ZOMBO: Life Concern Uses Sports to Promote Environmental Conservation and education

By Mike Rwothomio

Life Concern (LICO), a Paidha-based non-governmental organisation, has used sports to mobilise young people to promote education, champion environmental conservation, sustainable farming practices and raise awareness about climate change in Zombo District.

The initiative, organised under the ALOCHI KUSOMU II project (2025–2027), brought together young people for the 2026 Eco-Education Run and Ecology Awards, combining athletics with environmental awareness campaigns.

The activities, held at Zombo Upper Primary School playground on Thursday, November 5, and scheduled to continue at Alangi Supermix playground on Friday, November 6, featured a 10-kilometre marathon across Zombo Town Council, alongside 100-metre and 200-metre races.

The competitions attracted junior boys and girls aged 14–17 and senior boys and girls aged 18–24, providing participants with an opportunity to showcase their sporting talents while promoting environmental protection.

In his remarks after the event, Life Concern Executive Director Kakura Emmy Kizito urged participants to become active agents of climate change action in their respective communities.

He emphasised the importance of education and sports in promoting environmental conservation, calling on participants to translate the knowledge and lessons acquired into practical action.

Kizito encouraged them to plant trees, including fruit trees and coffee, saying such initiatives would not only help restore the environment but also provide sustainable sources of income.

“Become active climate change agents in your communities. We emphasise the benefits of education and sports, and we urge you to put what you have learnt into action by planting trees such as fruit trees, coffee and others that will not only restore the environment but also serve as a source of income.”

Forty outstanding participants were rewarded with environmentally friendly, energy-saving stoves to promote clean cooking at household level and solar lamps to support clean energy use, education and climate-smart practices.

The initiative also recognised three beneficiaries through cash awards under household and individual youth categories.

Among the outstanding individual winners was Immaculate Awacango, recognised in the household category, while 24-year-old Ungeyuwun Jackson was recognised for planting 225 trees.

Life Concern Project Coordinator Denis Ocuna said the initiative was intended to inspire young people to take an active role in environmental conservation through tree planting, good agronomic practices and community sensitisation.

"the programme was also designed to recognise outstanding environmental conservation efforts by households and individual young people through a competitive selection process" Ocuna said 

According to the organization, the involvement of young people in environmental conservation is expected to strengthen community awareness, encourage tree planting, promote responsible land use and build a generation capable of protecting natural resources while improving livelihoods.

In Zombo, the initiative comes amid growing concerns over environmental degradation, including deforestation, wetland encroachment, soil erosion, declining soil fertility and unsustainable farming practices, which threaten agricultural productivity and community livelihoods.

The district has also experienced destructive weather events, raising concerns about the vulnerability of communities and public infrastructure to climate-related hazards.

On October 6, 2026, a hailstorm accompanied by heavy evening rains struck Juloka Primary School in Warr Town Council, destroying classroom and administrative office roofs and damaging scholastic materials, disrupting teaching and learning.

Earlier, on August 2, 2026, another destructive storm accompanied by torrential rainfall and hailstorms hit Alangi Sub-county, affecting four parishes of Gamba, Ambele, Angar and Ndara.

Floodwaters swept away crops and livestock, while Athuda Bridge I and II were destroyed, disrupting connectivity between communities.

The incidents underscore the growing risks associated with extreme weather and the need to strengthen environmental restoration and climate resilience. Although individual storms cannot automatically be attributed to climate change, increasingly variable rainfall and extreme weather patterns are among the climate-related challenges facing communities.

Environmental conservation interventions, including tree planting, wetland protection, sustainable agriculture and soil conservation, can help protect water sources, reduce soil erosion, improve soil fertility, support biodiversity and strengthen communities' resilience to climate-related shocks.

Meanwhile, Zombo District Secretary for Works Committee Patrick Kumakech called for continuous training to improve young people's participation and performance in sports.

Zombo LCV Chairperson James Oruna Oyullu commended Life Concern and its partners for promoting environmental conservation, talent development and education, pledging increased support and funding for sports activities in the future.

He also called for strengthened environmental conservation measures involving both young people and older members of the community.

The Parish Priest of Zombo Town Parish Catholic Church commended Life Concern for organising what he described as transformative activities that nurture young people's talents, while appreciating participants for embracing the initiative.

Zombo Town Council LCIII Chairperson Eng. Frank Opio, who participated as the chief runner, flagged off the competition at Zombo Upper Primary School playground and urged participants to embrace environmental restoration at all levels.

District Sports Officer Aziz Onim also supported the sporting activities, which used athletics to connect physical fitness, youth participation and environmental awareness.

In talent development, Moris, who was identified through the talent and scholarship programme at Ndejje University, was among those recognised. Two other students, Pons from Paidha Secondary School and Rogers from Warr, were also promoted to athletic coaches.

Life Concern is implementing the ALOCHI KUSOMU II project in a consortium with Nebbi NGO Forum and CEFORD. The project focuses on mobilising school-age children to enrol and remain in school, encouraging community support for education and empowering young people to spearhead environmental protection initiatives.