By Athletes for Africa at 10:42 am Wednesday, Jun 20
Programs
Athletes for Africa continues to build strong partnerships with experienced and locally-led organizations who champion programs that strengthen communities, provide education and foster skills development.
Our 2011-12 events are supporting a number of new initiatives in the areas of child and maternal health, water security and HIV/AIDS in Sudan, Uganda and Congo, through the African Medical and Research Foundation Canada, the Stephen Lewis Foundation and WaterCan.
There is more information coming soon on all of these programs.
Past Programs
Since our inception, Athletes for Africa has supported a variety of programs that empower youth. Here’s are just a few of past initiatives.
Education – Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo recently emerged from the bloodiest conflict since World War II. A decade of war has killed 4-million people, and displaced countless more. After ten years of war, there is a ceasefire and a newly elected government. People are returning home to devastated villages and a collapsed infrastructure. And, one of the first things to go in any conflict is education, and in Congo, an education is often little more than an aspiration. The goal of this program was to help reintegrate former child soldiers and child mothers into the educational system, and society at large. To date, this program has successfully rehabilitated 11 schools in Fizi territory, and has helped over 4,000 children and youth gain access to education. Four hundred teachers have been trained from more than 30 schools, and training has been provided to over three dozen youth in radio programming, HIV/AIDS awareness and peacebuilding. The goals in the Congo are ambitious, but attainable and necessary for the country to move forward. This program was delivered in partnership with War Child Canada.
Jobs & Training – South Sudan
The region of south Sudan has suffered through over two decades of civil conflict; a war that has had devastating effects on the region’s youth. Schools have been destroyed, there are insufficient teachers, and the farming and income generating opportunities have all but disappeared. The lack of skills and job prospects means that youth feel dis-empowered, turning to alcohol and other high-risk behaviours to fill the void. Young girls in particular face additional barriers, including the lack of value placed on girls’ education, forced marriage and early pregnancy. To empower local youth, this project aimed to improve livelihoods for youth and young mothers in Tali, south Sudan through high demand trades training like brick-making and carpentry, seed funding to the Tali Youth Association to encourage youth entrepreneurship, the creation of a youth development centre, as well as focused Young Mothers’ initiative to support and empower girls who have grown overly dependent or isolated in their marriages. This program wass delivered in partnership with African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF) Canada.
Peacebuilding – Northern Uganda
Athletes for Africa supported efforts to train youth groups in peer counseling, conflict resolution and peace advocacy in an effort to empower youth and foster a culture of peace in war-torn northern Uganda, where a conflict terrorized the region for over 20 years and has left over 1.5-million people displaced. This peacebuilding project, located in Gulu, Amuru and Pader districts, was designed to strengthen community support structures and promote community peacebuilding among youth, as well as provide income generating activities for this often ignored age group. By carrying out effective community-level conflict resolution, peer counseling and recreation-based activities (music, dance, drama, and sports tournaments), this program provided opportunities for youth to deal with past traumas, as well as providing forums for positive interaction. As part of the program, a youth-focused radio show was also supported on Choice FM in Gulu, which provided a voice for young community leaders. The program was delivered in partnership with Canadian Physicians for Aid and Relief (CPAR).
