Mental and physical well-being for marginalised youngsters thanks to sport

Project supported by North East Youth Initiative for Development

Located in the North of Nigeria, NEYIF is a nongovernmental organisation working for the improvement and promotion of the well-being of the most vulnerable people in society notably children and youngsters.

The project uses sport and football notably as a development tool for the vulnerable and marginalised people of Kano's resilience against the bad practices affecting their mental and physical health. Covering 12 months, the initiative consists in the provision of safe forums and designing an appropriate outreach programme so as to reduce young people's exploitation, crime, addiction, early marriages, sexual abuse and discrimination against persons with reduced mobility.

Context

Kano, the second biggest city in Nigeria, has the highest urban poverty and nebulisation rates, which trigger a constant degradation of the most vulnerable people’s well-being. According to UNICEF, 6 out of every 10 youngsters in Nigeria are victims of abuse and only fewer than 5 out of 100 receive any form of support. Young girls are exposed to early marriages and pregnancies in the province, and high rates of working and exploited children generate other health risks. About 37% of the boys are exposed to the consumption of drugs and other psychoactive substances.

So, faced with the rapid expansion of the COVID-19 pandemic which has further exacerbated the risks youngsters are coping with, NEYIF undertakes to promote physical and mental well-being through sport and the provision of forums for dialogue and discussion. The objective consists in sensitising youngsters and providing community tools and support mechanisms..

Objectives

Using sports to endow marginalised youngsters with healthy tools and coping mechanisms to increase their resilience, their physical well-being and their mental health
Sensitising the young on the scourges affecting their well-being (trauma, COVID-19, addiction, HIV/AIDS, exploitation, etc.)
Establishing sustainable and community clubs and platforms in the schools and communities which shall provide positive coping mechanisms and access to the support facilities.

Activities

Training instructors/coaches on the management of sports clubs and staging weakly sport and outreach sessions in four schools and establishment of sports club.
Quarterly football tournaments and sporting contests between the various clubs, in order to promote the sharing of the lessons learnt and best practices among the various clubs as well as the children’s motivation to train
Workshops about life’s basic skills and on specific topics (COVID-19 prevention, promotion of hygiene, positive coping mechanisms, STls, children’s rights protection etc.)
Sporting material and equipment provision and development of football pitches in the communities and schools to make for safe training and discussion areas

Impacts

200 vulnerable youngsters (55 % boys and 45 % girls) participating in weekly sessions of sport and well-being
8 sporting clubs formed in the communities and schools with inclusion of the persons with reduced mobility
250 participants in monthly youngster well-being awareness forums
16 community representation and stakeholder engagement activities
24 instructors and trained community volunteers displaying an increased ability to support the young.