Mfangano Foundation Plans to Break Ground at Sena Primary

On the rocky, hilly terrain of Mfangano Island, flat ground is rare. The island rises sharply from the waters of Lake Victoria, and most open space is shaped more by stone and slopes that ground suitable for a playing field. For the children at Sena Primary and those who come to the sports sessions lead by the Mfangano Foundation it has meant that football has always come with a catch, uneven stony ground that turns every match into a hazard.

The Mfangano Foundation is changing that. Our latest ground development project will transform the school’s existing playing area into a safe, level pitch - built not just for pupils, but for the wider Mfangano community.

Nicholas attends meeting with school principal and hired contractors.

Why It Matters

Sena Primary serves several hundred pupils and sits at the heart of one of the island’s communities, in Mfangano East. Like much of the island, the school’s grounds were never properly levelled, leaving loose rock, exposed roots, and an unpredictable surface underfoot. Injuries during games are common, and the lack of a usable pitch limits what teachers, coaches, and community groups can offer — from PE lessons to inter-school tournaments to weekend football for young people who have few other recreational outlets.

A flat, safe pitch does more than prevent scraped knees. It opens the door to organised sport, healthier routines, and a shared space where the school and surrounding villages can come together.

The Plan

The project will focus on clearing and levelling the ground, removing rocks and debris, improving drainage so the pitch stays usable through the rainy season, and marking out a proper playing surface suitable for football and athletics. Community labour and local materials will be central to the build, in keeping with how development happens on the island — by hand, with neighbours working alongside the Foundation’s team.

A Shared Resource

Once complete, the pitch won’t belong to the school alone. Outside of class hours, it will be available to youth football teams, community events, and family gatherings — turning a stretch of cleared, levelled ground into one of the few proper recreational spaces on Mfangano Island.

This is a small project by the standards of the wider world, but on an island where flat ground is scarce and resources scarcer, it’s a meaningful one. The Mfangano Foundation is grateful to everyone supporting this effort and will share updates as the work progresses.