Richard Peers, 27, a coach at Hale United JFC and director of charity Orphan UK, led a group of Conservative volunteers on a month-long trip in the country as part of the party’s Project Umubano created by Prime Minister David Cameron in 2007.
The project works with communities in Sierra Leone and Rwanda. While in Rwanda, the team held training sessions with over 500 children and worked with football coaches.
They also handed over 2,000 football kits, from the charity Afrikit donated by several football clubs including Manchester City and Stockport County.
Richard, a former Trafford Council candidate, said he had been inspired by the confidence, happiness and skill of Rwanda’s young footballers.
He also said that there’s a serious lack of equipment and that the soccer talents here could be going to waste.
“Many of the children play football barefooted and often with plastic bags wrapped in rubber bands as balls, yet most possess skills worth of British Academy players.
“We hope that through working closely with the Rwandan children, we have empowered them to gain an increased confidence not only to express their talents in sport but also to work hard to help Rwanda continue to grow as a model of African development.” Richard pointed out.
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