Former Rwanda Footballer Mulisa Starts Program for Street Children
December 10, 2021
Coach Jimmy Mulisa, former striker for the Rwanda National Football Team, Amavubi, has started a special talent detection initiative for street children in the East African country. His goal is to help get children off the streets and back in to school, while also providing them with a platform to develop their talent.
After seeing that children in Rwanda wanted to play football but were trapped in poverty, without much hope and access to equal opportunities, Mulisa founded the UMURI Foundation to empower youth through education and sport.
The now AS Kigali FC assistant coach is running his initiative as part of the "6 Aside Street Football Tournament" which began November 27 in the Gasabo District. It was designed for 60 street children from the area of Kigali, Rwanda, but an estimated 160 children joined.
“Football has an influence to get these children off the streets. Nothing makes these children happier than gathering at a place like this and playing. With this initiative, we can then have a conversation with them and look at how they can start a new life in families and take them back to school. That’s all we want,” Mulisa said.
Amavubi legends Olivier Karekezi and Karim Kamanzi participated to show support for their former teammate, noting that the initiative should be a shared responsibility by the Ministry of Sport and Rwanda Football Federation (FERWAFA) among other football stakeholders.
The tournament was envisioned as a way to provide the vulnerable tthe children in Kigali with a reason to feel welcome in society. The tournament will shift to other five sites across Kigali including Kinyinya, Nyabugogo, Gitikinyoni and Rwarutabura. The initiative has already received support from the City of Kigali and UNICEF Rwanda.
“I can’t forget that my football career started from the street and I think it can be of good importance if I go back there and give a helping hand to other young talents aspiring to become great players in the future.”
A team of coaches will help Mulisa select outstanding children from the tournament to join the Umuri Academy and a select few will be promoted to the junior teams of AS Kigali. The football academy develops talent, instills a sense of responsibility and provides participants with vital health education on topics such as of STDs - mainly HIV/AIDS, drug abuse, sexual violence and teenage pregnancy. It ensures that girls and boys, are able to overcome all health, social and cultural barriers preventing them from doing sport and undermining their social development as well.
Mulisa is also taking a particular focus on promoting women’s football from the grassroots as he bids to raise new female football talents through his foundation. The initiative impressed the Aids HealthCare Foundation (AHF Rwanda) which later committed to supporting the foundation’s team of 40 young girls dubbed ‘Girls Act’, which currently operates in Muyange in Kagarama Sector, Kicukiro District.
Source: New Times