THEY don’t have trainers, a marked out netball court or a referee’s whistle, but barefoot netball players in one of the poorest parts of Kenya have been transformed by new kit donated by junior netball enthusiasts in Hexham.

Nearly 50 girls took part in sponsored Onesie netball matches, after hearing about teams that are so poor they play without shoes and in their everyday clothes – often long skirts and headscarves.

Girls from Hexham Junior Netball Club, organised by netball coach Kathie Keady, raised £100 to buy proper netball skirts earlier this year. T-shirts and netballs were also donated.

Last week, the kit was delivered to the women who played a match wearing proper sports outfits for the first time in their lives, although most are still without shoes.

It was handed over by Corbridge resident Sheilagh Matheson who was overseeing a charity called Luo Care which she and her neighbour Dr Ann Egan set up in Simbiri.

Sheilagh said: “These women live in unimaginable conditions and the last thing I would have expected them to do was play netball.

“Finding the next meal is their priority. They live in mud huts with earth floors, without running water, electricity or even latrines.

“But once a week, they try to turn up and play netball in bare feet, on parched soil.

“The court isn’t marked out, the netball posts are wonky wooden branches and the temperature is around 35 degrees.

“Netball is their escape from the drudgery of everyday life and they’re transformed when they’re on that court running around.

“They don’t have money for food, so they are no more likely to buy netball kit for themselves than fly to the moon.”

The team organiser is Alice Akoth who has just been sacked from her job because she couldn’t return to full-time work two weeks after having a Caesarian section.

She was so excited by the sports kit that she insisted on refereeing the match even though she didn’t have a whistle.

There is no postal service in Simbiri, so Alice has written a letter to be hand-delivered to the Hexham girls saying “thanks in abundance”.

“You might think the money could be better spent on food,” said Sheilagh. “But the netball kit has given everyone a massive psychological boost.

“Playing sport together is great for the women physically and psychologically and looking like a serious team gives them enormous pride and confidence.”

After the match, the women wanted to wash the kit, but there is a drought and no clean water to spare.

They could have bought fresh water, but it costs 8p for 20 litres, and they didn’t even have 8p to spare.

Many of the netball players are young widows with children who are supported by Sheilagh’s charity Luo Care.

This raises money to pay for health insurance premiums for the worst off widows. Their husbands have often died of HIV-related illnesses.

Thanks to Luo Care donors, 125 widows and 495 children can have medical treatment whenever they need it. It is no exaggeration to say this is a lifeline for them.

They are most likely to succumb to malaria, diarrhoea, typhoid and HIV- related illnesses.

The health insurance means mothers and children are treated in the early stages and avoid becoming gravely ill or even dying, with dire consequences for the surviving children.

It costs £45 per annum for the health insurance of one mother and her children.

Sheilagh and Dr Ann Egan are happy to give talks to any group or organisation about Luo Care.

You can contact Sheilagh on sheilaghmatheson@gmail.com or 07889 291659.