4 minute read
AFCB supports Ugandan Cherries
By Marilyn Barber | newseditor@dorsetview.co.uk
A Ferndown man is raising funds to help orphans in Uganda to pursue their football careers.
Steve Butler is the facilitator for Ugandan Cherries – Bournemouth Kakira FC.
The ‘Bournemouth Academy Uganda’ was instigated in October 2020 by a tweet from Kizza Joshua, football coach at Ibun School Orphanage in Bugembe, Jija, asking for help in obtaining AFCB football shirts.
Kizza is a massive AFC Bournemouth supporter and has been so for a number of years.
Steve replied to his tweet and a donation page was set up to help the orphans at to wear AFC Bournemouth kit.
The various GoFundMe pages Steve started have now received more than £20,000 in donations mainly from AFCB fans globally and some AFCB players, which has far exceeded the targets set.
Steve is in regular contact on social media with Kizza and the school’s headmaster Mawanda Albert.
Steve said: “I‘ve also received brilliant help from a couple of fellow AFCB supporters, providing shipping and customs expertise and also some second hand kit, some of which was shipped out to Bugembe during December 2020.
“I have organised other additional shipments of £1,500 worth of additional training items, including 30 footballs, some first aid kits, 40 training bibs, 30 cones, football bags and pumps to name a few items, which reached the school on Christmas Eve 2020, which was brilliant timing.”
Steve Cook, who was then AFCB Captain – he is now with Nottingham Forest FC – organised at his own expense, football kit and other items to be sent out, as well.
More training equipment has also now been shipped out worth £1,500 in total.
This equipment comprises additional two sets of goalposts and white nets, 15 mannequin dummies, 20 Speed Parachutes and 36 training hurdles.
At Christmas 2020 a meal donation was provided for the school, following a couple of anonymous donations, and a TV and decoder to enable the children to watch AFCB games live.
Following further generous donations, the water pump has been repaired at a cost of £1,800.
Donations of £2,000 have enabled rebuild works on the pit latrine toilet.
In addition, thanks to donations of £4,600 work will soon start on the roofing, refurbishment and completion of redundant outbuildings to provide the Dean Court Dormitory.
During the 2021-22 season the main shirt and training kit sponsor MSP Capital donated more than 25 football shirts and other items to be shipped out by AFCB.
Steve said: “The main aim is to continue providing further training equipment, football kit and general everyday life-support assistance to inspire the children and to give them some positive focus in life, to enable maybe just one, to become a top level professional footballer, hopefully for AFC Bournemouth.”
Recently, with help from Steve and support from AFCB fans, Kizza has applied and been accepted entry into the Official League 5 of Jinja District FA. They are now top of the league and hope to be promoted to League 4.
Steve said: “This level of football now requires additional donations/funding for all the training kit, AFCB Team football kit, footballs and other items such as first aid kit, travelling expenses and match fees.”
AFCB player Emiliano Marcondes has taken a keen personal interest in Ugandan Cherries, helping with fundraising with his personally signed shirts and boots for auctioning, He recently visited Uganda and whilst there met up with Kizza and some of the Kakira Cherries FC playing squad.
The orphanage has approximately 100-300 boys and girls, sadly arriving off the streets, aged from approx six to 19 years.
If you would like to support the inspiring young players at the orphanage, go to https://gofund.me/57278df5
Or for monthly donations https://ko-fi.com/bournemouthkakirafc
