07/06/2026
⚽ More Than a Soccer Tournament. A Celebration of Hope.
While the world celebrates this epic World Cup and we continue prayerfully waiting for the funds to build our next well, we’d love to invite you to be part of another ministry that has become incredibly meaningful to us.
This year marks the 3rd Annual Ola Kvalvaag Memorial Women’s Empowerment Soccer Cup on the islands of Lake Victoria, Uganda.
At first glance, it looks like a soccer tournament. But for the women who participate, it represents something much bigger.
Many of these women are widows after losing their husbands, who made a living fishing the waters of Lake Victoria—a profession that carries real dangers, including crocodile attacks and severe storms. Despite unimaginable hardship, these women continue to fight every day to provide for their children and build a future.
The tournament is a day dedicated entirely to celebrating their strength.
Women travel from islands across the lake to compete, while thousands of friends, families, and neighbors gather to cheer them on. The atmosphere is contagious—music, laughter, dancing, friendly competition, and a beautiful sense of unity between communities that don’t often have opportunities to gather like this. For one day, the burdens of daily life give way to joy, encouragement, and hope.
The impact doesn’t end when the final whistle blows.
🥇 The first-place team receives enough funding for each woman to start her own small business, creating an opportunity to earn sustainable income, provide for her family, and build a future with greater independence and dignity.
This event has become one of the highlights of the year for many of the island communities, reminding these women that they are seen, valued, and worth investing in.
The most amazing part?
The entire event costs only $800 USD to host.
If you feel led to help make this year’s tournament possible, we would be deeply grateful. Every gift, no matter the amount, helps create a day that inspires hope and opens doors for women who are determined to build a better future.
As always, 100% of donations designated for this event will go directly toward the Women’s Empowerment Soccer Cup. Donations designated for wells will continue to be used exclusively for bringing clean water to the islands through Wells Within Reach.
Please enjoy these photos and videos from previous years. They offer just a small glimpse of the joy, excitement, and community that this day brings.
Thank you for believing with us that hope can take many forms. Sometimes it’s clean water. Sometimes it’s the opportunity to start a business. Sometimes it’s simply gathering together and being reminded that you are not alone.
❤️ “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” — Galatians 6:2
