Focused Conservation, UWA, UCF and Sunderland AFC bring conservation, community and football together in Uganda
Protecting Africa’s wildlife requires more than strong law enforcement. It also requires trust, education and meaningful relationships with the communities living alongside wildlife and protected areas.
Focused Conservation (FC) had an opportunity to put that philosophy into action during its August 2026 deployment to Murchison Falls National Park, where the FC Training Team delivered Criminal Investigations and Intelligence Training to Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) Rangers. Working closely with the Uganda Conservation Foundation (UCF) and Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), FC also visited local schools, UWA Rangers and an orphanage, using the opportunity to strengthen relationships and share an important conservation message.
The visits were made even more special through football kits generously donated by Sunderland AFC, the professional team from the UK, with particular thanks to football talent scout Alan Moore for his continued support of conservation efforts in Uganda and Nigeria.
A Warm Welcome at Ayara Primary School
FC’s first community visit was to Ayara Primary School in Pakwach, where the Headmaster welcomed the team and shared the history of the school. The children gathered on the football field to meet the visitors. Their enthusiasm was immediate.
With UWA Conservation Education Assistant Mary Goretty Atengei representing UWA, FC introduced the team and reinforced the importance of conservation and stronger relationships between schools, families, communities, UWA and UCF. The visit demonstrated that conservation education doesn’t always require a classroom. Sometimes, it starts simply by showing up, listening and building relationships.
Supporting the Rangers on the Frontline
The following day, FC met the Murchison Falls UWA Football Team during a training session as they prepared for the Inter Agency Games. The timing couldn’t have been better.
The Rangers received Sunderland AFC football strips, a small gesture of appreciation for the people working every day on the frontlines of wildlife protection. UWA Rangers operate in difficult and often dangerous conditions, facing threats from wildlife, challenging terrain and poachers. Their commitment to protecting Uganda’s wildlife is extraordinary.
For FC, supporting them in this small way was an absolute pleasure.
A Visit We Will Never Forget
The most moving visit came through UCF Senior Project Officer Denis Turyaheebwa, who arranged for FC to visit Brightlight Orphanage Nursery and Primary School in a remote area of Buliisa District.
Founded in 2024 by Abraham Manirahari, Brightlight provides support and education to orphans and vulnerable children. Head Teacher Cuthbert Businge welcomed the FC team and shared the story of the school and the children it serves.
Many of the children have experienced devastating loss. Some had lost parents in circumstances connected to poaching in Murchison Falls National Park, while others had lost family members in crocodile attacks while collecting water or through illegal fishing on the Nile. Yet what struck the FC team most was not the hardship. It was the warmth, kindness and joy of the children.
Cuthbert also introduced the team to a local council leader who had donated land to help the school expand. The school was developing classrooms and accommodation using extremely limited resources, but the commitment of the community was clear.
Then came the football kits. With more than 40 Sunderland AFC strips in different sizes, FC was able to provide uniforms for the children. The transformation was immediate. Smiles. Laughter. Football.
For a few moments, the challenges surrounding them disappeared, and the children were simply being kids.
Building Trust Through Conservation
The visit also created an opportunity to talk about conservation and the role communities can play in protecting wildlife. FC and UCF discussed four important areas with the school’s leadership and community representatives:
Community Awareness & Education
Helping communities understand the value of wildlife and the importance of protecting it.
Community Intelligence & Reporting
Building trusted relationships that encourage communities to share information about wildlife crime.
Livelihoods & Incentives
Recognizing the importance of creating sustainable alternatives that reduce reliance on illegal activities.
Trust Between Communities & Law Enforcement
Creating relationships where communities see law enforcement as partners rather than outsiders.
These relationships are critical. Communities living alongside protected areas are often the first to see suspicious activity or recognize threats to wildlife.
More Than Training
The August deployment to Murchison Falls was about much more than delivering a training course. It was about building relationships, listening to communities and creating connections that can support conservation long after the training ends.
The experience at Brightlight Orphanage was particularly humbling. The resources were limited. The challenges were significant. But the warmth, determination and joy were unmistakable.
For Focused Conservation, this is an important part of our work.
And sometimes, the first step toward conservation begins with something as simple as a football, a football shirt and a smile.
