Alur Kingdom launches women’s football to raise education awareness

The second edition of the Alur Kingdom locally organised Women’s football tournament,  loosely translated as  “Kopu Paa Min Ubimu” has once again returned this year. #WhisperEyeNews Reports

The queen’s mother is the chief convener for the women’s football tournament.

It was officially launched at the Kingdom’s Secretariat’s offices in Nebbi Municipality on September 9 2023.

The tournament with the only component of girl’s football will be played at Bar Okoro Stadium in Paidha Town Council Zombo District on the 30th of September this year.

It will be in a Galla format meaning it will just be played in a day.

The participants will come from the kingdom’s four regions of Okoro, Padyere, Jonam and DR Congo. The region of Padyere is coming as defending champions after emerging as winners in last year’s first edition of the tournament.

This year’s theme is promoting the education and retention of girls in schools.

It is worth noting that many children especially girls drop out of school at an early stage in the Kingdom.

Between 2019 and 2021 during the covid _19 period, The kingdom recorded glaring reports of teenage pregnancies and early marriage. Over 10, 000 teenage girls were either impregnated or married off.

This attracted the Kingdom’s attention and many of its activities started riding on the themes geared towards reducing and ending the vice.

The head of programme at Alur Kingdom Rupiny Rony explained that this year most kingdom’s activities shall be premised on awareness and promotion of education.

” This year in all that we are going to do, whether it’s an event, whether it’s a celebration, we are going to focus on education. When you look at statistics and different development plans of the three districts, you will realize that at the advent of UPE in 1997, The enrollment has been going up but also retention has been a very big challenge, so we are trying to promote education but most especially the issue of retention of girls”.

The Director of Sports, Information and Youth Affairs at the Kingdom Sam Kumakech who rallied all Alur subjects to embrace the initiative said the event will be used to promote Alur cultural values.

He also added that the event shall help in identifying and exposing hidden talents amongst the Alur Subjects. 

” We call upon everyone especially the youth to embrace this tournament with open arms, our main purpose is to preserve and promote the cultural heritage of Alur Kingdom” Kumakech explained

The Chief Guest in this year’s event will be the 33rd King of Alur Ubimu Phillip Rauni Ularker III.

The King recently pledged his commitment to promoting women’s rights in all aspects.

” One of our big goals has been to see how to promote the young people and the women in our land knowing if we do that, we are going to bring development,” He said.

Winners will walk away with prizes in different categories.