40 Days Over 40 Smiles (40-40), a youth-led charity organization devoted to helping vulnerable children access quality education and entrepreneurial skills, is currently organizing a sports and fun event to fundraise money that will go towards the establishment of a children’s learning center.
The hub is to provide learning materials and access to technological devices such as computers that will enhance computer literacy to less privileged children in society.
“Because we are setting up a learning center, we need books and computers since the goal is to help children in the community access books and computers without having to pay for them,” Ivan Kabandize, the Head of Events and Fundraising explained.
He was appearing for an interview with Crystal Newman on the Groove Cafe and talked about the soccer fund event to be held at the Old Kampala Secondary soccer school pitch including tournaments.
“We are organizing a 5 Aside UG event where people will come together and form teams. There are a couple of tournaments that are happening nowadays, school leagues, and different tournaments around town. This event will be targeting soccer players with teams of five or more people. They can be from organizations, a group of friends…” he said.
Besides soccer, there will also be games like kwepena (dodge ball) and sack race among others. He says this will bring young people together to lead the change they want to be in the community through socialization and connection.
5 Aside UG will be taking place on 2nd July 2022, from 8a.m to 6p.m at a fee of 10,000 shillings per player and entrant. The event will also provide people with space to sell all types of merchandise at the venue at an affordable price that will go towards the same cause.
40-40 was started in 2012 by Esther Kalenzi with a group of friends during the lent period. It was to give back to the community’s vulnerable people, just like some religions do. In their project, they collected items such as toys, money, and food, and these were sent to an orphanage so the children could feel loved and cared for.
The name '40 Days 40 Smiles' came from the 40 days of Lent in which the funds were raised to put a smile on 40 faces, of course, a number the organization has since surpassed.
40 days Over 40 smiles now has a monthly, quarterly, and annual partnership program with packages such as 10,000 shillings monthly, 100,000 per year, and any other amount of money is welcome to the fund.
To sign up for partnerships and donations at 40 Days Over 40 Smiles, visit the social media sites of the organization; @40days_40smiles on Twitter and Instagram and 40 Days Over 40 Smiles on Facebook.
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