SESLA: Sport for Education and Sustainable Livelihoods in Africa

Overview

In response to the fact that one in four young people in Africa are not in formal education, employment or training, Laureus Sport for Good, the International Olympic Committee and Agence Française de Développement alongside key African sport and social development institutions, have joined together to form the Sport for Education and Sustainable Livelihoods in Africa programme (SESLA). 

The funding opportunity is focused on using sports-based approaches to improve pathways for young people, to be delivered over 12 months between January and December 2025.

Collaborative Project Grants are designed to incentivise and support collaboration across the sport, non-profit, government, and private sector to test innovative approaches and ideas on how sport can be used to promote employability pathways and create sustainable livelihoods for young people in Africa.  Collaborative grants of between 70,000 to 100,000 USD for consortia of two or more organisations are available.

Key information :

• Eligible countries: Benin, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia, Uganda.
• Beneficiary: Two or more legally registered organisations.
• Theme: Employability, sustainable livelihoods, decent work and economic growth, health, reduced inequalities
• Type of funding: Grant
• Type of support: Funding between USD 70,000 to 100,000.
• Selection process: Call for applications with 2 stages (eligibility and selection)
• Deadline for applications: 4th October 2024

Eligibility criteria

• All collaborating partners must be legally registered organisations.
• There must be a minimum of two organisations listed in the proposal.
• Collaborative proposals may be comprised of organisations from the sport, nonprofit, government, education, and/or private sector.
• One organisation must be identified as the lead organisation in a coalition and this organisation would be the delivery lead.
• The lead organisation must be authorised to operate in the country in which the project will be implemented.
• At least one of the coalition members must already have a demonstrable presence in the country of implementation.
• The lead organisation must be eligible to receive funding from the UK.
• All collaborating partners must have been established for two or more years at the time of application.
• The coalition must commit to a project delivery of 12 months (January to December 2025)
• Humanitarian or immediate crisis relief projects are not eligible for this funding.
• Proposals must include specific consideration for how the design and implementation of the programme will promote gender equity.
• The coalition must work with children and/or young people from underprivileged backgrounds and use sport as a tool for social change or have a keen interest to start using sport as a tool for outcomes related to education or employability.
• Proposals must have a focus on Education and/or Employability.
• The lead organisation must have a suitable child protection and safeguarding plan in place or at least have plans to be working towards having one.

Consult the full list of eligibility criteria and application procedures in the call for projects regulations by clicking here.

You meet SESLA’s open call for proposals eligibility criteria and would like to apply? Submit your application on the dedicated link by clicking here.

 You can download the offline application form for the collaborative Call for Proposals here.

The required Excel budget template for Proposal is available  here.

Photo credit: FAME Foundation