September 4, 2019 – This summer, a WPDI-sponsored football team comprising of 10 youths under 17 years of age participated in a district-level competition organized under the Airtel Rising Stars Tournament. The tournament was held at the Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement in Northern Uganda and organized to promote peaceful coexistence between communities there.
This objective is reflective of WPDI’s Peace Through Sports program at the settlement, which has, in only a few years, brought thousands of youths together to play a variety of sports like football, volleyball, and basketball. Sports is one of the most powerful tools with which to teach youths important foundational values, such as tolerance, respect for rules and regulation, and fair play. With that in mind, the Airtel Rising Stars Tournament and similar events are a great way for the youths to learn to respect their opponents, engage in peaceful competition, and have fun while doing so. As Sunday, a 15-year-old member of the WPDI team in the tournament noted, “WPDI has helped me become social and active in my community. I was overjoyed when we qualified for the Airtel Rising Stars competition. I was able to make new friends from western Uganda and am happy to say I was exposed to new opportunities outside the settlement.”
Unsurprisingly, the WPDI team’s hard work paid off during the district-level competition. They won five straight matches and beat Bweyale United FC 1-0 during the final match, which ensured that they qualified to represent the Kiryandongo District at a regional competition, which was held at the end of August. There, 25 teams of boys under the age of 17 participated, and WPDI FC competed successfully until the quarterfinals. Despite the loss, the players on the WPDI team learned important life lessons from the tournament. As Mambo, a 15-year-old participant mentioned, “I am very grateful to have had this opportunity. I have made many new friends and my life has changed in all aspects. I know that we can all be successful in the future.”