Day 9 – The Sound of Music

Darryl reports on all the action from our first day in Lira

Another hot and steamy day in Northern Uganda as we embarked on our first coaching session with the coaches of Lira it was like the end credits of Dads Army as we marched over to our field a couple of minutes away from the Hotel. We were blessed with 14 coaches however we managed to coax another 4 people watching to join in the proceedings. We started with the usual game, where one of our party Michael, hit the ball into the next field, good hitting Mikey!

The game was followed by the coach education session, getting the coaches learning the fundamentals of cricket and enforcing the ABC messaging and for a lot of new coaches albeit quite quiet, burst into action when they were set to run their own sessions and this was generally well prepared and received by the other coaches. An unexpected school turned up with 22 children that had plenty of coaching and fun and of course the introduction of the ABC CWB song which is becoming a regular feature of our trip and is definitely beyond a reasonable doubt fast becoming, well some would say annoying, but for the children that's entertainment. 

Darryl seemed to make up his own version today telling the kids one thing and singing something totally different, it must be the sun, bless!  Over 200 children had coaching in four different schools this afternoon, as we dispatched our troops across the district. Here's looking forward to day two and see if the coaches can continue their good work with their respective schools, fingers crossed!

As well as teaching important HIV/AIDS awareness messages I think this sign puts into perspective why we are in the North of Uganda as the region has suffered hugely in the recent past and the opportunity to play however small a part in helping the area recover is a real honour.