The Serge Betsen Academy inaugurates a new centre in Mali

Since 2004, the Serge Betsen Academy, led by professional rugby player Serge Betsen, has been using rugby as a vehicle for social integration in Cameroon.

In contact with the Hippos XV team of the Bamako rugby club since 2017, Serge Betsen made his first trip to Mali in January 2020 in order to identify their needs. This was followed by the project to create the Serge Betsen Academy Mali, supported by the Embassy of Mali in the United States and based on the model of the various existing centres in Cameroon.

In Mali, a plot of land was made available to the Serge Betsen Academy at the Modibo Keïta Stadium by the Association Sportive du Real de Bamako. The centre will welcome 25 young girls (8 to 13 years old) on a daily basis who will benefit from rugby training and tutoring during this first year. A programme to raise awareness about early pregnancy and against female genital mutilation will also be set up quickly.

To find out more about the Serge Betsen Academy, read the summary sheet.

Photo credit : Serge Besten Academy