A Hidden Talent Opens Doors

Auma Angella #9 getting ready for a basketball game

At Sports Outreach we believe sports are an all terrain vehicle that knows no bounds. It is international in scope, intercultural in appeal, and there are virtually no cultural or social hang-ups. It breaks the barriers to be able to build relationships with kids to disciple them into future leaders. Often times we find that through sports, doors become opened to the kids. Read below the story of Akello Daphne, who through Sports Outreach programming found she had a natural talent and now has had the opportunity to grow and achieve more through basketball!

A 13 year old Auma Angella escorted her elder sister; Akello Daphne to our basketball trainings at Kawempe but would only just sit down and watch. Coach Kennedy encouraged her to join but she said that it was too hard, she couldn’t do it. Later she agreed to give it a try on August 1, 2020.  After 3 months of training, the Coach spotted her natural talent and the ability to learn fast; playing better than many other children that have been on the program for a year.   

During one of the outreach games, one of the coaches of St. Noa Girls’ Secondary School, a high school, scouted her out to go for trials. She competed and passed being awarded with a six year basketball scholarship! The scholarship amounts to 1,360,000 shillings per academic term. At school, she was one of the hardest working girls on the court because she had realized that basketball can open doors for her if she trains hard to become better.  

In October 2021, the U15 Girls’ National Basketball Team contacted Coach Kennedy to take her to the U15 National Team camp that was preparing for the FIBA 2021 Girls’ Under  - 15 Challenge Skills. She joined the camp and was picked to be among the team of 8 girls that finally represented the country in the FIBA 2021 U15 Challenge Skills which took place at Lugogo in Uganda! This was a remarkable moment in her life and also a great highlight to our basketball program to not only raise a player who can represent the country in FIBA events but also help her succeed in life!

If you would like to learn more about he ministry in Southern Uganda, click here!