Serge Betsen Academy : a helping hand for children
An initiative by Serge Betsen
Nicknamed the "Biarritz Butcher", "Grim Reaper” and "Shears", Serge Betsen is a former French international of Cameroonian origin. He established the Serge Betsen Academy in 2004 and was awarded the title of Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur, the French Order of Merit, in 2017.
Initially set up to promote participation in rugby among disadvantaged youth in Cameroon, the Serge Betsen Academy now uses rugby coaching as a vehicle to encourage social integration and access to education for hundreds of disadvantaged children in both urban and rural areas of Cameroon.
Context
Despite a steadily increasing school enrolment rate over recent years, nearly 4 in 10 children in Cameroon drop out of education before they reach secondary school (World Bank, 2015).
Founded in 2004, the Serge Betsen Academy (SBA) supports disadvantaged children in Cameroon through an annual education and health programme centred around the practice of rugby. The provision of tutoring sessions and school supplies has contributed to a reduction in the school dropout rate among the most disadvantaged children.
Goals
- Introduce and promote the practice of rugby among disadvantaged children in Cameroon
- Teach values and guiding principles to young people to aid in their life-course development
- Provide social support in the areas of education and health
Activities
- Rugby: introductory sessions and weekly training
- Education: after-school tutoring sessions held several times a week by qualified teachers
- Health: information and awareness-raising campaigns in SBA medical facilities
- Development of a range of youth activities (after-school tutoring, health care, gardening, maintaining vegetable plots, handicrafts, etc.)
See the Serge Betsen Academy in action
Impacts
- 500 youth beneficiaries of introductory rugby sessions and weekly training
- 57% baccalaureate pass rate for academy students, six points higher than the Cameroon national average
- Improvement in the living conditions of villages where SBA centres are located
- Sharing experiences and supporting the implementation of similar projects in Cambodia, Madagascar and Liberia
Financement
- Project cost: approximately €40,000
- Project supported in 2020 by the Agence Française de Développement and the European Guild
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Photo credits : @SergeBetsenAcademy
Location
Cameroon
Project led by
Start date
2004
Project status
Project to support
Sustainable development goals
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