TackleAfrica [with Laureus Sport for Good Foundation] (2019)

Uganda
2019-2020

In brief

TackleAfrica targets to inform, support and challenge young Ugandans in Hoima to make safer decisions, limiting the impact of HIV in their communities, adding value to existing Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights programmes, aiming to empower disadvantaged young people and create better futures for them and their communities – through football.

Problem to be tackled

HIV and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights issues of adolescent girls and young women in Hoima district.

Local partner

TackleAfrica uses the power and popularity of football to deliver sexual health education to young people on football pitches across the continent; they train African coaches to use fun, interactive football drills with inbuilt health messaging with young people in their clubs and communities.

Beneficiaries

Ugandan adolescents, generally, do not voluntarily present themselves at healthcare facilities, particularly not for sexual and reproductive health services that require them to speak about sensitive and potentially embarrassing incidents in their sex lives with adult medical staff.

The project’s methodology draws on this fact, and takes the services to where the young people are and want to be, namely: on the football pitch. Instead of intimidating men in white coats, service providers are football coaches, trusted role models for these young people who can engage them through innovative and interactive football games and can deliver information in a youth-friendly, non-judgemental way.

The project mainly targets girls aged 12 to 18 plus 30 adult (female) volunteers as coaches.

SOL’s contribution

TackleAfrica has moved from the pilot stage that Laureus funded in Burkina Faso to secure long-term funding for their work in the region. In a consequence, from 2019 onwards, Laureus planned to support their next pilot in East Africa for one year.

With the support of The SOL Foundation those funds will be matched to allow the pilot to run for two years.

Project partner

Laureus Sport for Good Foundation

The SOL Foundation

Laureus is a global sports-based charity that works to improve the lives of young people. Laureus uses the power of sport to tackle violence, discrimination and disadvantage around the world, helping programmes and communities overcome challenges as diverse as gang violence, lack of education or employment, gender inequality and gender-based violence, disability, lack of facilities for post trauma mental health recovery, refugee displacement and more.

The first Patron of Laureus was Nelson Mandela.  At the inaugural Laureus World Sports Awards in 2000, President Mandela said: “Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. Sport can awaken hope where there was previously only despair.” This has become the philosophy of Laureus and the driving force behind its work.

Laureus combines Laureus Sport for Good, the Laureus World Sports Academy and Ambassadors Programme and the Laureus World Sports Awards to form a unique organisation that uses the inspirational power of sport as a force for good.

Laureus was founded by its Patrons Richemont and Daimler and is supported by its Global Partners Mercedes-Benz and IWC Schaffhausen. As per 2016, Laureus Sport for Good has raised over €100 million and supported over 150 projects worldwide which use sport to tackle violence, discrimination and disadvantage. Laureus Sport for Good has helped to improve the lives of millions of young people in over 35 countries and is proving that sport can change the world.

TackleAfrica

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