She Cranes seek sh1.8b for Netball World Cup

By David Namunyala

She Cranes’ World Cup qualifying campaign was a scandal and the manner in which the cash scrapped netballers battled through the qualifiers in Botswana was so humbling that the organisers were touched.

The She Cranes could experience something similar unless the Uganda Netball Federation (UNF) raises $717,782 (sh1.8b) to cater for the team’s preparations ahead of the World Cup scheduled for August in Sydney, Australia next year.

trueShe Cranes captain Peace Proscovia hands over a souvenir jersey to Kadaga as Nkonge looks on

So far, UNF has raised sh77m in cash and pledges from various stakeholders which according to the She Cranes team manager, Jocelyn Uchanda is way below.

“We are still very far from reaching the targeted total sum on our budget but I am sure we shall be able to make it if more stakeholders come to our rescue,” Ucanda said.

She added; “We need to put in extra effort so as to raise the required sum because the hosts need teams to have cleared most of the requirements three months to the event.”

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Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga poses with part of the She Cranes team and sponsors Asiatic Sports Centre and Kiboko Group of Companies’ directors Karan Singh (left) & Ramesh Babu respectively

In a breakdown of the budget that was released on Wednesday, UNF plans to spend $277,810 (sh730m) for both residential and non-residential training and buying kits for the team.

Another $107,946 (sh280m) will enable the team take part at the fourth edition of the Africa Netball Championship slated for May next year in Zambia. The tournament will act as a build-up to the World Cup that has been budgeted at a cost of $332,026 (sh860m).