UGANDA: MANCHESTER UNITED'S QUINTON FORTUNE TAKES TIME OUT FROM FOOTBALL TO VISIT CHIDREN IN UGANDA CAUGHT IN THE COUNTR'Y INTERNAL REBELLION

Record ID: 338379

  • Title: UGANDA: MANCHESTER UNITED'S QUINTON FORTUNE TAKES TIME OUT FROM FOOTBALL TO VISIT CHIDREN IN UGANDA CAUGHT IN THE COUNTR'Y INTERNAL REBELLION
  • Date: 1st July 2000
  • Summary: GULU, NORTHWESTERN UGANDA (RECENT) 1. GROUP OF WOMEN CHANTING AND DANCING TO GREET QUINTON FORTUNE 2. QUINTON FORTUNE ARRIVES AT AIRPORT/ GREETS KIDS DRESSED IN FOOTBALL KITS 3. FORTUNE DANCING WITH WOMEN/ CLOSE-UP OF FEET 4. FORTUNE TALKING TO KIDS IN FOOTBALL UNIFORMS 5. KID WITH POSTER OF FORTUNE 6. FORTUNE ADDRESSING CHILDREN/ VARIOUS OF CHILDREN IN CLASSROOM 7. FORTUNE HOLDING YOUNG BOYS HAND SURROUNDED BY OTHER CHILDREN 8. MATHS TEACHER IN UNICEF SPONSORED SCHOOL 9. FORTUNE LOOKING AT ART WORK BY BOY WHO HAS PAINTED HIS VISIONS OF UGANDAS REBELLION/ CLOSE-UPS OF PICTURES SHOWING SOLDIERS AND GUNS 10. FORTUNE JUGGLING FOOTBALL AS KIDS WATCH 11. KIDS IN STANDS OF STADIUM 12. VARIOUS OF FORTUNE ENJOYING A GAME OF FOOTBALL WITH THE CHILDREN 13. FORTUNE POSING FOR PHOTOS WITH FOOTBALL TEAMS 14. (Soundbite) FORTUNE (English) SAYING: ITS ALSO BEEN A SURPRISE TO SEE THE JOY ON THEIR FACES. THESE PEOPLE - ITS A REALLY HARD LIFE HERE WHERE THEY LIVE - THEY DONT HAVE ANYTHING. BUT STILL WHEN WE CAME HERE THEY WERE WAITING FOR US AND MADE US FEEL WELCOME. THEY WANTED TO PALY FOOTBALL, THEY WANTED TO MEET US AND BE WITH US. WE WENT TO SEE THE KIDS WHO WERE ABDUCTED BY REBELS AND THEY WENT THROUGH DIFFICULTIES AND STILL THEY RISE ABOVE IT AND THEY OVERCAME IT SO I MEAN ITS A LOT FOR US TO LEARN ABOUT - WERE VERY LUCKY. 15. FORTUNE SURROUNDED BY KIDS WALKING TO CAR 16. KIDS WAVING HIM FAREWELL. Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 16th July 2000 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: GULA, UGANDA
  • Country: Uganda
  • Reuters ID: LVA53EJ2GVFD8S3AEN9O8Q6VQYBC
  • Story Text: Manchester United's rising South African star Quinton
    Fortune took time out from his preparations for the busy
    season ahead to visit children in northwestern Uganda caught
    up in that country's internal rebellions.



    From the world's richest football club to one of the
    poorest corners of Africa - its a long journey for Manchester
    United's Quinton Fortune.

    As a special representative of UNICEF - the United Nations
    Childrens Fund - Fortune has travelled to Gulu in northwestern
    Uganda to visit UNICEF sponsored projects set up to help
    children caught up in internal conflict in Uganda.

    Scores of rebel groups have been formed in Uganda to
    battle the government in Kampala.

    Many operate from neighbouring countries like Sudan or the
    Democratic Republic of the Congo - often raiding remote areas
    like Gulu to abduct children as slave fighters in their rebel
    armies.

    Young boys are forced to fight while young girls are
    forced into lives as so-called rebel-wives.

    UNICEF in Gulu has set up schools and sponsored other
    projects that help children who have escaped or been freed by
    the rebels rebuild their shattered lives.

    The schools encourage the children to come to terms with
    their brutal past through art - painting pictures depicting
    rebel soldiers attacking a village for example - through music
    and dance, or through organised sport.

    Fortune came into his own on the soccer field - dazzling the
    kids with his ball-juggling skills and pitching in to help set
    up a goal in a game between two school teams.

    As thrilled as the children were to meet a star of African
    football - Fortune for his part was equally touched by the
    warm welcome and the spirit of the children.

    The kids who were abducted by rebels went through
    difficulties and still they rise above it...its a lot for us
    to learn about, he said.

    Fortune said he would dedicate himself to raising more
    money for the children of Gulu.


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