Kampala slum soccer derby due

Youth organization, Watoto Wasoka has organized what is bound to be the biggest slums soccer bonanza next week.

The May 21-22 event meant to unearth raw talent will involve over 700 kids in the annual battle for the Kampala slum soccer derby at Kiira Road Police ground, according to Watoto Wasoccer official Francis Mugoya.

The event which will involve children from all slums of Kampala is geared at fighting social ills brought about by poverty, drug abuse, lack of education and idleness.

The event comes after the Christmas Camp, attended by more than 1,800 kids. And for the first time it will involve girls in the competition alongside the mainstream boy's tournament.

"After registering a great success with the inaugural girls' tournament in the Christmas Camp, we are following up with that path. We are thrilled at the prospects that we envisage from girls' involvement in football," Francis Mugoya.

The annual event is also a platform to expose talents of children to school scouts and win scholarships and bursaries, Mugoya said.

Since its foundation in 2006, Watoto Wasoka worked with over 5000 kids, between the ages of 10-17. It has enabled over 300 disadvantaged kids including those from the street to get education through sports scholarships.

Mugoye, however, appeals for sponsorship to enable the event become a success.

"We are planning to feed roughly 700 children. We need external funding, be it monetary or in kind.  Any support to make this event as special as we envisage it to be would be of great relevance for us and, of course, all the kids involved," he said.

The organisation was founded by Ugandan and German social in order to help children overcome hardship that they may be facing. In developing countries, football is deemed as a getaway to better life.