Ugandan basketball giants, Namuwongo Blazers have partnered with the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) on a project that will support refugees in Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement.

This launch of this partnership happened on Friday, 6th December, at the Norwegian Refugee Council Head Office in Bugolobi.

Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement hosts thousands of refugees who have fled conflict and hardship in neighboring countries.

In a quest to rebuild their lives, the Refugees face multiple challenges, such as limited access to mental health support, educational and recreational activities, opportunities for social cohesion, and many more.

Thus, any support rendered to them is very much welcome and goes a long way toward creating a positive impact on them.

This is not the first time the Namuwongo based side has carried out such activities.

In 2023, they had a one-day visit to Nakivale Refugee Settlement, where they did numerous activities and left an impact on society.

They also had a visit to Holy Street Basketball Academy (a slum-based academy for children), where they donated sets of jerseys to help in the work.

This project will span approximately six months and willebe funded by the Norwegian Refugee Council.

Objectives

1. Enhance Mental and Physical Well-being
2. Promote Social Cohesion
3. Skill Development and Empowerment
4. Raise Awareness and Build Support Network

To achieve their goals, the Blazers and NRC have some activities in mind, such as Basketball Clinics and Training Camps, Friendship Matches, and Tournament and Mentorship Program.

Expected Outcomes

1. Increased engagement and physical activity among refugee youth
2. Strengthened social ties between refugees and host communities
3. Enhanced visibility amd support for refugee welfare
4. Improved self-esteem, mental resilience, and hope for the future among participants.

“Firstly, we are from a community-based club, and looking at the fact that we have been able to inspire our community as Namuwongo, this gives us a very good avenue to ensure that we can pass this same message of hope to other communities” Paul Odong Namuwongo Blazers Captain

“Through these partnerships, we are able to build the brand of our team” Daniel Muttu Namuwongo Blazers CEO on what such partnership mean for the club.

“Basketball takes 40 minutes but between games, what do you have to offer as a club”

“We shall be able to periodically visit them and assess the progress and if we see some players who we see have the potential, we could talk to some of our partner schools and get them scholarships” Daniel on how the program will be run and the possible outcomes.

Namuwongo Blazers finished 4th in the 2024 National Basketball League and as they continue to fight for a championship, it is good to see that they have other activities that positively impact the community going on.

Uganda is one of the most welcoming countries and it hosts over 1.7 million refugees and asylum seekers.

Any helping hand extended to them goes a long way in impacting them and providing hope for a future.