Shamas Rugby Foundation and Tatu City send 20 girls to international rugby tournament
Local community members among U15 and U18 squads competing in Uganda
Shamas Rugby Foundation and Tatu City are sending 20 Under 15 and Under 18 girls to the Connect to Africa tournament in Jinja, Uganda. This will be the first international play for the girls, who are also supported by Scroll & Priest.
The three-day tournament, from 31 August to 2 September, attracts teams from the all over Africa and is part of Shamas Rugby Foundation and Tatu City's partnership to nurture Kenyan sports and talent. The tour is also in partnership with RenWoman, the gender empowerment initiative of Rendeavour, Tatu City's owner and developer.
"We are extremely proud of our teams – RenGirls Under 15s and ViQueens Under 18s – heading to Uganda for Connect to Africa," said Edoardo De Paoli, SRF's Managing Director. "Our focus is to equip these girls with the skills and right attitudes they will need to pursue opportunities in life, no matter their background. This exposure will play an important role in building the self-awareness and the confidence of the girls both on and off the rugby pitch."
Rendeavour Country Head Chris Barron said that Tatu City is celebrating the tour with the local community, whose members were selected for the first time for international play.
"We entered into partnership with Shamas Rugby Foundation in 2017 to grow youth rugby in Kenya, and we have seen tremendous results. We are thrilled that three young women from Tatu Primary School have the opportunity to travel abroad and compete against some of the best teams in Africa," Barron said.
At the squad's send-off event at Tatu City, World Champion runner Lornah Kiplagat inspired the women to pursue victory both in competition and in their communities. "The work of champions is never finished at the end of the race," she said. "Be champions in everything you do – for yourself, your families and your friends."
More than 250 children have already benefited from the partnership between Tatu City and Shamas Rugby Foundation, including children from Tatu Primary School and Ngewe Primary School, who take part in weekly training sessions. This initiative has seen Tatu City grow to be the largest rugby clinic under Shamas Rugby Foundation.
About Shamas Rugby Foundation (www.shamasrugby.com)
Shamas Rugby Foundation is a sport for development organization that uses rugby and its values to enhance the well-being of children and young adults living in urban slums and rural areas in Kenya through Life Skills and Counseling, Education and Employability, and Community Welfare programs. Today, Shamas Rugby Foundation reaches over 1,500 children (age 8-18) in five centers in Nairobi and Kiambu County on a weekly basis. SRF has 55 on secondary school scholarships and 8 students on university scholarship. SRF's Life Skills and Counseling program, which started in 2016, has already reached over 1,200 beneficiaries.
About Scroll & Priest
Scroll & Priest is a Kenyan owned specialist consultancy firm specialising in safety, physical, cyber security and business intelligence. We provide a range of integrated security management services to our clients. We have a reputation for excellence in execution and discretion. Our professional team combines in-depth understanding of local business, social, cultural and economic issues with deep functional and industry knowledge. We work with a diverse range of clients in the public and private sector to whom we are committed to providing a high level of service. Clients include government agencies, real estate firms and the corporate sector.