Meet the man who introduced blind football to Uganda
It’s a simple yet clever idea, and it’s been adopted by a host of similar countries over the years.
Here’s the story of how blind football came to Uganda.
I remember as a child growing up I would hear that football (soccer) was very popular in Uganda, and I would always dream I could play the game. While growing up, I played netball and cricket. But in 2005, I was introduced to blind football by a friend. She introduced me to the game while describing it to me as being an enjoyable game. I never played it myself, but I learned from her.
I was hooked. In 2009, I was invited to a football match at the local club. At the end of the match, the coach told me that I was the fastest person in the team. I was stunned and excited that I had won.
In October 2010, I was invited to a game for the Blind Football and Athletics Competition (BFAC) with my brother. I was the first to use a pair of special glasses. This game was a big success; we had a great match, the scoreline was 5-5. It was the first time I’ve ever played blind football, I have always wanted to play the game.
In 2011, I received a letter from the president of Ugandan Football Association, Dr. Paul Olugbemi. He thanked my brother and me for playing the game. He also showed interest in having me as a football mascot and asked if I could come down in 2012. I was a little hesitant, I had always dreamt of playing football for a living. But I was intrigued by the letter and thought why not.
I met the president of the British Blind Association for the first time in February 2012, at a lunch hosted by the President of the British Blind Association, Richard Morris. I expressed my interest in his organisation, as it’s a very small nonprofit organisation