Our Young Coach Education Programme in Entebbe and Gulu in Uganda trained 30 Young Coaches in four modules of one week each. The project’s main focus was on malaria prevention, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), and children’s rights. In 2017, a follow-up programme and refresher course was run in Mukono.
Region:
Entebbe and Gulu
Duration:
May, 2012 – June, 2017
Status:
Completed
Our gallery gives you the opportunity to browse through a selection of pictures of our work in Uganda. Enjoy the best moments with our Young Coaches, instructors and children in action.
YOUNG COACH
EDUCATION PROGRAMME
Uganda is still among the world’s poorest countries of the world. About 50% of Ugandans are under 15 years. Many children and young people are confronted with poverty – they face a lack of educational opportunities and perspectives. Northern Uganda suffered for more than 20 years from an armed conflict where thousands of children being forcibly recruited as child soldiers. 1.6 million people had to live in refugee camps. There has not been an armed conflict since 2006 now, but the post-war consequences are omnipresent.
The local project partners had selected young women and men who had been working regularly in schools and aid organisations with disadvantaged children as Young Coaches. Through the training they learnt to use football in their work with children. They can now independently plan and implement football activities and use them for delivering social topics (e.g. role model function of a coach, fairness, teamwork, dealing with conflict and aggression). Experts of our local partner organisations broadened the training programme, led by the football instructors, with non-football related project topics such as “Water, Sanitation and Hygiene“ (WASH), malaria or children’s right. The Novartis Malaria Initiative donated educational materials used to train our Young Coaches about malaria and how to deliver key educational messages to the children and communities.
Besides providing know-how to the Young Coaches, the project aimed to foster the relationship between Young Coaches from different parts of Uganda. It enabled the participants to get to know each other better and to learn more about their living conditions and reduce prejudices. Thus, the project promoted the cooperation of young adults with different ethnic backgrounds, encouraged dialogues and built confidence.
An evaluation of the programme in Uganda revealed that the 30 Young Coaches passed on the education to 270 peers.
In May/June 2017 a follow-up programme was run in Mukono, Central Uganda. The training served as a refresher course for existing Young Coaches and a selection of Peer Coaches. It validated the coaches’ work and provided them with new ideas and enthusiasm to continue working successfully with underprivileged children in their communities.
The follow-up confirmed the sustainability of our Young Coach Education Programme in Uganda. It showed that within 4 years the number of children benefitting from the coaches’ outstanding social work has increased eightfold, now reaching more than 12,500 children across the country.
Uganda
Our Young Coaches are community leaders and role models in less privileged societies. They commit themselves to support the children of the communities by conveying important social topics through football. 30 Young Coaches participated in the education in Uganda, each of them represents a unique personal story.
Endorsing authorities