#GameChangersUganda Support Continues!

#GameChangersUganda Support Continues!

Third Uganda Village Boardgame Convention

Game Changers continues to inspire, educate and change the lives of many young people across Uganda. Following our support of sending board games to the young people involved. Education and entertainment being core values to our social purpose at InGameUK. Momentum and support in the charity continues to grow. As such they’ve launched a new Crowdfunder campaign to help fund their Third Uganda Village Boardgame Convention — designed and organised by the young people themselves. This small yet very life changing intervention can lead to a major difference in the lives of these young people. Inspiring and encouraging, building confidence, even soft skills development to help set them on the path towards becoming Game Changers in their own communities. Providing a little inspiration to make a difference can go a long way! Seeing that impact is what is most rewarding! At the time of writing this article the Crowdfunder was just over 70% funded with a few weeks left to go. I’m sure it would mean the world to everyone to see this project helped over the line.

SUPPORT THEM ON CROWDFUNDFUNDER NOW!

How #GameChangersUganda Has Evolved

Reading Ben Parkinson’s update in December it makes for incredible reading of the impact this project is making to the lives of many.

With 200 or more good quality boardgames in Uganda, spread around 6 rural Board Game Clubs and two city clubs, one in Gulu and another in Kampala.” Its set to help build self confidence and a connection to the outside world, which often they crave.

With over 200 children attending their last convention, youth come from miles away to enjoy board games, club members receive games to take away and play at home or at their villages. What is most incredible is the impact being achieved through the The Butterfly Project.

One has now graduated from Makerere University, Seven are at Ugandan universities. Two at international universities, One has won a Queen’s award for youth, Three have started their own businesses and the remainder are still at school.

Throughout their involvement all young people have started their own social projects during the training programme and three have even been prototyping their own boardgames.

GRIDCON

It’s great to see; There’s growing support domestically in the UK Board Gaming Community for this initiative. Long standing supporter of the project and video rules demonstrator Paul Grogan, director of Gaming Rules. Has been busy organising GRIDCON (Gaming Rules In Devon Convention) in November.

In aid of the of the project and the crowdfunder campaign. Paul has decided to run a special Charity Games Day on 4th May 2019 in Cullompton Devon. Part of the main GridCon event in Novemeber 2019.

With over 115 tickets sold for the charity day its set to be a great day of gaming, with money raised going to support the The Third Village Boardgame Convention Kickstarter Campaign above. Groups of gamers are traveling far and wide to get some of their favourite games to the table. Or even lean some new ones thanks to Gaming Rules. With Meeples Corner as retailer for the day and an additional 5% off on orders made for pick up at the Event, everything will be on hand for a great day of gaming.

MORE GRIDCON EVENTS THIS YEAR

July: This Is Not GridCon (TING) 2-day Open Gaming Event @ Cullompton Community Centre
November: GridCon!!! 3-day Open Gaming Event @ Venue TBC in DEVON.

BOOK YOUR TICKETS TODAY!

Game Collection and Resale

Not all people are able to financially support this initiative, in a world filled with uncertainty — people want to give, yet giving a donation in the form of an old board game is sometimes an easier more convenient way to show support. For us we are proud to be helping create a system to facilitate the processing and distributing these pre-owned games. It creates a great infinite social GOOD loop. Donators feel good for making a charitable donation, it satisfies our social entrepreneurial approach to business, collaboration between the third and commercial sectors AND above all else you have the impact these games have on the young people in Uganda. Whether they are kept to be played in the village board game groups or sold to help support the shipping costs to send other games out from the UK.

This business approach can help provide the project with a sustainable financial lifeline, that allows sustainable growth on the ground but also in the facilitation of collection, infrastructure and shipping here in the UK. While fulfilling the ambitions of the project for all involved.

If you would like to donate games towards this project InGameUK will be on hand at GridCon coordinating the collection of any donated games. We also enjoy counting meeples! So don’t be shy if your unsure if the contents are complete, we have ways of putting board games components to good use even in the event we don’t stock a replacement part.

Facebook Competition

To celebrate all this charitable effort, we wanted to give a little back for everyones ongoing support with this special bank holiday competition on facebook.

— COMPETITION QUESTION —

What ONE board game would you recommend to a friend [tag Them] who is new to board gaming? 😁🎲

1st 2 x Tickets to TING in July 2-day Open Gaming Event in Cullompton ✨
2nd Arkham Expansion / Navigator Dice & Pick a Promo!
3rd Retro Goodies! 🎮✨
4th 5th, 6th.. Pick your own PROMO! 😍😎

Winners will be chosen on 4th May @ the Charity Games Day. Tickets to TING will be in the form of a credit note, for when they become available.

Donate Games to the Children of Uganda

If this is a cause you would like to support, you can, easily, and we know the children in Uganda would be very grateful. You can do this by directly contacting Ben Parkinson From GameChangers or or Andrew at InGameUK a message. We are always happy to take receipt of games at our HQ in Devon or via collection at UK Board Game Events. Two things to bare in mind, the games should be for children aged 8–18 and try to avoid traditional Word Games. A fuller list of games to avoid is available on the Chrysalis Website.

Special Thanks:

This article was written by Andrew Jinman, social entrepreneur and founder of InGameUK with With a very special thank you to Ben Parkinson, and Paul Grogan.

Support Us:

We invite you to become part of what we are doing and help increase our Social Impact! With your support we can create some really cool online content, from viral videos through to documenting the events we attend. Writing cracking blog posts (like this one), to stunning photos and awesome video content. We’ve already got the ideas, we just need a little financial support to make our aspirations a reality. With your help, anything and everything is possible!

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