Over the years, the Global Sports Mentorship Programme (GSMP) has continued to take root in Uganda with different initiatives, empowering women and girls through sports.
The Growing The Game in Girls program, started by former Uganda Crested Cranes head coach and captain Majidah Nantanda, has over time created impact among young girls and women through football.
At the Makerere University sports ground (below Nsibirwa Hall), it was a party for blind football, especially for the young girls and women.
Over 8 teams for men and 3 teams for women from different universities in East Africa engaged in the day-long festivity.
“I feel so good being that it is inclusive sports day-to-day. As the Global Sports Mentorship Alumni, we have been working towards this to have inclusive sports for the disabled persons. Today, we had a blind sports championship hosted by Makerere University with a number of teams (8 for men and 3 for women),” Dr Agnes Baluka Masajja, team lead, remarked.
From normal football, wheelchair football, amputee football to blind football, the Global Sports Mentorship programme has seen it all in a bid to promote inclusive sports.
Donations:
Football jerseys and specialised balls for blind football procured by the Global Sports Mentorship Alumni and the Basketball hall of Fame were also donated to the teams.
A number of partners joined resources together for a successful championship as Busitema University, Makerere University, Gulu University, Makerere University Business School (MUBS), United States International University (ISIU), Uganda Blind Football Association, Association of Uganda University Sports (AUUS), American Embassy in Uganda, Uganda Society for Physical Education and Sports, Golden Boots Uganda, Reproductive Health and all the other individual sponsors.
The Global Sports Mentorship Programme provides Sports for fun and sports for health options.
As a former woman football player, I feel enthused every time I see women and girls playing football. In partnership with the Uganda Blind Football Association, the Global Sports Mentorship Programme has come to organize a blind football championship for women. It is not a one-off project but something continuous. We thank all the sponsors and partners who have come on board to assist in this organization. In future, we shall also involve the deaf people.
Madinah Nantanda
