By: Barrie Alpha
Cricket Sierra Leone has launched a 27-day nationwide women’s cricket celebration as part of the ICC Women’s Week programme, targeting 38,400 girls in 96 schools across 11 districts and five regions of the country.
The participation-driven initiative will be implemented by 50 trained development officers tasked with promoting the growth of female cricket at both primary and secondary school levels.
The programme commenced in the Western Urban Area, where 10 girls’ schools — comprising three primary and seven secondary schools — are taking part in the opening phase of the campaign.
Activities for the first day focus on cricket awareness and sensitisation, while the second day will feature coaching clinics and inter-house cricket competitions. The third day will conclude the competitions before participating schools unite for the Inter-School Criiio Cup Festival on the fourth day.
Organisers disclosed that the Western Urban programme is expected to engage about 4,400 girls, while the Western Rural phase will involve 3,520 participants across eight schools.
Cricket Sierra Leone said the nationwide initiative is aimed at increasing female participation in the sport and strengthening cricket’s popularity across the country, with ambitions of making it Sierra Leone’s second most-followed sport after football.