Crossover for Change
Empowering Girls Through Sport
Mission Statement
Fostering confidence, empowerment and leadership for young women in Uganda through the sport of basketball.
Summary
Young women in Uganda face great hurdles with regards to professional and economic advancement. It is estimated that 68% of children in Uganda who enroll in primary school drop out before finishing secondary schools. These statistics are more dramatic in rural areas, specifically for girls. A study in a rural western Uganda revealed that only six girls are enrolled in secondary school for every 10 boys. Further, girls have numerous gendered expectations and responsibilities compared to boys.
Establishing a means for young women to develop confidence and a feeling of empowerment and belonging in their communities is critical to reversing this trend. Athletics are well known to promote leadership, self-esteem and encourage girls to stay in school. Basketball is an ideal sport to foster this development.
Upcoming Plans
Two basketball camps will be held in western Uganda in June 2021. Camps will be held at Maryhill High School in Mbarre and Immaculate Heart Girls School in Nyakibale. These camps will be conducted by The Colorado Springs School basketball coaches Vicki Vaughan and Caleb Strickland along with current and former high school players from the Colorado Springs area. Olympic gold medalist Cathy Boswell will also be participating in the camps. These camps will be coordinated with the help of Dennis Katungye who is a teacher and basketball coach at Maryhill High School. Before the camps begin, we will be constructing a basketball court for Immaculate Heart Girls School and the surrounding Nyakibale community.