Dreaming of Better Days in Kampala

For SFCG Intern, Cait O’Donnell, Sunday’s bombings in Kampala have special resonance.  

Kampala (byCait O'Donnell)

By Cait O’Donnell 

I play rugby with George Washington University, so when I arrived in Kampala, Uganda—where I spent my junior semester abroad—I immediately connected with the rugby club there. 

Even halfway around the world, Saturday is still rugby day! 

I spent a few of my Saturdays at the rugby club, watching both the men’s and women’s matches and playing with the women’s club. I met wonderful girls, who were fighting stereotypes every time they stepped on the pitch, or even out of their homes. To me, rugby transcends so many differences: cultural, gender-based and ideological. When I played with the team, I was not seen as American, white or female, I was seen as a rugger, who plays the same game as everyone else. Rugby requires the immediate support of your teammates; without them you are physically tackled again and again. The importance of unity in sports like rugby helps establish a community that easily crosses cultures. By simply putting on my cleats and a mouthguard, I was accepted into this new team. 

The culmination of my program was an independent research project and I moved north to Gulu to conduct mine. There, I again connected with a rugby club. This time, it was a men’s club, but I was accepted nonetheless. I also played pick-up games and trained with football clubs in the area. My positive experiences with sports and teambuilding fueled my research in Gulu. I spent my time studying the use of sports as a tool for rehabilitation and reintegration of former child soldiers. I explored the idea of sports as a base for community building and reconciliation and this idea has stayed with me. Here at SFCG, I continually see the positive effects of sports in team and peace building. 

But this past Sunday, at the Kyadondo Rugby Club, sports were the backdrop of violence. After an afternoon of celebrating Spain’s epic World Cup win, I was shocked to hear about the bombings in Kampala during the 90^th minute of the match. 

The rugby club was a place I frequented throughout my time in Kampala. At first, I simply observed training sessions and matches, getting to know locals and various ex-pats, but soon enough, I was on the pitch myself. Everyone at the club was incredibly accepting – some played, others watched; some were from various parts of Uganda, others from different parts of Africa, and many from Europe or the US. They gathered to enjoy rugby and football, and escape their daily stresses. The TVs always played the latest match and the mood was always relaxing. At night, the club shifted outdoors. At any time of day, the Kyadondo Rugby Club was always fun, friendly and one of my favorite places in all of Uganda. 

It’s such a shame that this tragedy comes on the heels of the greatest common ground sporting event in the world. The World Cup is so powerful that it is difficult to associate negativity with it. The celebrations in Spain are a far cry from the mourning in Uganda. 

Since Sunday, I have heard good news from both my homestay family and teammates – everyone is safe. But the current situation in East Africa remains tense and precarious. Already Al-Shabaab has promised more violence. 

Uganda and East Africa have many challenges to face in the coming months and beyond, but teamwork just may be the way to success. 

Some of the best times of my life have involved sports because, at the end of the day, we can all just play.