Our final morning working with the teachers in Gulu started with several pretty dynamic warm-ups led by the teachers themselves we then looked at little games that can be used to reinforce skills such as the Lords Game which proved popular. We also ran a session on the Pull Shot which was especially enjoyed by the 2 baseball crazy teachers who saw this as a great opportunity to really launch the ball.

The afternoon was when all of the fun began, because of the distances involved only 6 of the 9 schools we have been working with could send children but this still meant that around 100 kids had their first ever cricket training all coached by their own teachers. It is a great sight to witness all of the work we have done realised and to look around the field and see several structured practice sessions taking place it was also clear that all our HIV/AIDS messages were being used as these could clearly be heard from the majority of the teachers. The quality of coaching was such that after initially moving around the groups offering support me and

Rich soon realised that our presence was not required, this allowed me to spend a happy half an hour playing cricket with some local street kids at the side of the field and Rich even had time for an interview with the local radio station Mega 102FM. It is only when the media comes calling and when there are certificates to hand out that we realise how much we miss Ed now he has returned back to the UK!!!

We then retired to the top of the stands where we stayed for the rest of the afternoon enjoying watching all of the cricket that was being played in front of us, it is great to think that with the equipment and skills these teachers now possess they will be the catalyst for starting the game in this region. The bursts of cheers and laughter that could be heard from each of the groups was another reminder of how important it is to help put a smile on the face of the children of this area that have suffered so much.

Another huge thunderstorm as we returned to the hotel may have scuppered plans to return into the centre for a fairwell meal and a few drinks but this may be for the best as we have now been informed that we will need to take 2 buses tomorrow to reach Arua not one, surely the journey can’t be worse than the trip here from Lira, can it?

Click here for pictures of all the Gulu teachers