This year we visited Gicumbi. This District is about 2 hours outside of Kigali. We had a fantastic week and one of our volunteer tourists, Ben, has written about the experience here.
Building Communities Through Rugby: My Volunteering Journey in Rwanda.
Sport has an extraordinary ability to bring people together, fostering trust, friendships, and shared experiences. Rugby, in particular, is a powerful vehicle for building a sense of community and belonging, and my recent volunteering trip to Rwanda with Friends of Rwandan Rugby (FoRR) embodied this spirit perfectly.
I recently spent 10 incredible days in Rwanda, using my 3 civil service volunteering days as part of the trip. As a coach with FoRR, I had the privilege of working with local communities to share the joy and values of rugby. The journey took me to Kigali, where we visited a school and The Kinamba Project, before heading to Gicumbi for a week-long engagement with four schools. The trip concluded with a vibrant rugby tournament, showcasing the excitement and promise the sport holds for the region.
The FoRR model is a testament to sustainable development through sport. Each trip to a new district involves a group of volunteers from the UK who are equipped to deliver coaching and share their expertise. Funds are raised to support the mission, and the experience ignites a passion for rugby among children and communities. Importantly, FoRR ensures that the impact is enduring by leaving behind a full-time Rugby Development Officer to continue the work, introducing rugby to more schools and community projects in the area.
The impact of rugby in Rwanda is profound. It fosters reconciliation and healing, offering a platform where individuals from diverse backgrounds can come together, break down barriers, and rebuild relationships. As CNN has noted, the sport has played a role in the population’s healing process after the genocide. Furthermore, rugby contributes to community building, social development, and the promotion of values like teamwork, respect, and discipline. It serves as a tool for social change, nurturing hope and unity in a nation that has overcome immense challenges.
This trip was not just about coaching rugby; it was about witnessing the transformative power of sport in action. It was about seeing children light up with joy, communities come together, and barriers dissolve on the rugby field. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to have been part of this experience and to have used my civil service volunteering days to contribute to such meaningful work.
Rwanda’s story is one of resilience, and it is humbling to see how rugby plays a role in that narrative. I return from this journey inspired and with a renewed belief in the power of sport to change lives.
