31/08/2026
GHC–NPA SPORTS AND CULTURE SUMMER FESTIVAL 2026 CONCLUDED SUCCESSFULLY
On Saturday, 29 August 2026, at GS Mwendo
Multipurpose Play Grounds, Gorillas Handball Club (GHC) successfully concluded the GHC–NPA Sports and Culture Summer Festival 2026, an initiative funded by We'll Never Play Alone St. Pauli (NPA), a partner organisation based in Germany.
The Summer Festival officially started on 1 August 2026 and was implemented across four venues: Oasis Sports Center Kigali, Kimisagara Youth Center, Imbuto Hub–Bugesera, and GS Mwendo.
The programme brought together more than 500 children from the different venues, supported by over 30 volunteer coaches who dedicated their time and expertise to training, mentoring, and engaging the children throughout the festival.
Main Activities:
The Summer Festival offered a diverse programme combining sports development, physical activity, culture, and youth empowerment. The main activities included:
- Handball Training Programme – introducing and developing fundamental handball skills, tactics, teamwork, and fair play.
- Special Goalkeeper (GK) Training Programme – providing specialised training focused on goalkeeper techniques and skills.
- Young Referees Training Programme – introducing young participants to the basic principles, rules, and responsibilities of handball officiating.
- Traditional Dance Training Programme – promoting Rwandan culture, creativity, discipline, and cultural expression through traditional dance.
- Multi-Sport Training Activities – giving children opportunities to experience and develop skills in Basketball, Volleyball, Karate, and Dodgeball.
Beyond sports training, the festival created a safe and inclusive environment where children could play, learn, create, develop confidence, build friendships, and discover new talents.
Gorillas Handball Club extends its sincere appreciation to Never Play Alone (NPA) for its continued financial support and partnership, to Future Stars Handball Academy, GS Mwndo, Imbuto Hub Bugesera as well as to all volunteer coaches, coordinators, parents, community leaders, venues, and partners who contributed to the success of the programme.
The successful conclusion of the 2026 Summer Festival marks another important step in GHC's commitment to using sport and culture as powerful tools for youth development, inclusion, talent identification, and community empowerment.
Play. Create. Lead. Inspire.
–NPA Sports and Culture Summer Festival 2026