Westmont women’s soccer will leave early Monday morning, May 8, for the program’s sixth mission trip to Africa. The Warriors have made trips to Kenya and Uganda every three to four years since 2006, working with Sports Outreach International. This will be their first trip since 2019.
After 34 hours of travel, the Warriors will arrive in Nairobi, Kenya early on Wednesday, May 10, where they will meet up with their host, Robert Katende, the executive director of Sports Outreach International. Katende is widely known for his work impacting young people from the slums and his development of Phiona Matesi who became an international chess sensation. Her story was made known through the movie, Queen of Katwe.
During their three days in Nairobi, the Warriors are scheduled to visit the chess program at Kibera, serve lunch at a Kibera feeding site, participate in ministry at schools in the Mukuru slums, and visit with a women’s empowerment group in Tushauriane.
On Saturday, May 13 the team will travel to Kampala. During their time in Uganda’s capital city, the Warriors will worship with local churches, participate in an outreach soccer game and work with youth soccer teams.
A drive to Gulu, Uganda is planned for Thursday, May 17. In Gulu, the team will tour the Good News Community Center and Koro Farm, conduct a soccer clinic and Bible study with local girls, and work on the farm by planting bananas.
Back in Kampala on Tuesday, May 23, the team will participate in projects and sports activities and a soccer game with the senior Sports Outreach senior ladies’ team.
Sprinkled into a busy 17-day itinerary are opportunities for some sightseeing. The team has plans for a trip to the source of the Nile River, a riverboat safari, and a trip to Murchison Falls National Park.
Ron Smith is the sports information director at Westmont College.
email: sports@newspress.com
