Dr. Bob Thomas Cricket Scholarship

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The Kent Cricket Club in Sierra Leone, have been helping to educate members of the community, all through cricket! The club has established the Dr. Bob Thomas Cricket Scholarship Scheme which aims to help Sierra Leone Cricket to retain its young talent, by providing practical assistance such as funding for education and learning resources

 

In 2012, the Kent Cricket Club established the “Dr. Bob Thomas Cricket Scholarship Scheme” mainly to offer educational opportunities to promising cricketers in Sierra Leone. The scholarship is named after former Sierra Leone’s national opening batsman Dr. Bob Thomas.

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In 2013, twenty (20) academic scholarship were awarded to boys and girls who participated in the Onlime U-13 cricket championship. Those who received the support came from a very poor background. 

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The Dr. Bob Thomas scholarship scheme has the task of improving the career prospects of local children and with goals to help Sierra Leone Cricket to hold its young talent, by providing practical assistance such as funding for education and learning resources. Both boys and girls are welcomed to the scheme- regardless of their team, club, Race, Ethnicity, Religion, Disability and Nationality.

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Sierra Leone struggles to retain many of its most promising stars of the future. Economic pressures, and the need to seek work here or abroad, mean that cricket careers are often sacrificed in the search for a living. The scholarship scheme therefore has goals to help Sierra Leone Cricket to hold its young talent, by providing practical assistance such as funding for education and learning resources.

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Players will be given time to attend school, whilst also developing their Cricketing skills. The Kent Club are in collaboration with other partners, in their mutual drive 

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to develop cricket at the grassroots level. Excelling cricketers will benefit hugely from the free Primary School Education, Secondary School Education and University Education they receive, but there are additional advantages too.

 

Studies and cricket:

The added advantage of this scholarship scheme to the young and aspiring cricketers, is that they are have not only their fees paid for- KCC are also providing them with school materials. They are therefore relieved of the very difficult burden of work commitments to afford their studies.

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Further, they can continue developing their cricket career, using the best facilities that Sierra Leone has available. So everyone wins from this arrangement; the children, the KCC and eventually, the Sierra Leone national team!

Kent Cricket Club is very proud of their youth system, which they believe is about helping youngsters to improve in all walks of life, at least as much as moulding them into good cricketers.

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Emmanuel Pessima, Chief Executive Officer said “Not every youngster that comes through Academy are lucky enough to become a professional cricketer at the end of it, so gaining qualifications in other areas can only be of benefit to young cricketers. “Every cricketer is also potentially one serious injury away from being forced to retire from the game. Those who join this scholarship scheme will have another career avenue open to them immediately, should the worst happen to them". "

 

We are going in the right direction with the scholarship scheme. Now potential cricketers in Sierra Leone have a much more stabilized incentive to succeed, who knows where their scholarship will lead take them.” – Emmanuel said.

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Support the KCC in their mission:

Kent Cricket club is looking forward to any support towards the scholarship scheme. If you would like to help in the funding of this scheme, or merely lend your support and approval for it, please contact us- we will be please to receive your donations.

 

Get in touch with us through email info@kentcricketsl.com  

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Thanks to the following individuals who have contributed their time and money to support the Dr. Bob Thomas Cricket Scholarship Scheme. Special thanks to the following people:

1. Odak Oda -Kenya

2. Stalin Frazer