From Scavenging Balls to Building Futures: Daniel’s Story
Daniel stands in the middle of a circle of children in Oyila, Adjumani, a refugee community in northern Uganda. They clap and sing enthusiastically in a game of Lili Soma, a traditional hand-clapping game where partners face each other creating rhythmic patterns while reciting counting rhymes, teaching the children numeracy, coordination, and the importance of working together.
Eighteen years ago, when he was 13, Daniel would have given anything to be in this group, participating in this play activity. But too often, he was the child with his face pressed against the chain-link fence of the Right To Play office, eyeing the play materials and wishing he could use them. Daniel grew up in a low-income neighbourhood near Uganda’s presidential palace in northern Uganda.
“I come from a less privileged family. We did not have playing materials,” says Daniel. “Right To Play would have balls that are damaged, that they would throw in their rubbish pit. We would make sure that when they threw a ball in there, we were the first people to grab it.”
The children would take the balls and insert balloons inside the damaged leather to make them usable again. That is how they learned football, a sport they saw as a potential pathway to education through sports scholarships.
One day, a Right To Play-trained Coach named Moses saw what the children were doing, and instead of seeing scavengers, he saw potential. He began spending time with them, teaching them how to play properly and creating structured opportunities for them to develop their skills. For Daniel, it was a gateway to a different future.
THE COACH WHO CHANGED THE GAME
When Coach Moses invited Daniel to join Right To Play’s programs, play became a classroom. The Coach used play as a gateway to education. Noticing that the children were skipping school to come play, he established a simple but powerful rule: before they could play, they had to answer questions about what they had learned at school that day. At the start of every match, he would ask: “What did you learn in school today?” Children who could not answer because they had skipped class would sit on the sidelines.
"It is a dream come true for me to be part of Right To Play. To be part of the team that is helping the children." — Daniel, Right To Play alumnus
“Suddenly, we were begging teachers for extra lessons,” Daniel recalls. “We wanted to learn so we could play. Because of that, my purpose began to change. I began to perform very well.”
Moses wove life skills into every drill: teamwork in passing exercises, conflict resolution when tensions flared, resilience in loss, instilling important values of discipline and respect. “Moses would never want us to fight,” Daniel says. “If you were a stubborn child, he would send you away. We did not want to be sent away, so we would always keep ourselves disciplined.”
These lessons stayed with Daniel, helping him navigate challenges throughout his life. “It has helped me come out of trouble, out of stubbornness and anger,” he explains.
THE EDUCATION THAT ALMOST WASN'T
As Daniel entered his teens, a harsh reality emerged: in his community, education was often seen as optional. Many of his peers dropped out to become boda boda drivers or construction labourers.
“Moses changed that trajectory for me,” Daniel emphasizes. “Because of those after-school quizzes, I became obsessed with learning. I would pester teachers for extra lessons—something unheard of in our school.”
The discipline translated to remarkable academic success. By secondary school, Daniel was scoring in the top percentile. More importantly, he had developed something precious: ambition.
“We had this saying: ‘When I grow up, I will work for the U.N., Right To Play, or become a doctor.’ For most kids, that was fantasy. For me, it became a plan.”
PAYING IT FORWARD
Today, Daniel’s childhood dream has become reality. As a Logistics Assistant for Right To Play in Adjumani, he is the invisible force ensuring play reaches remote communities. His work at Right To Play allows him to support the same programs that changed his life. Though his primary responsibilities involve office work and logistics, he eagerly volunteers whenever program staff need extra support during activities. His eyes light up when he talks about working directly with children in Right To Play programs.
“It excites me because I have an opportunity to interact with the young ones,” he says. “I have an opportunity to play with children and to educate children, to mentor them just like how Moses led us.”
At home, Daniel recreates Moses’ teaching methods, using play-based learning with his own children ages five and two. He enjoys watching his daughter’s vocabulary bloom through word games. “I ask them questions about school, just like he did,” he says. “I take my time to always go and play with my children,” he says. “I want to bring up the best out of them through playing and interacting with them.”
“Investment is not only money. Invest your energy. Invest yourself. Play with your children.” – Daniel
Beyond his professional work, Daniel volunteers at his local church with Sunday school programs.
“Right To Play taught me that you do not need money to change a life—just time and heart,” Daniel reflects. “Now, I am honoured to be the role model I once needed.”
“It is a dream come true for me to be part of Right To Play," Daniel says. “To be part of the team that is helping the children.”
A MESSAGE TO PARENTS
Drawing from his own experience, Daniel has a powerful message for parents in his community:
“Invest in your children. Investment is not only money—invest your energy, invest yourself. Have time with your children. Play with your children. Because children look up to you.”
He continues, “Children need someone to look up to. And if you are a parent, treat that time you spend with your children very properly. Invest a lot in them.”
