Our club has agreed to support the project to build a cricket ground and associated facilities in Freetown the capital of Sierra Leone. The current facilities are school yards which are basically dust bowls. There are lots of children who are disabled, disadvantaged or orphaned. Sierra Leone has had wars and more recently mud slides which have left so many children in this situation. Cricket is being used to enable the children to enjoy the teamwork, exercise and fun that cricket provides.
I have contacts through the Rotary fellowship, the International Fellowship of Cricket loving Rotarians which has members in clubs throughout Australia and all the cricket playing nations worldwide. I also play Veterans Cricket throughout the summer here and have contact with players Australia wide. The project will hopefully qualify for a global grant which will double the amount that we are able to raise. I am taking steps to register the project with RAWCS (Rotary Australia World Community Service) which will bank the funds raised and support the process.
There is no doubt that it will be a long process but I am looking forward to the challenge and with the support of our club, many Rotarians and cricketers we will bring this project to a successful conclusion.
