Community cricket expansion takes shape one pitch at a time
An artificial pitch complete with wickets was launched at Kabiro Primary School yesterdays as part of efforts to spread the game of cricket within the Kawangware community in Nairobi.
The facility, partly enclosed by wire mesh on the batting sides, was set up by the East Africa Character Development Trust (EACDT), in partnership with the The Aldridge Foundation.
The Aldridge Foundation is a United Kingdom-based charity organisation that also deals with cricket development.
The cricket pitch was unveiled by EACDT Programme Director David Waters and Robert Aldridge of The Aldridge Foundation amongst others.
Waters said through the initiative, they hope to establish the first cricket community club in Kenya. He said that it will be operational from January and will be referred to as Kabiro Community Cricket Club.
“There are no community cricket clubs in Kenya . If in the long run we want cricket to flourish in Kenya then we need to get Kenyans at the grassroots playing the game because they are the ones with the skills,” said Waters. He added that they have imported two other artificial pitches for the programme.
Under the deal with The Aldridge Foundation, Waters revealed that the UK-based organisation will fund the cricket programmes at Kabiro Primary School for three years.
They will also share learning experience with boys and girls enrolled in the program, to enable cricket and character development to reach thousands of locals and help in transforming their lives through sport and education.
“I am delighted to be in Kenya to celebrate this unique collaboration, which will have a transformative effect on the lives of so many young women and men in this country and wider region,” said Aldridge who is the son of Rir Rod, the founder of The Aldridge Foundation.
“Sport is an excellent catalyst for skills development and is an activity that supports physical and mental wellbeing and builds stronger ties across communities. We look forward to this programme building on its initial impact and expanding its reach over the coming years.”
Kabiro Primary School is the third learning institution in Kenya where EACDT has also set up artificial cricket pitches at Tatu Primary School in Juja and Nairobi's Unity Primary School in Umoja Innercore.
Waters said they are targeting six community cricket hubs and that the players will be trained by qualified coaches.
Practice cages will be constructed at the pitch centres and the necessary sporting equipment provided.
Their long term goal is to establish a Cricket League for Under-19 boys and girls, thus creating a development pathway for young cricketers. BY DAILY NATION
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