Rays of Grace Academy


The Rays of Grace Academy is a Ugandan association football academy based in Njeru Municipality of Buikwe District, Uganda. The academy has a primary focus on developing young football talent. Rays of Grace Academy were crowned the inaugural winners of the FUFA Primary Schools championship Odilo Champions in August 2019 as well in 2022 when they defended the title, emerging the winners of the 2022 edition.

History

The Rays of Grace Academy was established in 2015 by Robert Kiwanuka. In September 2014, he started a school, which is now home to 1000 pupils, 50 of whom are registered under their football academy which is recognized by the Uganda Youth Football Association.
The academy comprises over 900 registered students aged between 6–18 years and operates throughout the year from 1 training centre which is found in Njeru Municipality, Buikwe District Footballers who started their careers at the academy include Travis Mutyaba, Issa Bugembe, Elvis Ssekajugo.
In 2022, Rays of Grace Academy represented Uganda at the Federation of East Africa Secondary Schools Sports Association in Arusha, Tanzania.

Achievements

Rays of Grace Academy gained national prominence by winning the inaugural FUFA Primary Schools Championship in August 2019, establishing itself as a leading youth football development institution in Uganda. The academy successfully defended this title in 2022, demonstrating consistent excellence in youth football development and competition. The academy's competitive success extends beyond national boundaries, with participation in East African school competitions. In 2023, Rays of Grace Junior School finished second in the East African schools title competition, earning 10 points and finishing just one point behind winners GS St Paul Muko from Rwanda in the round-robin format tournament.

Location and Facilities

The academy is located in Kirugu Village, Njeru Municipality, within Buikwe District of Uganda. The institution operates as a comprehensive sports academy that accommodates multiple sports disciplines including football, netball, rugby, volleyball, and music programs. The academy maintains its postal address at P.O Box 33197, Kampala, Uganda, reflecting its connection to the capital city's administrative infrastructure.

Notable Alumni and National Team Representation

The academy has produced several players who have progressed to represent Uganda at international youth levels. Three notable alumni - Vincent Mulema, Elvis Ssekajugo, and Enock Luyima - were selected for the Uganda U17 national team's final traveling squad for the 2021 U17 African Cup of Nations hosted in Morocco.
A list of players include:
  • Travis Mutyaba.
  • Issa Bugembe
  • Vicent Mulema
  • Elvis Ssekajugo
  • Arafat Nkoola
  • Leonard Kasanya
  • Ratib Gulanyago
  • Ronald Kigoye
  • Faizo Kifumba
  • Frank Ssekanjako
  • Gideon Jjemba
  • Ismael Remo Sampuli
  • Mukisa Daniel Kirumira
  • Elisa Talema
  • Ryan Giggs Osinya
  • David Balondemu Lukisi
  • Enock Luyima
  • Samuel Mubiru
  • Peter Abalilya