DBA Africa’s Director and Founder, Storm Trentham, recently concluded a highly successful two-week engagement tour across schools and universities in England and Ireland. Building on DBA Africa’s commitment to providing transformative opportunities through sport, this tour was a crucial step in cementing partnerships and expanding the horizons available to our student-athletes.

One of our key pillars at DBA Africa is pathways from grassroots to greatness, something we take dearly, thus the efforts behind this trip that had fixtures, friends of DBA and potential future supporters. There are so many ways for institutions or individuals to partner with DBA, whether fundraising, tours, scholarships, donating equipment, coach exchange or Sports Outreach trips, that these were all being discussed.

Inspiring Audiences and Showcasing Impact

Storm gave a series of well-received talks, showcasing the impactful work and mission of DBA. She shared her pioneering journey in establishing the Kenya Lacrosse programme and detailed the breadth of life-changing initiatives that she champions today through DBA Africa. A recurring highlight was the direct engagement with students, many of whom approached her afterwards to commend the dedication, her effort involved in changing lives through sport and how they could personally get involved.

It was always a highlight to her when she spoke at universities or schools where some of the students, or staff, had already visited DBA in Kenya with her.  They had either supported us through donations, fundraisers or travelled to our Nairobi office to participate in a 4 week work experience trip.

The itinerary covered prestigious institutions, including Rugby School, Millfield, Campbell College Belfast, Bryanston School, Scarborough College, Westonbirt School, Nottingham and Exeter Universities.

Two-Way Exchange: Exploring New Frontiers

A key focus of the tour was advancing DBA Africa’s emerging sports outreach programme. Storm showcased opportunities for UK-based scholars to engage with Kenya’s unique sporting and cultural landscape, as mentioned, this has already been done before, but now on a much larger scale. She detailed the enriching experiences former students have gained, emphasising the deep impact and global perspective they carry back to their home countries. This new initiative is designed to be a two-way street, fostering mutual learning and cultural exchange powered by sport.

This official programme is set to officially kick off in 2026 with an amazing concept put together fully immersing and engaging the student body that takes part in it. More information on this to come, you can click here to get involved with our youth development programmes.

Connecting with Our Stars

Beyond the formal engagements, the tour provided deeply personal and rewarding moments. Storm was able to attend several vital sporting fixtures in both lacrosse and rugby, offering support and encouragement. Most significantly, she reconnected with several young Kenyan athletes who have progressed through DBA Africa’s programmes and are now on scholarships in the UK. Seeing the success of individuals like Darlton Roy George, Sean Naan, Owen and Tristan Kwach was a powerful validation of our dedication to developing not just athletes, but global citizens. 

“Watching the boys play on UK soil was truly inspirational. To think these were the young boys running around in Kenton at our DBA Rugby Academy and their hard work and talent has taken them abroad”, Storm said on concluding the fixture between Kingsley School, where Darlton attends, against Millfield, where Owen and Tristan Kwach are. 

This UK Schools and University Tour represents a vital investment in our sports development angle, ensuring that DBA Africa continues to open doors and create pathways that transform potential into global achievement.