Developing Our Youth Sports Outreach Program
Status: 
Step:
2
In the Khama village, there are a large number of youth who have never attended school. These youths have a talent for sports and games, especially football. We have established the VH-LAHA Football Club as a means to reach out to these youth.
This project aims to reduce the high percentage of youth who engage in risky behaviors such as commercial sex, drug abuse, etc. We want to help them identify and develop vocational skills leading to legitimate paid work while steering them away from illegal activity. We want to help these youth develop into responsible contributing members of our community who can independently support themselves. These youth engage in risky behaviors due to the lack skills leading to paid work and knowledge of ways in which they could earn money.
We are seeking ideas on how to grow this program and develop it further to achieve the outcomes we desire.
During my chat with Norasco today, I asked him to tell me more about this particular project. One of the things they are hoping to achieve via the VH-LAHA Football Club is to develop the skills of the youth to the point they can earn a living by playing football. We talked about the important role that sports clubs can play in terms of outreach efforts, but I did express concern to Norasco that the goal of employment via playing sports is not something readily achievable by all.
My suggestion was that they utilize the sports program as an outreach tool to provide community health education, perhaps to foster interest in basic literacy, learning vocational skills, etc. since education would have a direct impact on all involved. The question then becomes how to develop a sustainable means of funding and/or supporting such an effort.
I wanted to provide some brief background on our discussion in this area in particular because it was an area of concern and part of the program which I think could be further developed. I've also sent Norasco some information on two recent football tournaments, the one in Kimilili village in Kenya and another in Cameroon (sponsored by Shoe Aid and the Doo Goood organization) with offers to introduce him to both so that maybe new ideas for further development could be generated.
All the best-
Jennifer
hey,thats an awesome project.Well,we also have a soccer academy,and it would be a good idea to do outreach programmes.You can check it out www.namaclub2.wordpress.com. i really love football.Great work,looking forward to hearing from you.
Raymo
I would like to help with this.