MUKONO, UGANDA – Cricket Uganda empowered young women during this year’s ICC Women’s Cricket Week, celebrated on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, at Mt. St. Henry’s High School in Mukono.
Building on the massive success of last year’s event at Gayaza High School, where the Uganda National Women’s Cricket team – Victoria Pearls and the Canada National Women’s Cricket team took part, this year’s stop in Mukono successfully engaged over 200 enthusiastic female students.
The lively afternoon session was packed with quick-fire games and foundational clinics focusing on the basics of bowling, batting, and fielding, reinforcing Cricket Uganda’s strategic commitment to expanding the game far beyond its traditional boundaries.
“Expanding our footprint into schools like Mt. St. Henry’s Mukono is the cornerstone of our long-term growth strategy,” said Denis Musali, Honorary Secretary of Cricket Uganda.
“Women’s Cricket Week gives us a global platform to showcase the local momentum we are building. By investing heavily in these regional activations, we are not just teaching a game; we are building sustainable structures that will support the sport for decades to come.”
The Victoria Pearls and their coaching staff took time off their elite training schedules to personally lead the coaching clinics, interact with the students, and share their inspiring journeys from school-level sports to international cricket.
Having the Victoria Pearls on the ground allowed the young students to see first-hand what can be achieved through dedication, transforming the senior players from distant sporting figures into accessible, real-world role models right on the school field.
“As Victoria Pearls, we are happy to come out and share knowledge and to let the girls know that there is a women’s cricket team out there,” noted Janet Mbabazi, Captain of the Victoria Pearls.
“We’ve been able to share our skills and introduce the sport to this school. I will be grateful for some of the girls to make it to the Victoria Pearls team because it means I left a mark.”
This annual global initiative, established by the ICC to significantly elevate the profile, visibility, and participation of women in sports worldwide, carries unique weight this year as it runs concurrently with the ongoing ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in England and Wales.
By directly connecting the inspiration of elite international icons competing on the world stage to the classrooms and fields of Mukono, Cricket Uganda is bridging the gap between global sports spectacles and localised community outreach.
Lelia Namaganda Ondeko, the Women’s Representative to the Cricket Uganda Board, emphasised the strategic alignment of the timing: “Aligning our local development with the global T20 World Cup creates a powerful narrative.
“It shows these young women that they are part of a massive, supportive global community, and it highlights our ongoing administrative push to ensure equity and resources for women’s cricket at every single level of the game.”
The regional celebration provides an ideal platform for young women in areas where the sport is still developing to experience the game firsthand, fostering immense grassroots growth while cultivating leadership, discipline, and essential teamwork skills among participants.
Davis Turinawe, Cricket Uganda Development Manager, highlighted the operational goals of the day:
“Our development team focused heavily on making today’s clinics highly interactive and accessible using foundational frameworks. Bringing over 200 girls onto the field in a single afternoon shows the massive hunger for the sport. Our next step is to ensure Mt. St. Henry’s Mukono has the equipment and ongoing technical support to keep this momentum alive.”
The historical ties between Ugandan women’s cricket and local schools run incredibly deep, tracing back to the game’s initial steps in the country in 2001.
By continuing to intentionally target educational institutions alongside the country’s top national athletes, Cricket Uganda ensured that the path from picking up a bat at school to leading on a global stage remains wide open.
Nakalembe Teopista, Head Teacher of Mt. St. Henry’s High School, Mukono, expressed her profound gratitude for the impact on her student body: “I am so happy today to have hosted the Victoria Pearls for the ICC Women’s Cricket Week.
“I would like to appreciate ICC and Cricket Uganda for choosing Mt. St. Henry’s and for keeping our children interested in the game of cricket. In the academic arena, sports are given a special place, more so the girl child.
“The four points given at the university are not a few points; they are enough to place us somewhere. Today we have started, and I know we shall grow the game here at Mt. St. Henry’s.”
Mt. St. Henry’s High School, Mukono, finished as semifinalists at the 2026 Sky View Girls’ Schools Cricket Week in Gulu. They made a remarkable run to the knockout stages before falling to eventual tournament champions Light Secondary School in the semifinals.