58 Field Squadron, specializing in Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Search operations, has been in collaboration with the Kenyan Defence Force to clear the internationally utilized Archer's Post Training Area of hazardous legacy munitions. Their primary objective is to enhance the safety of the local population and ensure the area is safe for future training activities.
In their efforts to support the local community, particularly those residing near the training areas, they also conducted informational sessions in local schools and communities. These sessions aimed to increase awareness about the potential risks associated with mines and unexploded ordnance, as well as educate people on how to report these hazards if encountered.
Throughout their tour, members of the 58 Field Squadron visited a total of 18 schools and communities, ensuring that each school received a minimum of one football each.
One particular story stands out among their experiences. The squadron revisited a school they had previously attended earlier in the trip. During their initial visit, a teacher named Mario had received a donation of balls that he intended to use for the school's football team. Upon their return to Laresoro Primary School, they observed the school conducting a physical education lesson using the footballs that had been donated two weeks earlier.
Lt Arran Holmes, who spearheaded the football donation initiative, emphasized that “these seemingly small contributions have a significant impact on the lives of the children and teachers in the schools that received donated footballs”.