Countries
Cricket Without Boundaries currently works in 4 sub-Saharan African countries and has more recently begun project work in Jordan and the UK. CWB deliver cricket development alongside health and social messages. We work on the principle that sport - particularly cricket - is inclusive and accessible for all.
Cameroon
Key Themes: HIV/AIDS, Gender Equality
Delivery Partner: Cameroon Cricket Federation
CWB has improved the development of cricket in Cameroon, thanks to you cricket is known and has shown great improvement in almost every place you have been. CWB has added to my abilities, it has allowed me to be more active in the field. I have learnt a lot about training children, how to give them advice about their future against contagious diseases, especially HIV/AIDS.
Cricket Without Boundaries’ partnership with the Cameroon Cricket Federation in November 2012. The CCF was itself only founded in 2005, but is actively working to grow the sport in Cameroon, with nearly 200 local coaches now operating in the country. CWB’ work in Cameroon is driven by our Ambassador Jules Bienvenue, who works in the capital Yaounde.
HIV has had a significant impact in Cameroon, the national HIV prevalence is estimated at 5.5% and 4% of AIDS-related deaths in sub-Saharan Africa occur in Cameroon. Young women in Cameroon are particularly at risk – with infection prevalence over 5 times higher in females aged 15-24 compared to males. The long term plan with Cameroon Cricket Federation is to support their ‘Cricket At School/Le Cricket à L’école’ programme to champion the growth of cricket in Cameroon while also delivering key HIV awareness messages.
Jordan
Key Themes: #WithRefugees, Gender Equality
Delivery Partner: Right to Play
Other collaborators: UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees)
The training was one of the most exciting trainings I have ever had. It is similar to RTP trainings, as it allows the participants to be creative and think outside of the box. We can describe this two-days exciting workshop in on sentence "there are no limits to your creativity"!
Jordan is one of the countries most affected by the Syrian crisis, with the second highest share of refugees compared to its population in the world, where nearly 10% or people are refugees. The majority of Syrian refugees in Jordan live in urban areas and over 80% live below the poverty line. 51% of refugees are children.
Cricket Without Boundaries is working with Right to Play Jordan, supporting their “Strengthening Our Schools” (SOS) project, by developing a bespoke curriculum of cricket-based games focused on communication, teamwork and collaboration, and providing training to Right to Play staff in these games and the CWB Integrated Learning techniques. The SOS project aims to strengthen the capacity of the public education system to provide quality and inclusive education for Syrian refugees and vulnerable Jordanian students, while improving social cohesion in schools and within the community, particularly in urban areas.
Kenya
Key Themes: HIV/AIDS, Ending FGM, Gender Equality
Delivery Partner: Cricket Kenya
Other collaborators: 28 Too Many, Masaai Cricket Warriors
It is a great opportunity coaching boys and girls in 18 primary schools and passing messages of HIV/AIDS which is of great use for the kids to grow in full knowledge of it. It has created great impact to them and to the outside society as sometimes they sing the ACBT (Abstain, Be Faithful Condom, Test) messages in different places: villages, market place and along the road as they go home, and this has earned me the nickname "Baba ABCT CWB" which is sang loudly and happily when I am around.
Cricket in Kenya has been well established for many years, with league cricket in the major cities and a domestic competition incorporating teams from both Kenya and Uganda. The successes of the national side in the 2003 World Cup raised the profile of Kenyan cricket and while they have not yet been able to recreate this success there are nearly 25,000 regular participants in cricket nationally, including the iconic Maasai Cricket Warriors.
FGM is illegal in Kenya, and nationally has shown steady decline in the last 10 years. There are, however, areas in Kenya where FGM continues to be practiced extensively, including amongst the Maasai where 73.2% of women aged 15-49 have been “cut”. CWB support FGM charity 28 Too Many and the Maasai Cricket Warriors to end this practice, by funding the work of Maasai Cricket Warror and Ambassador Benjamin Olemamai in the Laikipia region.
Kenya is also at the heart of the HIV epidemic, with 1.5 million people living with HIV. More than half (51%) of all new HIV infections in Kenya are in young people. While testing is very accessible in Kenya fear of stigmatisation continues to suppress the rate of testing. CWB works with our 3 Ambassadors in Kenyan schools to support HIV education, but also focuses on challenging stigma and encouraging regular testing.
Rwanda
Key themes: HIV/AIDS, Gender Equality
Delivery partner: Rwanda Cricket Association
Other collaborators: AHF Rwanda, provider of HIV testing and counselling
12 of my players now have scholarships for secondary school, the schools can see that the skills they have gained through cricket; discipline, hard work, commitment, will also make them assets to the school as good students.
Cricket has been widely cited as a key sport for community building in post-genocide Rwanda. The growth of the game since the Rwanda Cricket Association was formed in 2003 is a testament to this. Hardly played before 1994, there are now an estimated 10,000 players in the country. The country now has a world class cricket stadium which regularly hosts international tournaments for the African region, while their women’s national side is placed 30th in the ICC T20I rankings.
CWB are proud of the work our Ambassadors and volunteers do on a day-to-day basis to use cricket to continue to bring people together in Rwanda. From peace building training for our Ambassadors, to our ongoing relationship with the Rwandan Orphans Project, CWB use cricket in Rwanda to emphasise that all can work and play together - no matter what their size, gender or ethnicity.
As with all sub-Saharan countries, Rwanda has a not insignificant HIV burden. The country has 170,000 people living with HIV, 22,000 of these being children under 14. HIV prevalence in Rwanda is closely related to educational outcomes, our Ambassadors work hard to keep players in school through cricket and engagement with parents, giving young people the best chance in life.
Uganda
Key themes: HIV/AIDS, Gender Equality
Delivery partner: Uganda Cricket Association
Other collaborators: TASO and AHF Uganda Cares, providers of HIV testing and counselling
My coaching philosophy changed when I get involved with this wonderful and life changing project, I believe I am among the lucky ones who can proudly say "changing lives through cricket"
Cricket is a popular sport in Uganda, with over 50,000 participants involved. The national teams are nicknames the Cricket Cranes and the Lady Cricket Cranes, and occupy the 34th and 17th spots in the ICC T20I rankings, respectively. We have two CWB Ambassadors working in Uganda, focusing on the Western Region.
1.3 million people are living with HIV in Uganda, and infection rates are predicted to continue to rise over the coming years, with young women and girls being disproportionately affected. Nationally, only 38.5% of young women and men correctly identify ways of preventing the sexual transmission of HIV and reject major misconceptions about HIV transmission. HIV/AIDS and Gender Equality are therefore key themes of our current work in Uganda.
Since 2012, CWB and UCA have collaborated on a project in Northern Uganda focusing on healing wounds caused by the rebel insurgency of the Lord's Resistance Army, as well as supporting young refugees from South Sudan. Many young people in this area witnessed terrible atrocities, and some were forced to become child soldiers. Cricket has helped these young people to become children again.
Oluma Obil Patrick, Otim Tom Primary School
UK
Key Themes: Gender Equality, #WithRefugees
Delivery Partner: Lancashire Cricket Foundation, Durham Cricket Foundation, Hampshire Cricket Board
Other collaborators: Girls Friendly Society
LBW has had a positive impact for GFS in the North East. I would definitely say the highlights for us have been up-skilling and motivating volunteers, gathering new information about our girls in different ways, and encouraging girls to attend more regularly.
Our UK-based work developed from recognising that many of the issues that affect communities we work with internationally; women and girls’ participation in sport and society, the urgency of supporting refugees within host communities, were relevant to communities in the UK.
The Let’s Be Women (LBW) programme aims to help build confidence and self-esteem amongst young women and girls from marginalised communities in the UK. CWB tutors train female leaders to be Let’s Be Women coaches, developing the skills needed for coaches to facilitate discussion through fun cricket-style games. We also provide capacity building expertise to organisations working with refugees in the UK, developing young refugees’ life skills including leadership, organisation and communication.
Internationally, we work with Cricket Foundations, Boards and Universities to develop partnerships with our work in sub-Saharan Africa. This includes sponsorship and mentoring of teams such as Hampshire Ndatwa, and ideas sharing, learning and collaboration between UK-based and SSA-based coaches and Ambassadors.
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