The academy players of APR football club on Tuesday planted 150 trees around the club’s training ground at Utexrwa. The kids totaling to 70, aged between 6 and 13 carried out the tree planting activity under the guidance of their head coach Rene Kalimunda with support from the club top hierarchy.

"To have such a big number of kids with us is only about teaching the football matter but also how to be responsible citizens when they grow up,” said Kalimunda.

According to the former Rayon Sports team manager and later coach, the idea is plating tree around the club’s training ground is in line with the government program to preserve nature.

The scheme is the first of its kind by any local football club, and according to Kalimunda, the club administrators deemed it better to do it with the academy players for the start.

APR academy has over 150 kids spread over three centres, Utexrwa, Kacyiru and Kabusunzi.

"With the three centres, we have enough players to make a selection of the quality we want to develop, none the less, we don’t send back even those who fail to make the grade,” added Kalimunda, who is the over-all coordinator of the three centres with blessing and support (financial and moral) from the club patron, Gen. James Kabarebe.

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