as gender equality, women’s basketball side A1 Challenge is in search of funds to support their notion.
The team, founded by Rosette Meyar in 1998, held a fundraising dinner at Hotel Africana on Saturday evening. It was attended by chief guest Margaret Zziwa, the speaker of the third East African Legislative Assembly and Fuba president Ambrose Tashobya.
“We have been supporting the girl child through the basketball platform,” Meyar said.
Through auctioning of jerseys and catalouges, close to three million shillings were collected at the function.
“The money collected will help support the orphans, disadvantaged and basketball programmes through the outreach.” Meyar, a former high jumper and handball player who retired basketball three years ago, added.
With such a plan, Challenge also look to tap more raw talent owing to their small coffers.
“We are self-sponsored side. Many of our competitors are affiliated to institutions unlike us,” Meyar added. “So this helps us also look out for the upcoming players who can be of good value to our team.”
According to Meyar, about five girls, scouted through such structures have had their higher education supported by the Challenge team.
With basketball clinics set to be used as the main tool, the team, led by Victoria Ntale will hold sessions in Lubiri High, Mengo SS, Kitante Hill among other selected schools outside the central region.
“A big number of the players on the team have come through these grass root projects,” vice-captain Carol Mugasha said. “The more effort we put in this, the more we could reap and basketball as a whole.”
Currently, the average age of the team is below 25 but they had a poor start to the Airtel Fuba National Basketball League with a 76-60 loss to titleholders KCCA Leopards at the Lugogo Arena on Friday.