Our legacy
From an idea in 2011 to Rwanda's national cricket stadium.
Our story
1994–2003: Cricket comes to Rwanda
Rwandans who had grown up playing cricket in exile in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania came home after 1994 and brought the game with them. They founded the Rwanda Cricket Association in 1999, and Rwanda became an Affiliate Member of the International Cricket Council in 2003.
2011: An idea is sparked
Cricket Builds Hope was the idea of Christopher Shale, a British businessman and cricket lover who volunteered in Rwanda. He wanted to build the country's first proper cricket ground. After he died in 2011, his family and friends set up the charity in his memory.
2011–2017: Building Gahanga
Over six years, supporters raised more than £1.25 million through dinners, bike rides, marathons and world record net sessions. Until 2018 the charity was known as the Rwanda Cricket Stadium Foundation. Our project directors – Ollie Broom, Ed Pearson and Alby Shale, Christopher's son – found the site, secured the lease and saw the build through, on time and on budget.
2017: The stadium opens
President Paul Kagame officially opened Gahanga Cricket Stadium in October 2017. Its pavilion, with three brick vaults, has become a Kigali landmark. From 2021 to 2025 it hosted 128 T20 internationals, more than any other ground in the world.
2018–2025: Cricket for good
We ran programmes from Gahanga to help young people and women build confidence, skills and livelihoods through cricket. A second oval opened in 2023, and a Digital Learning Centre in 2025.
2025: Handing over
At the end of 2025, we handed Gahanga to the Rwanda Cricket Association. It is now a fully Rwandan-owned national stadium, as was always planned. We now fund cricket facilities and activities across Rwanda. Find out about our grants.
Our programmes
Women's Empowerment Programme – more than 350 women graduated. Almost 90 per cent started or grew a business, returned to education or found a job. ICC Development Award, 2020.
Urumuri ("light") – more than 200 young people aged 12 to 15 learned about leadership, health and digital skills.
Kura Neza – 123 children helped back into school, with 96 per cent attendance.
Gahanga Community Cricket Hub – more than 1,000 local children in 2025, and the Gahanga Hillsides Women's Cricket Team.
Yorkshire Tea programme (2019–2022) – cricket on three tea estates, with more than 1,000 children playing and almost 50 teachers trained as coaches.
"Gahanga gave us a home, a place to dream big, and a chance to play a sport that has shaped who we are."
– Eric Dusingizimana, longstanding General Manager of Gahanga Cricket Stadium and former Rwanda captain
Murakoze
Thank you
None of this would have been possible without our staff, coaches and volunteers in Rwanda, and the many people and organisations who supported us, including Yorkshire Tea, Comic Relief, the Scottish Government, Nium, Surrey County Cricket Club and the Oval Cricket Relief Trust, IHS Towers, Humanity First, The Leaf Foundation, the Bamber Foundation, Agathos Management, Ark Build, Volcanoes Safaris, RwandAir, Radisson Blu and the Government of Rwanda.