My

Story

Butele

My name is Butele and I come from Uganda. Since my childhood, football has been very important to me and has provided me with many opportunities. Thanks to this sport, I even received a scholarship. This scholarship was very important because it reduced the financial burden on my parents and allowed me to graduate and receive a higher level of education. This is why I say that sport helped shape me into the person I am today.

I work as a nutrition assistant in a health facility. On my way to work, I always encounter many children who have very little, so I have always wanted to help them. I started gathering them after work and training them. This way, I was at least able to bring them together. Where I live, there are many refugees from South Sudan and Congo, as well as many local Ugandans. Bringing these children together is a very important step towards uniting people from different backgrounds.

Unfortunately, there are not enough resources for so many children to play, but I still try not to limit the number of participants and instead give them different time slots. In addition, the pitch is in poor condition, and cultural norms make it difficult for girls to participate.

The biggest lesson I learned during the Young Coach Education was how football can be a tool for so many things. It can be a child protection system, a stress management tool, it can help unite people, and most importantly, it can teach coexistence to people from different backgrounds. If we use football in the right way, we can help so many children and communities. I also learned a lot during the leadership component. In order to be a role model for others, you need to be trustworthy and lead by example. If you want the community to rely on you, you have to show them how things are done and how to act. That is why you first need to work on yourself.

When I go back to my community, I really want to implement what I learned during the programme. First of all, I will sit down with all the stakeholders, such as community leaders and parents, in order to explain what I want to do so that I can gain their support. Then I want to gather all the children and pass on the knowledge I was able to acquire here. I do not want to be just a football coach, nor just a leader; I want to lead through football.