Tenge Tenge, Miss Uganda at BNN, Imara Girls Tournament

Everything you missed at the BNN Imara Brave Girls Tournament

On June 6th, 2024, the Imara Brave Girls Tournament, organized by Reach A Hand Uganda (RAHU) and Planned Parenthood Global (PPG), brought together several participants. These included young girls and women, parents, feminist CSOs, and like-minded partners, to celebrate brave sports individuals and champion Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) issues. Read to the end to watch a video of Tenge Tenge at the tournament.

Video: Evelyn Anite steals the show at BNN Youth Summit

What happened at the Imara Girls Tournament?

The tournament, held at the International University of East Africa, featured 16 school football teams, including Alliance High School, Church of God High School, Exodus College School, and others. The event was filled with excitement and color, with a surprise performance by the Miss Uganda team competing against RAHU, showcasing the hidden talents of girls in sports. Among the notable guests were Eddy Kenzo, Alien Skin, Wyke Benda as well as the BNN delegates. We also saw performances from Tenge Tenge, Wembley Ug and the Big Talent Dancers.

Humphrey Nabimanya, founder of Reach A Hand Uganda, delivered a keynote speech. Humphrey emphasized the importance of empowering girls and women to become future leaders and break barriers in society. He highlighted the global campaign, “This Is Brave,” run by PPG Global, and the Billion Campaign, which aims to create a society that empowers everyone especially the least valued people in society. The overall winner of the tournament, Hope Secondary School Watoto won the trophy and a whopping 6 Million Ugandan shillings. Other participants also got hampers from Movit.

Tenge Tenge pulls crowds at BNN Tournament

So what is the Imara Brave Girls Tournament?

The Imara Brave Girls Tournament is part of the Imara Girls Festival 2024, which took place on June 5th, 2024. The major theme was “Addressing Empowerment Barriers through Amplified Youth Voices!” The festival celebrates the role and contribution of women and girls in advancing health and development at the national, regional, and global levels.

How the Billi Now Now! Summit Connected Youth

The ‘Billi Now Now!’ Youth Summit, held from June 4th to 6th, brought together youth from PPG countries to discuss topics related to youth SRHR and broader social justice issues.

The Imara Brave Girls Tournament objectives include offering a platform for girls and women to take on brave actions in sports, celebrating brave contributions, and fostering a better understanding of sports as a safe space to champion for brave initiatives.

The event highlighted the importance of addressing empowerment barriers and challenging stereotypical beliefs in sports and other disciplines. Social cultural norms, beliefs, and values have continuously placed girls in inferior positions, making them bear the larger burden of gender-based challenges.

What does Humphrey Nabimanya think about solving global problems?

According to Nabimanya, efforts to address these issues can only be successful if they are designed and steered by girls and women themselves. The Imara Brave Girls Tournament is a step towards creating a society that empowers everyone, and we are all winners because we are part of the Billion Campaign.

In addition to the tournament, Reach a Hand Uganda raised 5 million shillings for the Eddy Kenzo foundation, and the winner of the tournament, Watoto Church, took home 6 million Ugandan shillings.

The Afterparty and final moment for delegates

The event concluded with an afterparty at MOTIV, where delegates from different countries shared ideas, planned new initiatives, and celebrated into the dawn.

This event demonstrates the power of sports and community in empowering girls and women to break barriers and challenge stereotypes. As we move forward, it is essential to continue supporting and amplifying the voices of girls and women, and to create a society that empowers everyone.