ROP in the rain

Bill Allen on his first impressions of coaching in Rwanda.

If day one was a bit of an eye-opener for us first time volunteers, then day two was ultimately something of a culture shock.

The Rwandan Orphans project, located on the fringes of the country's capital, Kigali, is a regular destination on the CWB itinerary. And for us, as westerners, I think it helped re-define the meaning of “poverty”.

The orphanage is a modest assortment of classrooms and dormitories, with a cow to provide milk and scurrying chickens. It is found at the end of a series of dusty rutted roads not uncommon in Rwanda and which daily test the skills of Eddie our driver and the durability of our cramped transport.

For many being an orphan in this part of the world means a life spent begging on the streets, unless a charity like this is able to intervene. They take children of all ages and all religions and with precious few resources they nurture them and educate them. There are currently 52 children there aged 7-15 and around the same number of older children away at boarding school.

Visiting the Rwandan Orphans Project was for me a moving and humbling experience and one I will treasure from my short visit to sub-saharan Africa. After a few games and a lot of photographs, we left in a hurry, in a downpour leaving behind us beaming smiles, some gifts of toys and other CWB “goodies”.

Earlier in the day we had been at Kicukiro school where, during three boiling hot sessions either side of a welcome break for lunch, we coached around 140 boys and girls in batting, bowling and catching, starting and finishing with reminders about HIV awareness the importance of the ABC mantra, and regular HIV testing.

This location, in a poor part of the city with its triangle of red clay and stones which passes for both a playground and sports field, seemed to epitomise what CWB is all about. They work ridiculously hard embedding a love of cricket while at the same time reinforcing positive HIV health messages around abstinence, being faithful to one partner, always using protection during sex and not being afraid to get tested regularly. Also important is stressing the fact that a positive test does not mean the end and that with treatment a productive sports filled life is possible.

A highlight for me was when one wide-eyed youngster among the always excited and welcoming throng, enquired; “Are you the England cricket team?” An understandable mistake given recent performances – and a massive ego boost. A little bit of me was tempted to answer “yes” but my natural modesty got the better of me.