This year has been a phenomenal year for boardgames in Uganda - at least from our perspective! We've introduced modern boardgames to hundreds of young people and adults at our centres in Kampala and the North and we now have a team that can go out and demonstrate the games to all corners of Uganda.
In May we ran the very first Rural Boardgames Convention in Gulu. In August we launched Gamechangers, a project to find those young boardgamers, who want to create change in Uganda and in September we have founded three boardgame clubs in Gulu, each with 25 or more members.
In September we also received a huge consignment of boardgames, thanks to our partners, the Perfect Information Podcast, and now, having studied a large number of these new games, we want to take these out into Kampala in November, launching Kampala Games Day and then taking a team into Northern Uganda - Pader, Agago, Omoro, Gulu and perhaps even further afield.
We expect also to work with holiday programmes in Gulu, taking the games to children, who are learning chess, computer programming or other activities during their Christmas break. At the same time, we will have a team talking to young people about changemaking and teaching them new skills, such as first aid, fine art, enttrepreneurship and drama.
Boardgames have proved an incredible draw in Uganda where our young people have been able to teach them, yet the job has only just begun, as there are still so few boardgames and boardgamers here, despite an amazing culture of Omweso and a few other traditional games here. Boardgames are rarely impacted by failing electricity, so they are an ideal component of children's development in rural areas and they can inspire hope, establish new skill sets, create more social interaction and teamwork and develop other social skills, such as persuasion, diplomatic skills and even empathy.
Card and dice games can be easily accessible to newcomers - most of these pics are those of children very new to the hobby - and immediately instil a competitive spirit. The roadshow will include very many of these excellent "starter games", which are skilful, but easy to learn. Many of these have been donated by people all around the world and we want with this initiative to be able to maximise the use of these donated games by bringning them to hundreds of new children in village areas. The more complex games we will take to our springboard event, Kampala Games Day, which will attract older youth and adults.
At the Kampala Games Day we plan to have tables of the following games:
Phalanxx (above)
Cosmic Encounter
Signorie
Thurn und Taxi
7 Wonders
Rex
Mousquetaires du Roy
Race for the Galaxy
Legends of Andor
Maharani
We'll also have some quicker games, such as Codenames, Pingu Party, Memoaarrr, Bang The Dice Game, Forbidden Island and many more.
Kampala Games Day will take place on 25th - 26th November and we would welcome any visitors from other countries on those days. Entry will be free and food will be available at the venue, which will be near Acacia Mall in Kampala.
The remainder of the road trip will continue up until Christmas and take us to Pader District, Agago District and then in January, we will extend the road trip to events in Gulu. It will involve around 30 children and youth as prganisers and hundreds as participants!
Most of our activities are youth led. Only our few adult staff members know how to play these games and our youth take the lead in teaching and organising. Chrysalis Youth Empowerment Network runs these events to inspire and empower youth, as they gain confidence from teaching and being involved in the planning and running.
We would like to thank everyone who has supported our previous ventures - the Uganda Village Boardgame Convention and the Gamechangers Launch in August. We'd also like to thank Perfect Information Podcast, whse listeners donated most of the games we want to teach in the road trip.
Finally I would also like to thank Creativity Hub, who have underpinned some of the Games Day costs and are helping us in various ways to develop a games design team here in Uganda and attract more young people interested in making games!