Advancing education and opportunity through Rugby

As national lockdowns continue into the New Year, many of our children and family's oversea remain incredibly concerned with the threat of malnutrition, starvation as well as Covid-19. So still in January we are focusing our efforts on maintaing our support in providing emergency coronavirus releif to our projects around the world. 

This is not to say we haven't passed some positive milestones since our last report. Indeed, in August our Kenyan DigiBus became fully operational and open to children of the Kibera slum. Fitted with Covid misting systems, tables, laptops, and CCTV security cameras, we have loved been able to welcome small groups of children onboard the bus, in a Covid safe environment. After the success of this bus, we have also begun plans for our second DigiBus, this time for children in South Africa. You can see more about this campaign here: https://www.atlasfrc.org/news/atlas-digibus-for-south-africa

In recent months, we have also hosted our first successful online event with Nick Mallet, Matt Pearce and Gavin Hastings. It was a clash of commentators, with fantastic prizes, special guest call-ins, Q and A's and lots of fundraising for our children in South Africa. Plans are now underway for our next online event so we can continue to advance education and opportunity through rugby.

Since the global lockdown, many of our children and family’s overseas have been more concerned with the reality of dealing with the greater danger of malnutrition and starvation than Covid-19. Into August this remained a critical worry. So we chose to maintain our support in providing emergency coronavirus relief to our projects around the world. 

Back in May, the Atlas Foundation joined forces with the RAF Police Rugby team (aka The Flying Pigs) in a challenge to virtually circumnavigate the Globe. The 25,000-mile adventure was to be carried out collectively around the world; walking, running, hopping, cycling any which way we could. In a fantastic team effort, the team completed over 70,000 miles/113 kilometers over 7 days. The objective of this challenge was to raise awareness and funds for the many kids and families around the world who have been affected by Coronavirus. In Singapore, we had a great sign up and equally, big mileage completed! Through the Anita, Alex & Annabel Nicholson Memorial Fund we raised over SG$ 7,000 with proceeds going to the foreign workers living in dormitories who have been hardest hit. While the government had provided medical support and food for these workers, they were isolated from their families and the outside world. On Saturday 1st August we visited one of the dorms to supply care packages which included fans, deodorant & body wash.

In other parts of the world, a similar effort was mobilized throughout this month. In Argentina, despite rugby training not being possible, our rugby family came together to protect one another. In March, Virreyes Rugby Club was transformed into a dining hall, with an army of volunteers cooking and delivering 1,000 meals every day to the doorsteps of the poorest neighborhoods. Since the pandemic first began over 40,000 meals have been delivered and this is continuously rising as the numbers of those in need are growing daily. 

Finally, while the world has seemingly been on hold, August gave us optimism as long-developed projects came to life and online events were borne. In August, our Kenyan Digibus became fully operational and open to children of the Kibera slum. Fitted with tables, laptops, corona mod cons, disinfecting misting systems, and CCTV security cameras, we are so excited to welcome the children on board to their new classroom when it is safe to do so. Our first online event Driving Forward was also an enormous success, with a hundred attendees, donations still being counted, and other events in the pipeline.  

Thank you!