Cricket Without Borders comes to Botswana again

Eight officials from United Kingdom-based charity organisation, Cricket Without Boundaries (CWB) are expected to arrive in Botswana tomorrow to promote the game through coaching clinics and learning sessions for children. CWB will incorporate HIV/AIDS awareness messages in the clinics and empower communities through cricket. This is the second visit by the charity organisation to Botswana.

"CWB came to Botswana in 2002 when there wasn't a development side and at the time only a few members from the organisation came," said Girish Ramakrishna, Botswana Cricket Association (BCA) development manager. He explained that CWB's mission corresponds with their ongoing plans of constantly educating teachers and students on cricket.

Ramakrishna urged village chiefs to be involved in the project especially when schools in their wards are participating.

"We want this to be a memorable event to the participants and guests.

This is the time for Botswana to showcase its talent and its culture as this is something that is going to be seen by people in Africa and beyond."

Ramakrishna said members of the public should attend as they could benefit from the project.

CWB will bring cricket equipment worth P9,000. CWB trustee, Christopher Kangis, said they will donate the cricket equipment to the BCA development programme at the end of the visit.

"We will also give away free t-shirts bearing HIV/AIDS awareness messages to people who participate in the project," he said.

CWB is expected to host its projects in primary schools in Gaborone, Kgatleng District and Ramotswa. Its first session starts on Monday and will involve Kgabo Sereto and Lady Mitchison Primary Schools.

Other schools scheduled to participate in the project from October 20-23 are Mmusi and Phaphane, Rasesa, Ramogotsi and Tlhakame, and Oodi and Modipane.

Since 2005, CWB has hosted similar projects in eight African countries including Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda. It has trained over 400 coaches and trained over 5,000 children in its cricket awareness project.