People all over the world participate in sports – regardless of age, physical, gender, religion or culture. Sport is a global phenomenon and a universal language spoken all over the world. The sport for development program (2020-2024), empowered by five different organizations, contributes to a world in which children and young people actively contribute to vital communities. She does this through sports and games. The partners dream of communities in which adults, young people and children actively participate. In which they take care of themselves and others with the support of the government and civil society organizations. It is our vision that young people as agents of change can play a key role in this.
Five interventions
The program contributes through the following five interventions:
Within the Sportfordevelopment.nl 2020-2024 programme, we are building on the positive results of the Sportfordevelopment.nl 2012-2015 and 2016-2020 programme. During this program period, the initial geographical focus of 8 countries selected within this program will be expanded to 18 countries.
When twenty-year-old Loraine speaks about her future, she knows where she is going: into the world. With her flight attendant training completed, she will soon be on her way to international destinations. How different was her youth. Growing up in the harsh environment of Ruiru, an industrial town twenty kilometers from Kenya’s capital Nairobi, there was not much perspective for her and other youth in the area.
“It’s a very destructive community. It was full of teenagers, and they could not do anything except involve themselves in drugs.” At some point, Loraine’s brother also fell prey to a drugs addiction, aggravating the mental health issues she was suffering from. “I was depressed, and it was too much, my brother was stuck on drugs and all that.”
Fortunately, the Hearts of Ruiru Sports Centre provided Loraine with opportunities to get her life on track. The organization uses sport as a tool for social change and supported Loraine with a football scholarship. “Hearts has helped me so much, mostly with my education scholarships from form one.”
Next to her school and football practice, Loraine started to coach younger children at the Hearts of Ruiru Sports Centre. At first, she wasn’t sure about her role, but with the trainings from sport for development organization ISA, she gained knowledge and skills to become a better coach. “I didn’t know how to speak to children, so the first training was how to handle children and the tone you have to use and how you have to approach them. … Since that training my kids have been coming to me and opening up. Even their families could just come to me. Most of them have these common problems and it was too hard for them to open up to someone, so it has been so helpful to us and the kids.”
Now, Loraine is a role model for many of the children she is working with. She smiles when she recalls the moment that one of the girls shared her future ambitions: “She was asked what she wants to be and then she said she wanted to join ISA and help other kids. I was proud to hear that I have impacted her. She knows what she wants to become, and me being there for her, her mom wasn’t there, I was the one she could look at as her sister.”
The interactions with the kids also teach Loraine that there is still work to be done. She especially sees opportunities in the area of scholarships as they allow the youth in her area to continue their school career and also find their place in the world. “Parents think: school is too expensive, so you should stay home and help me with housework here. Thus [the children are] dropping from school. So, I think scholarships and job opportunities for youths can be good to give them a chance.”
Coach Loraine Nadne
It promotes physical and mental well-being, improves academic performance and teaches life skills such as teamwork and resilience. Sport bridges social divides, empowers marginalised groups and promotes gender equality. Economically, it creates jobs and boosts local economies through events and tourism. Sport fosters community pride and volunteerism, and serves as a tool for peace and conflict resolution. In line with the Sustainable Development Goals, sport drives progress in health, education, gender equality and community development, creating more inclusive and sustainable societies.
The Sport for Development (SfD) consortium is a Dutch government-funded program designed to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals. It is based on the belief that sport-based initiatives can be a powerful and cost-effective means for achieving development objectives such as health, education, gender equality, and peace (SfD, 2004). SfD promotes a world where children and youth actively contribute to vital communities through sports and play. Next to the focus on social development, the SfD partnership aims to support the trade and diplomacy agenda of the Dutch government.
The Sport for development program is implemented by a consortium of International Sports Alliance (ISA), Right To Play (RTP), Royal Dutch Hockey Association (KNHB) and Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) – in collaboration with the Dutch Ministry. Each partner contributes unique knowledge, expertise and a unique network.
Every young football player deserves a good coach, a WorldCoach
Playing is vital! Through sports and games, children learn important skills that have a positive effect on their development.
With the SFD program we hope to contribute through sport to a world in which everyone has access to high-quality education and equal opportunities. A world in which everyone can live (together) safely and boys and girls can fully participate and be accepted.
We work in areas where and with people for whom it is not self-evident that they have a fair chance at a better life. Through sports they can achieve that.
We believe that by activating the potential of the largest young generation, underserved communities will change. The way to unlock this potential is by sports.
Countries: Surinam, Colombia
ISA, KNVB and Right To Play are active in West Africa.
Some countries in West Africa violence has existed for decades, affecting several generations of children and youth. Intolerance, fear, forced displacements, and a cycle of revenge among several groups characterizes the community. The SFD has made youth able to analyze their behavior and conflict and to play an active role in rebuilding their communities (e.g. by organizing a peace march together with community actors). Besides the urgent security situation, one of the biggest societal challenges in West-Africa is the absence of gender equality.
KNVB and KNHB are active in these regions
Crime, violence, and illegal drugs are permeating the region. Youth unemployment rates are reaching new highs, and girls are giving birth at younger and younger ages, putting enormous financial and psychological costs on young people and on their societies. Overpopulation, political upheavals, unemployment,influence of western civilization and too much commercialization has made life very complicated for the new generation. The deprived position of women in Asia can be considered to be culturally determined. Whereas men enjoy opportunities in all kinds of fields, women are labeled as caretakers of children and runners of the household. This leaves little room for education and other activities.
KNVB trains coaches to provide training and life skill lessons
The youth of South Africa today face many challenges in their daily lives. The majority of South Africa’s population is made up of youth- people aged between 15 and 35 years old. The youth in South Africa face challenges such as crime, unemployment, poverty, and most importantly unequal opportunities in education. Especialy during the COVID-19 pandemic, South Africa was
All partners are active in this region and programmes are implemented in Kenya, Tanzania, South Sudan, Uganda, Malawi and Ethiopia.
The Great Lakes Region constitutes a complex network of political and economic interactions with significant implications for peace, security and governance. In the Great Lakes Region, 75% of an estimated population of 420 million people are below 35 years old. Youth in the region is, however, still largely underrepresented in decision making and is disproportionately affected by the negative impacts of conflicts, such as unemployment.
The Sport for Development programme is the MENA region, through ISA, KNVB and Right To Play.
One of the critical issues facing youth in the MENA region is unemployment and lack of job opportunities, which puts more strain on social security and stability. What is lacking in the lives of many children and youths are well structured activities such as social amenities, quality education, and employment.
