Men join in on the Rukara Court for a day of basketball and health education.
Program Description:
While we recognize that there might be push-back from family and community members who are against females playing sports, Shooting Touch hosts family days two times per year at each of the four Kayonza courts. On these days, females invite the men in their lives to play basketball and get a briefing on the health issue that they have been learning about with ST.
Through these Family Days, we have found that 94% of men are now supporting their wives or daughters in playing basketball, as opposed to 43% before the initiative began in 2017.
Program Goals:
Decreased community stigma around females playing sports
More ST men (fathers, husbands, brothers) in support of ST females in sport
Men in rural communities acting as ambassadors of women’s rights
Program Outcomes:
Pre Family Day Initiative (2017)
Ongoing Family Day Initiative (2019)
“The important thing I saw from Family Day is that everyone near the court was happy to play sport. People from our community now know anyone can participate and gain health insurance. Men see other women playing and think it’s normal. I was glad when the women brought their husbands and shot baskets together for prizes when they scored. I also liked the skit that day. There was talk about gender and sharing responsibilities between boys and girls.”
Husband and wife participate in a shooting competition at the most recent Rwinkwavu Family Day Event.