The 3rd edition of the Karamoja Games in Nakapiripirit District, April 29-30 has received a major boost from YOTV.

Ahead of the games, the online entertainment app entity has offered trophies, medals, and cash prizes that will be given to outstanding individuals and teams after the games that are going to future 5 sports disciplines; athletics, netball, football, woodball, and volleyball.

YOTV CEO Aggrey Mugisha accompanied by Head of Diaspora YOTV Allan Butale, athlete Krop Dominic, brand ambassador Wisdom Kaye, and Mariam Jjumba managing director Sheeba Establishments made the offers to Karamoja Games Chairman Richard Okot at Commercial Plaza on Wednesday.

Mugisha said it was a landmark day for them because they were here to create opportunities and give value to the games. They offered 130 medals, 5 trophies, footballs, volleyballs, netballs, sh1m for cash prizes all totaling about sh10m on top of sanitary Pads, and underwear for the girls from Sheeba Investments.

“It is more than games for us; it is searching for talent, finding a dream, and building it but we are also taking technology to Karamoja and offering equal opportunities. We are going to Karamoja to change lives and bring dreams to life,” Mugisha said.

Head Commercial Brian Jjuuko said they were proud to be part of the collaboration between YOTV and Karamoja Games. “The idea around the games is to encourage the participation of the youth, empower them and to develop the region through sports, and to tap and develop talent in the Karamoja region,” Jjuuko stated.

Okot said the games were started in 2018 with the main aim of forging unity, talent search, environment protection awareness, and promotion of education, health, and peace.

The games will attract all the nine districts of the region that will compete in 5 sports during school holidays to target school dropouts every year. He said there will also be medical camps for testing and vaccination against COVID-19.

“We shall have three major activities; talent search, tree planting in netball, athletics, football. Our best will then be exported to Kampala to compete with the best,”Okot noted.

“Karamoja has the potential of talented athletes because of their natural build. These games also help in creating unity and bringing peace; so as the government implements other means, for us we shall use sports to bring about peace,”.

Domonic Krop from Amudat one of the athletes who was spotted from the first edition of the games underlined the importance of sports and said he has since represented Uganda in different competitions

Mariam Jjumba managing director of Sheeba Establishments welcomed the initiative of taking the sport to Karamoja and said she will visit the region again to look out for the girl child who needs help with their sanitation.