Date: June 11, 2007
Pioneers idea: the soccer clinic!
Hurray, World Environment Day! That means in Lusaka, Zambia: It’s Soccer time! June 5th was a day a lot of kids coming from an underprivileged background looked forward to. Why? Because our pioneer Caro had the idea to invent an initiative called “soccer clinic” for once to celebrate the World Environment Day and also to take the chance to educate kids about their environment.
The Deputy Mayor of Lusaka, Mr. Steven Chilatu, is greeting the children Caro’s Blog:
Why sport and soccer in particular? The world cup in Germany was watched by millions of people around the world including Zambia where matches were screened live and had people from all walks of life glued to the TV. In Zambia it is interesting to note that prior to the World cup most Zambian youths only wore soccer jerseys of clubs in the UK or Brazil and other African teams. It is evident as one walks around the capital of Zambia that the youths are wearing soccer Jerseys of the German National Team. Germany has certainly won the hearts of many youths in Zambia. Football is a sport that is enjoyed by many people in Zambia and you see children playing on the streets or open fields.
Young people are inspired by people that surround them, in a nuclear family it can be the mother or father, but in the absence of a nuclear family the emotional and psychological support that they could have is not there. HIV/AIDs has had a negative effect on many youths. It is on this basis that I have invited 100 orphaned and underprivileged children around the capital city Lusaka with the assistance of ‘Sport in Action’ (non-governmental organisation) to attend the soccer clinic and to learn about the environment they live in because they are the ones who are living in the areas where they is a lot of pollution especially garbage and leaking sewers and are directly affected. ‘Around the world sport, recreation and play are improving health and teaching important life lessons about respect, leadership and cooperation” – Carol Bellamy, Executive Director, UNICEF.
Soccer has enormous visibility, support and enthusiasm in Zambia and is the most popular sporting activity. Even girls are gaining keen interest in soccer which ranks second after. In a recent USAID study, for boys football is by far the most popular activity (Zambia 83%). For girls football ranks second in the list of interests (Zambia: 47% ) after basketball and netball respectively. The Soccer Clinic focuses on the following • Engaging young people by providing a platform for education and information about environmental awareness.
• Using team games and sports to promote a safe and clean environment for children
Caro among "her" players
How was it done?
Apart part from playing soccer messages on environmental awareness was embedded into exercises based on traditional games and sports. These exercises range from soccer dribbling exercises, in which the participants have to race to pick up placards with environmental awareness messages on them, to passing exercises that make a link between the importance of passing the ball in a soccer game and the importance of passing on information to friends and relatives about how to protect the environment. A resource person from the Environmental Council of Zambia conducted this exercise. The Environmental Council of Zambia is a government statutory body that aims to protect the environment and control pollution so as to provide for the health and welfare of persons and the environment (environmental council of Zambia).
How was the event organised? The event was officially opened by the Deputy Mayor of Lusaka. It was highly covered by the media and it is envisaged that through publicity the event will create interest and will be replicated in other schools and on a larger scale next year. In future international sports celebrities and local role models can be possibly invited. This will have a huge impact on the event because of the power and magnitude that sports celebrities have to influence young people as opposed to politicians and also the impact of the media coverage.
Indeed, the environment that we live in needs a concerted effort by everyone to get involved and find innovative methods to create awareness so that there will be more people that can take an active role in environmental advocacy and create lobby groups.
What is my role? I have been privileged to live and travel to various countries around the world and a good education and I want so share and implement ideas with people in the community that are underprivileged. I want to make a difference in a small and hopefully significant way.
There are many opportunities that exist to scale up activities on environmental awareness and sport is one such tool. “Sport has the power to change the world. The power to unite people in a way little else can” – Nelson Mandela
About Caro: Caro is an Export Promotion Advisor to the EU Mining Sector Diversification Programme. The project is targeted at small scale miners whose mining activities in Zambia are responsible for large scale environmental degradation. The major objective is to develop mining in a sustainable way.
Caro holds a BA in economics and is currently doing a MA in sustainable development. She travelled and lived in a lot of foreign countries and loves the experience.
The Deputy Mayor of Lusaka, Mr. Steven Chilatu, is greeting the children
Why sport and soccer in particular?
Young people are inspired by people that surround them, in a nuclear family it can be the mother or father, but in the absence of a nuclear family the emotional and psychological support that they could have is not there. HIV/AIDs has had a negative effect on many youths.
Soccer has enormous visibility, support and enthusiasm in Zambia and is the most popular sporting activity. Even girls are gaining keen interest in soccer which ranks second after. In a recent USAID study, for boys football is by far the most popular activity (Zambia 83%). For girls football ranks second in the list of interests (Zambia: 47% ) after basketball and netball respectively.
• Using team games and sports to promote a safe and clean environment for children
Caro among "her" players
How was it done?
Apart part from playing soccer messages on environmental awareness was embedded into exercises based on traditional games and sports. These exercises range from soccer dribbling exercises, in which the participants have to race to pick up placards with environmental awareness messages on them, to passing exercises that make a link between the importance of passing the ball in a soccer game and the importance of passing on information to friends and relatives about how to protect the environment. A resource person from the Environmental Council of Zambia conducted this exercise. The Environmental Council of Zambia is a government statutory body that aims to protect the environment and control pollution so as to provide for the health and welfare of persons and the environment (environmental council of Zambia).
How was the event organised?
Indeed, the environment that we live in needs a concerted effort by everyone to get involved and find innovative methods to create awareness so that there will be more people that can take an active role in environmental advocacy and create lobby groups.
What is my role?
There are many opportunities that exist to scale up activities on environmental awareness and sport is one such tool.
About Caro:
Caro holds a BA in economics and is currently doing a MA in sustainable development. She travelled and lived in a lot of foreign countries and loves the experience.
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