Stanbic Bank has injected Shs50million in this year’s edition of Uganda Secondary Schools Sports Association (USSSA) Gala taking place in Lira, Northern Uganda. The gala runs for one week and participants will compete in different types of sport.
Speaking at a press conference in Lira on Aug.16, Bernard Ogwal, the Stanbic Bank Regional Manager for Northern Uganda said, “Today we are partnering with the Uganda Secondary Schools Sports Association because we believe that education is one of those critical sectors for us. We have compelling offers for schools and teachers. For this particular event, we hope to go a long way in promoting sports and raise many more talented individuals who will go ahead to represent the country internationally.”
He added, “We believe that these partnerships helps us to unravel opportunities in terms of supporting but also unpacking the solutions that we offer to schools and the nation. As a bank, we want to make sure that we deeply entrench ourselves because Uganda is our home. We would like to commit ourselves that moments like these where there is sports and similar activities, we will be there.”
Stanbic continues to engage schools in different avenues like the Stanbic National Schools Championship, a corporate social responsibility programme where it supports schools to generate business ideas and turn them into a reality – and in the end create opportunities like jobs.
The Bank has also been instrumental in supporting school owners and parents with affordable financing and insurance products during tough times like COVID-19 era.
Justus Mugisha, the USSSA President said, they are the number one sports association in Africa and that they are proud to be partnering with the biggest bank in Uganda.
“We are very excited because this partnership is going a long way to supporting, growing talent to compete at the international stage,” Mugisha said.
Rev. Canon Duncans Mugumya, the Commissioner for Physical Education at the Ministry of Education and Sports said, the ministry is working on a directive from President Yoweri Museveni on getting partners like Stanbic Bank to help develop sports.
“Sports is one avenue of promoting a healthy population which is key in promoting a healthy economy where private sector players like Stanbic operate.”
He said, this partnership will help them to prepare talent and champions for different competitions.
“I want to assure you that you have touched the right button because schools are the source and the base of sports,” he said.
This year’s gala has attracted a total of 502 schools participating, with 7784 students and 1000-2000 adults including teachers, coaches, and parents.