Making a difference in Life
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The Maker - Llwanga Lwanga As a child living in Uganda, Llwanga first saw the game of tennis being played at a private, all-white tennis club. He and some friends approached the court to watch, but were soon chased away by the players, who feared Llwanga and his friends might steal one of their tennis balls. Undeterred, Llwanga returned the next day, only to be chased away again. Fascinated by the game, Llwanga decided to make his own equipment and learn the sport with his friends. He fashioned paddle-like racquets out of firewood and tennis balls from banana tree fiber and rubber tree sap. Then he wove a rope-like net from strands of sisal and banana plants. And he taught himself to play. Flash forward 60 years and Llwanga is still making it possible for people to play the sport he loves, but now he's doing it in the inner city. Since he arrived in Seattle in 1968, he's been part of a small group of players who have made it their mission to bring tennis to African-Americans in Seattle's Central District . Over the years he has volunteered in many efforts to promote the sport of tennis, encourage education and mentor children. Llwanga’s generosity and dedication to community brought him back to Uganda in 1994, when he returned to his home village to build Lwa-Kisa, a school for 300 children ages 5 to 15. Llwanga plans to return permanently to Uganda, to teach in the school that he built and to introduce students to tennis. He hopes to build two clay courts. No one will chase the children away from the courts, and they won’t have to make their own racquets, balls, or net. In Luganda, Llwanga's mother language, "lwanga" is derived from a word that means "maker". Llwanga is a Maker of the highest order, a person who has made wonderful things happen and continues to make it possible for all children to learn not just about tennis, but also about educating themselves and improving their lives. Read more by clicking on the links below -   |
| Helping There are many ways to help, please visit the "How YOU can help" page for details. Please consult with Llwanga (lwanga@lwa-kisa.org) if you have any questions, or wish to contribute beyond a donation through L'una-Cef (NHF)-06001. Thank you for your kind attention and willingness to hear our story. |
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