Kampala, Uganda
Kampala, Uganda is an SWB core program
Program Background:
Uganda is home to one of the largest populations of refugees and internally displaced peoples in Africa. Because of the relatively hospitable policies toward victims of forced migration, refugees from all over the Great Lakes and Horn of Africa region flock to Uganda to seek security and peace within its borders. There are an estimated 10,000 urban refugees in Uganda; who have chosen to forego life in camps in favor of making their own way in the cities.
In Kampala and the surrounding areas, the urban refugee population faces great obstacles. Language barriers, xenophobia, lack of local recognition of scholastic and professional diplomas, lack of financial resources and absence of institutional support all inhibit refugees from starting their lives anew while in exile—indefinitely, sometimes permanently—from their home country. But among all these barriers, refugees in the urban settings often say that the biggest barrier they face in Uganda is a lack of access, for adults and children alike, to educational opportunities.
Program Description:
SWB Uganda works in the Nsambya and Katwe neighborhoods of Kampala. Through soccer and educational programming, the SWB program creates a space for urban refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Rwanda, Burundi, Sudan and Somalia to integrate with their Ugandan peers. Currently, the program has a U10, U12, U14, U17 boys teams and a men's team as well as U-14 girls team and a women's team. Throughout the regular season teams practice two-three times a week and meet for off-field activities twice a week. Additionally, English tutoring is available freely to urban refugees of all ages four times a week out of the SWB Kampala office. When school is out of session program's expand even further to include boys U8 and girls U12 and U16 teams.
In addition to core programming in Kampala, SWB does weekly outreach in Ndejje, Uganda. Working with HOPE primary school, SWB offers one soccer practice and one off-field activity a week to both refugee and national youth, ages 8-15.
Program Partners:
HOPE School
Rotary Club of San Jose
Skidmore Men’s and Women’s Soccer
Soccer Silicon Valley Community Foundation
Program Staff:
Raphael Murumbi, SWB Uganda- Kampala Local Director
Travis Dezendorf, SWB Uganda Intern
Nick Dreher, SWB Uganda Intern
Byamungu “Byamo” Murumbi, SWB Uganda- Kampala Coach
Jeremiah Lukeka Muiingamo, SWB Uganda- Kampala Coach
Iga Ronald, SWB Uganda- Kampala Coach
Junior Kasereka Shabusha, SWB Uganda- Kampala Coach
Olivier Matanda, SWB Uganda- Kampala Coach
Recent Highlights: