While Elly used to be punished for playing sports as a child, he never gave up his love for it. As a result, he was able to acquire a degree in sport science and started coaching in 2013. Elly has discovered the power of football to bring people together, make the community safer and have a positive impact on children in Uganda.

QUICK FACTS

Elly was educated to become a Peer Coach through Young Coaches from Kampala Kids League (KKL), sparking his passion for using football to change lives. As a fitness and football coach, Elly is able to share his love of the sport and its impact with more than 800 kids so far.

ELLY

Project: Uganda Follow-up (May/June 2017)

Parent Organisation: Kampala Kids League (KKL)

Born: 1989

Nationality: Uganda

Project Uganda | Facts
5
Peer Young Coaches
800
Benefiting Children

MY STORY

“I grew up in an extended family of around 60 people – my dad had 4 wives – all were very interested in sports, mostly in football. But, we were not allowed to play. Football was considered dangerous and a waste of time. Injuries and treatment was the biggest concern of my parents. Thus, going to play football in the neighbourhood, we would be punished to the worst extent. But in school I was always active in sports. I lived my passion even when I joined university on a government sponsorship for sport science. My love for sports made me achieve my degree and my dream of changing my parent’s perception of sport. Today, I am a football and fitness coach and they are proud of me and for what I do for our community. For example, I organise tournaments that bring people together. In communities, there are always some people using drugs or having differences. But they are put aside and people start to talk to each other thanks to these activities. They enjoy football, the competition and have fun and at the end of the day, football makes our community safe from such kind of behaviours.

In 2013, I started coaching and joined Kampala Kids League where I learned from Young Coaches of the FCSA programme. This changed my coaching in many ways. I have improved my communication skills with the kids, I am more creative in terms of using equipment, I am more respectful of physical and mental differences and especially I gained so much love and appreciation for children. It’s like I am a father or the uncle of more than 10’000 children in Uganda.

As a child, I never got the chance to learn from anyone like a coach. But we know, when you are young, you need to have direction. That’s what I want to be, a coach that help kids develop their talent, and for the less privileged, to give them love, to show them you can be short of something but there is a ground where we are all equal. No matter what kind of family you come from, on the pitch we are all the same and speak the same language.”

GALLERY ELLY

Young Coaches

Our Young Coaches are community leaders and role models in less privileged societies. They commit themselves to support the children of their communities by conveying important social topics (conflict resolution, inclusion, HIV prevention, etc.) through football. Each of the Young Coaches represents a unique personal story.