Ba Nga Afayo! Reorienting youth in rural villages through sport
Context
In Uganda, more than a third of the population lives below the poverty line. Children and youth are the first victims of this economic situation (Humanium, 2017). Some children leave rural areas for the cities hoping to finding better living conditions, despite the risk of becoming street children in a climate conducive to juvenile delinquency. In Kayunga District, young people, especially girls, are the most vulnerable. Many of them face early pregnancy and marriage, drugs, alcohol and crime.
The Ba Nga Afayo initiative aims to provide an opportunity for disadvantaged children and youth to play by redirecting their lives through sport.
Objectives
- Establishment of a multi-sports field in the Ba Nga Afayo community centre
- Increasing sport opportunities for marginalised youth
- Building the capacity of local youth
- Improving the provision of sport and physical activity services.
- Developing the empowerment and initiative of young people
Activities
- Workshops for community teachers and leaders of out-of-school youth to train them to manage organised sports programmes
- Provision of sports equipment to community schools and youth teams
- Organisation of sports competitions in the community centre.
Impacts
- Improving the mental, physical and social well-being of rural youth
- Improving the quality of life of young people in rural areas and reducing the number of young people leaving for the city
- Accessibility to sport and sports facilities
- Youth empowerment