Stronger together through sport!
These August holidays were also celebrated with a fantastic football festival. But that wasn’t all. This year’s tournament was truly special, as sport was specifically linked to environmental and community development projects. This transformed football into more than just a game. It became a powerful tool for bringing young people together, reaching parents and community members, conveying important messages, and encouraging young people to take responsibility for their environment.
The competition featured six under-15 boys’ teams, five under-12 teams, and two girls’ teams. Besides the players themselves, the tournament also attracted parents, guardians, community members, school representatives, local leaders, and other supporters who came to watch the games and cheer on the young people.
The large number of spectators showed that football remains an important platform for community mobilization, especially when it comes to issues that matter to everyone. The tournament made it possible to convey environmental messages not only to the players, but also to parents, spectators, and other members of the community.
The awards, medals, and educational materials instilled a sense of pride in the young people and their families. The awarding of trophies and medals to dedicated young environmentalists was also a great success. It demonstrated that environmental protection work can be publicly recognized and give young people the same sense of achievement and pride as winning a football match.
Football thus became a practical communication channel for issues such as waste disposal, climate change, and tree planting. This made the tournament unique and, in our view, a fantastic example of how sport can be used as a means of developing a wider community.
And it has become clear that young people are increasingly taking responsibility for environmental issues. 500 trees were planted in collaboration with the Eddie Memorial School’s environmental club. Rubbish was collected on the sports field at Kamasengre Secondary School.
Another important component of the tournament was the involvement of the Ministry of Health, which offered health education to the participating girls. The health discussions focused on topics relevant to young women, particularly personal hygiene and menstrual health. This also gave the young women the opportunity to ask questions and receive advice from experts.
