It would appear to be a very interesting idea that Evvy has suggested: that KJT would do well to explore the idea of linking up in some way with KKL (Kampala Kids League) if they have not already done so. Following the useful links that Evvy has provided, it seems evident that Trevor Dudley is a very dynamic person (and Ashoka Fellow and MBE in this year's UK's Honours List!) who may well be able to assist KJT or be assisted by them.

I know Kayiwa Fred was seeking ways of contacting high profile people like Prince Charles (who, I see, visited KKL last year) and, especially, Kayiwa's favourite player, Robbie Fowler. I know of no direct links between the latter and Uganda, but I know that Alan Shearer (now a football pundit on BBC soccer programmes) was in Kampala quite recently to champion the cause of kids in need there. I hadn't realised before Evvy posted that he has strong links with KKL and that may well have been the reason he was in Uganda.

I mention Alan Shearer (in relation to Robbie Fowler) because his fellow TV pundit Alan Hansen is another Liverpool hero and almost certainly would have played with Robbie Fowler.

Though I have no idea whether trying to contact celebrities is effective in the long run. At best, it is likely to a very hit-or-miss approach.

I would be interested to know about the general state of kids soccer leagues in Uganda (especially in Kampala).

Perhaps Moses, Kayiwa or Kabugo could supply some information.

Thanks.

Kayiwa has mentioned contacting football celebrities to me too, I don't know any personally (!) but I'm asking around. I do have one (rather distant) contact who has close working connections with Manchester Utd, I've not been able to speak to him about it yet, I know it's a long shot but it's worth a try!

But Evvy's post brings up another, broader question, which is : Are the KJT missing out on practical help that might be available to them locally in Kampala, and if so, is that because of lack of access to (or lack of the existence of) local media - newspapers, radio, etc ?

There is local media in Kampala as well as in more rural areas. They have two newspapers (The New Vision and the Monitor) but the biggest source of news for the common people is the radio. KKl does get quite a bit of coverage, especially on the radio.

I really enjoyed the KKL while I was living in Kampala. I loved seeing all the kids playing. These kids don't get a lot of just play time. They actually work very hard along side their parents so a time to just play football and be happy kids was really special. But the other side benefit I personally saw was with the general population.

On Game Days which was usually Saturday the games start at 8am and go until about 7pm. There will be 5-6 games going on all day long at the given location and people from all over come to watch. The fields will be lined with people, any sitting area will be packed and all around the fence you have people 3 and 4 deep lined up to watch. It is free entertainment and a break from their normal activities. And Ugandans LOVE football. So organized or unorganized football games give something to the adults in the area as well as allowing the children the fun of playing.

I have to tell a cute story here. When I first went to Uganda, Lucas (one of my grandsons) was playing in to Kampala TOTO league which is the very young ones. We went to the first game and they had chairs set up all around the field's perimeter. I thought this was kind of an odd arrangments since you usually would see seating arranged in groups to act as a cheering section. Now if you have ever watched the very young ones play you know that it can be quite hectic with all the little feet trying to kick the ball at the same time and they are just learning so they don't have very good control of the ball. I quickly realized that the purpose of the seating arrangement was so that the spectators could keep the ball on the field by kicking it back in when it went out of bounds. This saved a lot of time from having to chase the ball, especially since the field was on a hill! It became actually quite fun to watch the ball go out and get kicked back in by the spectators and was just so practical.

Thanks for the story Evvy, that's a lovely image!

So there is the potential for local media coverage of KJT, which would be a good way of raising their profile. Would it actually help them, do you think, by attracting local assistance and support, or would it just bring more desperate kids to their overcrowded door? Kayiwa tells me they have to turn many away.

Exactly, I know how many kids can show up. We have that happen sometimes with our own center programs. You have to be very careful. I think you need the funding, the equipment and the organizational part in place before you start broadcasting because the kids will come as soon as they hear about it. It is very heartbreaking to have to turn them away and very discouraging to them. It is also a good idea with something like this to post a sign telling how many will be taken and also to use that in the broadcasts. If you can only take 100 and 1000 show up, which can happen, you really have to have some way of handling it so people don't get angry. If they know ahead of time that only 100 will be taken then they also know ahead of time that 900 will be turned away.

Thanks Very much Evvy Bryning, Ceris Dien & David Bale To be honest we are so pleased to hear that you think about us. We know KKL and Coach Kabugo initially before he formed KJT was a coach Volunteer in KKL. However this is an Academy which helps young people to develop their Talents just as we do In KJT so its hard to get support from them. What we do now is to find ways of approaching the media and recently we have been in contact we National TV but we did not succeed.

What we think is how we can raise our profile to the community and indeed we have done much on this when you come on one of our sessions you will be surprised to see big turn up of parents and supporters although they are people of low profile and so poor since we are in slums that they cant help much to our programmes.

Otherwise we know KKL and some of our kids have played in KKL. Thanks for this. We are so happy to hear from you and your questions about KJT

David and Ceris i asked you about the Star and high profile people is try because we see that the successful academy s have these people's support

like KKL has got Stanbic Bank sponsering it, and many big organistions here

Proline is sponsered by Ferdinand of Machester and Nike comapny, and many have thats why we thought having one is fine. Thanks David for your care

Thanks for your first thoughts, Kayiwa!

I think this is a good area to explore more. I have made an assumption that a team, an academy and a league are three separate things, though I can see how one might develop into another.

Was KKL originally conceived as a team, a league or an academy?

How would you describe KJT at present - a team or an academy? What exactly is the difference? Roughly how many of each are there in Kampala?

Sorry to ask so many questions. I don't expect you to answer more than one or two at a time!

BTW, Kayiwa, I've just made Kabugo a co-owner of the group. As soon as you and Moses actually join the group (!) I'll make you two co-owners as well. And then please free to run things here any way you want. (To join the group you need to visit the group's homepage)

:)

I am with David in not understanding the distinctions here. If there is already a well established and funded program, what makes your program unique so that joining your program into the existing program is not a good choice?

I've looked over the KKL website and it seems to be entirely focused on sport, in contrast to One Helping Another

http://www.onehelpinganother.com /

and Kayiwa's concerns when we chat about the general welfare and education of the children. It seems to me that the help he, Kabugo and Moses need most urgently is practical assistance in caring for the kids and getting them into schools. It may be that KKL do help in those areas but just don't advertise it, I don't know. Maybe Evvy could supply some more info on that.

I wasn't aware that Fred was putting kids in schools. I thought this was about starting a Football Academy to teach them how to play football. Did I misunderstand?

Evvy,

Kayiwa Fred has put quite a bit of information about Kampala Junior Team in his KJT News thread in his personal news from which I've copied the following:

ABOUT KJT (KAMPALA JUNIOR TEAM)

AGE CATEGORY

Kampala Junior Team is a registered Community Based Youth Football Team handling 40 children 5years to 20years old. Most of them are from disadvantaged and poor families especially from Kampala suburbs and slums.

LOCATION

The Team is based in Kisenyi 1 Parish, Kampala Central Division, Kampala District and its training ground is at Nakivubo Blue Primary School.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

• To play an active role in promotion of empowerment for youth and women economically, socially and politically.
• To identify and promote talents.
• To promote environmental awareness through seminars and workshops, conferences and publications.
• To create public awareness of human rights and civic responsibilities through seminars, and workshops.
• To carry out public health awareness.
• To work hand in hand with parents and schools, to facilitate children’s learning.
• To identify talented children and connect them to schools in order to get bursaries.
• And many others.

HOW WE HELP THE CHILDREN

Kampala junior Team does not help children to identify their special talents only but also the administration approaches schools at different levels to get school bursaries to attain education.

In this exchange, some schools make note of children’s interests and talents and give them school bursaries. We also contact the community such that they can extend their help where possible especially towards the health considerations of the orphan children.

ACHIEVEMENTS

Tournaments

Kampala Junior Team has participated in the following Tournaments:

1. Kigali youth tournament
2. Nairobi Michezo tournament

Trophies

Locally we have won trophies for under 7, U12, U12, and internationally, we have participated in the Kigali Youth Tournament in Kigali, Rwanda and won trophy for U12. We have also participated in Michezo Africa Nairobi International Tournament which is every august and won for trophies in U7, U12, U13 and U14. This tournament attracts several African youth teams from different age groups.

FUFA

Kampala Junior Team is a registered member of FUFA, the Federation of Uganda Football Association.

Team Composition

The team is taking 40 children and 10 officials making up three teams of U7, U10 AND U13 plus team officials that will manage them while there.

Other Engagements

Besides participating in several soccer tournaments and winning trophies, Kampala junior team has participated in several music and drumming festivals, both local and international.

The team also engages in drama that highlights annual activities and problems encountered in life. This is the climax of activities whereby the community is entertained to show them their children’s extra talents.

TEAM LEADERSHIP

The team has a responsible dedicated leadership from top to bottom whereby even the children are trained to lead themselves hence observing discipline within the society.

PARENT INVOLVEMENT

The team has encouraged involvement of the parents and guardians of the children. They always supervise the children’s behaviors both on and off the pitch and also help where necessary.

SECOND AND FIRST DIVISION LEAGUES

The players who have reached the age of 17-20 yrs have been registered to play the 2nd and 1st Division league in Kampala Central Division respectively.

The team graduated from the second division league to first division league whereby its players have secured school bursaries to further their secondary education levels, which is an achievement to both the players and the team.

OK thanks David and Linda you indeed have a reason to know the Aims Of the KJT David KKL is called Kampala Kids League and in this there goes many young clubs to participate that's different from the and academy and a team

Right now KJT is called Kampala Junior Team but its more less an academy because it is doing the training of young kids in different talents although at the moment football is major focus. Not sure if this Answers you David.

Linda Nowakowski said:

I am with David in not understanding the distinctions here. If there is already a well established and funded program, what makes your program unique so that joining your program into the existing program is not a good choice?

Linda the are already program me which is going on to develop Young footballers in Uganda and Kampala but its Ltd to some children or not all of them have got access to it like most are required to pay some money to join these program mes and those who cant afford to pay that much they are left out so this is were KJT comes in but we are not trying to create a unique program me though it becomes unique compare to what is already here.

Evvy Bryning said:

I wasn't aware that Fred was putting kids in schools. I thought this was about starting a Football Academy to teach them how to play football. Did I misunderstand?

Thanks Evvy to ask we actually a have more than 20 orphans and we have got them schools and also those who play very well and come from poor families we have managed to get them schools which schools need their talents all though many are still in need to have sponsors.

Am happy with all what is going on here

Glad you like it, Kabugo!

I think perhaps we should start another thread here for discussion of the Michezo tournament in Nairobi in just a month's time.

Kabugo has all the details in his personal news

So, fellow-co-owners (and anyone else who wants to air their views!) shall I start a Michezo tournament discussion here in the KJT group?

Please do start its our pleasure David We hope it will succeed and promote us and our Kids may love their Interest if the are really cared for

I came across the Global Fund For Children

http://www.globalfundforchildren .org/index.html

and thought the KJT might fit their criteria

http://www.globalfundforchildren .org/applyforagrant/index.html

I think it's well worth considering, what do you think?

I note they've already got a project in Uganda, infused by the same kind of spirit that drives the KJT :)

http://www.globalfundforchildren .org/ourwork/profile_uganda.html

I tried to contact them waiting for the reply

Great Kayiwa, I'm keeping my fingers crossed, did you use the online application form or did you just e-mail them? The instructions on the site are not entirely clear, are they? You're asked to submit an informal inquiry but the link takes you to an apply for a grant form, which may or may not be for informal inquiries.

Anyway, as I said, fingers crossed and I'll do what I can to help.

Actually i did use the online form

Today KJT boys are having a friendly match with an academy from Kenya its here for a trip

This is so impressive Fred

Kabugo,

Just been chatting with Fred online. He said you were with the team yesterday while he was at church. Did the team win the friendly with the team from Kenya?