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From humble start to charity - Henry Kalungi
Henry Kalungi is Uganda Cranes defender who plays for Charlotte Independence in the the US. COURTESY PHOTO
What you need to know:
GIVING BACK. Henry Kalungi is Uganda Cranes defender who plays for Charlotte Independence in the the US. America has been home since 2006, for the 31-year-old. From owning two pairs of shorts, Kalungi shares his achievements with others. In 2015, with his wife Jacqueline Kalungi and Ivan Kakembo, they started the Henry Kalungi Foundation, writes Phionah Nassanga.
Why the Kalungi Foundation?
The foundation is geared at making a difference in the lives of different people, especially children. When we had just started, our focus was to arrange a Christmas party for children on streets and from the slums every year.
However, we later felt the need of going beyond that. Today, we provide these children with clothes, meals, football gear and equip them with different skills. We also do this in villages. We also organise women’s conferences in rural areas to teach them about hygiene and how to make reusable pads.
What inspired you?
Growing up in a humble family, we lacked almost all the basic needs. I remember how my family did all it could to survive and how, on special holidays such as Easter and Christmas, the special treat was soda.
My siblings and I always looked forward to those days. That is why we started with Christmas celebrations but later felt the need to groom them into responsible people.
You are based in the US, how do you manage the foundation’s daily duties?
We have a board of directors both in Uganda and US, who help plan and manage the daily duties. Nevertheless, my wife and I receive daily reports.
How do you raise the funds to run the foundation?
My wife and I provide some of the funds to run the foundation. However, we also get support from friends and well-wishers. For example, there are some organisations that provide the foundation with items such as football gear and clothes for the children.
What are your future plans?
In the long term, we plan to start a boarding school, where our efforts can be structured and complete with a curriculum. In a boarding school, we can be able to provide at least three meals a day to each child. We can also help them realise different talents that can help them start a living and core skills.
For example, the girls can learn catering and can later start up something of their own. The boys can engage in construction, woodwork and metal work. It is not something that we can do overnight but that is our long-term goal.
