Sports fan Matt puts smiles on faces through Rwandan rugby project

When it comes to going the extra mile for charity, few can match the efforts of Encirc’s Matt Phillips and his selfless work helping schoolchildren across Rwanda.

Based at Encirc Bristol as a Continuous Improvement lead, Matt is a trustee at the Friends of Rwandan Rugby (FORR), an initiative that helps support the growth of rugby to encourage an active lifestyle in children across the whole of Rwanda.

We’re proud at Encirc to back Matt’s mission, sponsoring some of the rugby balls that the children play with.

As an avid rugby fan, player and now coach, Matt has dedicated his life to rugby outside of work. Back in 2013, Matt noticed a post on Facebook about the FORR raising funds for their latest expedition. Fast forward 10 years and he is now one of six trustees of the charity and has travelled eight times to different parts of Rwanda, coaching and sharing his love of the game.

Indeed, he is going back in May!

Matt and his team of trustees dedicate their time freely to the charity.

In so doing, they regularly pack their bags filled with rugby kits, rugby balls and travel over to primary schools to give the local children a taste of the sport.

The charity has gone from strength to strength, and Friends of Rwandan Rugby now give over 1,000 children a month access to all thing’s rugby, even employing 15 rugby development officers who work throughout the country to make sure the children are getting the best training.

FORR have also implemented a ‘Tag for Teachers’ programme which aims to upskill primary school teachers to be able to teach the basics of TAG rugby.

‘‘We are a small sports development charity using rugby to holistically improve the lives of children in some of the most impoverished areas throughout Rwanda’’, said Matt, who has been at Encirc for three years.

So why Rwanda?

Back in 1994, the Rwandan genocide claimed the lives of up to 800,000 people, tearing apart a nation and leaving last longing effects for generations to come. The whole country was left devastated and children especially needed ways of enjoying a happy and healthy lifestyle.

“We try to foster a togetherness through rugby, a sport which a lot of the children have never encountered before we arrived at their schools,” Matt told us.

“We use rugby to try and heal the effects of the genocide.” explained Matt, who after several years of visiting Rwanda, is starting to see how the sport is becoming a lot more popular within the country.

The charity now hosts tournaments for TAG Rugby and alternative formats such as T1 rugby.

All in all, then, quite the story, a real game-changer which shows what a love of sport can do, and just how far that impact can travel.

For more information on Friends of Rwandan Rugby or how you can help, check out their social media channels or website.