Lesotho Rugby Academy partners with the Atlas Foundation

The Lesotho Rugby Academy is delighted to announce that we are entering into a 3 year partnership with the Atlas Foundation and will be launching the Atlas Lesotho All Schools programme in 2019. The Atlas Foundation was founded by Jason Leonard and other rugby champions to bring positive change to children around the world through the power of the game.

The All Schools programme will deliver rugby training to three high schools in Maseru each week for the next three years to establish a senior girls and boys team at each school. We will work with kids as they go through their high-school exams to offer them structured team sports each week and pass on important life skills such as communication, commitment and respect. Evidence from around the world has shown that playing rugby can improve behaviour and educational attainment off the pitch.

This will complement our ongoing work working with younger children to introduce them to the sport over 10 weeks whilst delivering important educational lessons about HIV-AIDS, healthy lifestyles and gender equality. The All Schools programme, which will be delivered by Dolen Cymru, will act as a bridge between our introductory programme and the senior sport in Lesotho, strengthening the talent pipeline and investing in the future development of the sport.

Dan Aylward-Mills, of the Lesotho Rugby Academy, said: “This is a really proud moment for us and we’re delighted that The Atlas Foundation has recognised the wonderful and positive impact that our coaches are having on the school children they work with. Their support will enable a massive step forward in our coaching capacity in Lesotho, with more time spent in schools, more kids having the opportunity to play the sport and learn the life skills that make a responsible adult on and off the field. This is an incredibly exciting moment and we can’t wait to start work.”