International Day of Sport for Development and Peace – Overview and Profiles of 18 African NGOs

“Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair.” Nelson Mandela

Today is International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP). First observed in 2014, the theme for 2024 is “Sport for the Promotion of Peaceful and Inclusive Societies”.

In 2013, the United Nations General Assembly (Resolution 67/296) proclaimed 6 April as IDSDP to recognise sport’s positive role and influence in enabling peace, development and social change.

IDSDP acknowledges sport’s impact on individuals and communities beyond merely physical health. Sport contributes to social inclusion, gender equality, education, youth empowerment, conflict resolution, and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Moreover, IDSDP also serves as a platform to celebrate the universal values of sport and its ability to unite people, break down barriers, enable dialogue and build bridges between individuals and communities from diverse backgrounds. It is also an opportunity to acknowledge the achievements of individuals and organisations leveraging sport to address social challenges and drive positive change.

In Africa, sport has emerged as a powerful catalyst for development and social change. Recognising the popularity of sport, particularly among youth, many NGOs and other roleplayers are increasingly harnessing the power of sport in addressing issues linked to poverty, education, health, gender equality, mental health and peacebuilding. They use various sporting disciplines, such as football, running, surfing and boxing, among others, in their work, employing innovative approaches that are instrumental in creating lasting impact in the communities they serve.

The following African NGOs are actively using sport as a catalyst for development and social change in different parts of the continent:

# 9Miles Project (South Africa)

“Surfing has taught our students that if you work hard, anything is possible…that waves and challenges will always come, but it is up to us to decide if we’ll give up or ride them.” Nigel Savel, Founder, 9Miles Project

9Miles Project is a South African nonprofit organisation which works with disadvantaged and at-risk youth from marginalised communities in Cape Town, particularly the informal settlements in Strandfontein, as well as Elands Bay on the West Coast and Sea Vista in the Eastern Cape.

Founded in 2013, 9Miles Project focuses on social and economic upliftment by developing, empowering, and integrating youth through various programmes covering education, poverty alleviation, and mental and physical well-being. Using surfing as a form of therapy and empowerment, 9Miles Project’s structured programmes promote healthy lifestyles and positive coping mechanisms, and foster a love and respect for the ocean and the environment.

In communities riddled with violence and social ills, many young people are drawn into gangs and criminal activity. However, through 9Miles Project’s programmes, many have taken a different path by learning to surf and pursuing positive choices. These youth are provided with surf therapy, holistic support, academic support, and positive mentorship to ensure their success and help steer them away from gang involvement. All participants in the programme are drug-free, not in gangs, and have no criminal records.

The youth participating in 9Miles Project’s programmes choose positive pathways and attain skills they can pass on to others. 60% of participants who started 8 to 10 years ago have become surf coaches, surfboard repair technicians, diving and swimming instructors, and surfboard shapers – proving that sport and positive mentorship have the power to transform lives and livelihoods.

# Angaza Sports and Development Centre (Kenya)

Angaza Sports and Development Centre is a Kenyan community and youth-driven nonprofit organisation. Founded in 2009 and operating primarily in Nairobi and Kiambu counties, it utilises football as a platform to create a nurturing and secure learning environment for youth and children, fostering their growth and maximising their potential.

Through a combination of play-based educational games and sports practice sessions, the Centre’s work covers various SDGs, including good health and well-being, quality education, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, decent work and economic growth, climate action, peace and justice, and strong institutions. Its approach involves training community coaches and school teachers to ensure the delivery of high-quality programmes tailored to their target beneficiaries, aged between 10 and 24 years.

The Centre’s impactful work has garnered recognition, as evidenced by its status as a gold member of the Sport for Social Change Network, a member of the Common Goal Movement and a member of the newly established East Africa S4D Network. Furthermore, it was honoured by UNAOC in 2023 as a recipient of the Sport for One Humanity Award. It also achieved sporting success in 2023 by emerging as champions in the U13 East Africa Cup.

The Centre recognises that sport catalyses positive change, offering myriad opportunities for personal development, social integration, and economic progress. Harnessing the power of sport builds more inclusive, healthier, and cohesive societies where individuals can thrive and contribute to collective progress.

# Boxgirls Kenya (BGK) (Kenya)

“We blend boxing with life skills to assist girls in handling daily challenges and instil discipline. They can also identify opportunities, utilise them and be pioneers of change in their societies. This is evident through our success stories over the years.” Alfred Analo, Founder, Boxgirls Kenya

BGK is a Kenyan community-based organisation that uses boxing as a tool to address issues affecting girls and women. It was founded in 2008 after the 2007 Kenyan post-election violence that led to loss of lives and numerous cases of violence against women and girls. Its vision is a society in which every girl holds power to create opportunities for themselves and others.

BGK aims to create a world where women and girls lead dignified lives in secure communities where they are valued as equal members and have control over their bodies. Its beneficiaries are girls aged 8 to 23 from the urban slums and marginalised communities in Nairobi and Kakamega.

BGK implements the following three primary programmes:

• Boxing and education – promotes girls’ participation in sports while challenging gender stereotypes and equipping them with self-defence skills.

• Leadership and mentorship – creates a platform for girls to assume leadership positions, initiate change in their communities and advocate for their rights and those of others.

• Dada Cash – assists girls in understanding and appreciating the value of money through financial literacy and skills development training courses.

BGK’s partners include the Segal Foundation, Global FICCS, Sol Foundation, Laureus, American Jewish World Service, Boxing Federation of Kenya and La Guilde.

In 2022, BGK was awarded as the best Sport and Health initiative by Sports en Commune for its project to distribute sanitary towels in schools to improve young girls’ physical and mental health. In 2023, BGK was one of five nominees for the Laureus Sport for Good Award, which celebrates social programmes that have significantly contributed to transforming the lives of children and young people through sport.

# Chess in Slums Africa (CISA)

“We aim to integrate children into society so that they are not merely perceived as children from the slums but as chess players with inherent potential to achieve much more.” Tunde Onakoya, Founder, CISA

CISA is a Nigerian-based organisation that uplifts children from underserved communities through innovative educational programmes. Centred around chess as a critical learning tool, CISA offers a unique blend of intellectual, emotional, and practical skills development. It is on a mission to teach and unlock the potential in every child by using the game of chess as a framework to promote education and raise champions from slum communities in Africa.

CISA was founded in 2018 when Tunde Onakoya, its founder and convener, conceived how the game of chess could lift disadvantaged children out of poverty and societal denigration. Coming from a poor background, Tunde’s introduction to chess exposed him to several life-changing opportunities, and that is what he hopes to pay forward.

CISA’s vision is to create a world where every child, regardless of their background, has the opportunity for holistic development and empowerment, fostering resilience, innovation, and leadership through chess, education and technology. Its mission is to transform the lives of children in underserved communities through strategic programmes that integrate chess education, STEM learning and socio-emotional development underpinned by a trauma-informed approach. It aims to nurture each child’s potential, build educational and vocational excellence pathways, and foster positive, empowered communities.

CISA’s core programmes include C.A.S.T.L.E, focusing on chess training and life skills; STEM/Robotics & Digital Skills, offering technology and digital arts education; and LIFELINE Education & Empowerment, providing academic scholarships and vocational training. Each programme integrates trauma-informed, positive youth development and socio-emotional learning frameworks, ensuring a comprehensive approach to child development.

Since inception, CISA has conducted more than 36 000 hours of chess training in five slum communities. More than 1 000 children enrolled in the CIS Initiative and 86% remained in school. It also secured lifelong scholarships for more than 200 children from indigent homes.

Looking ahead, CISA’s medium to long-term plans involve establishing a centralised state-of-the-art academy centre where children can access various empowerment programmes, including but not limited to chess, STEM and mentorship. It also aspires to expand the reach of chess to more marginalised communities across Africa.

# Girls Gotta Run Foundation (GGRF) (Ethiopia)

“I joined GGRF because I wanted to continue my education, and it was difficult for my family to pay for the supplies and food. So, I started running for my education. When I run, I relax, which has helped me become stronger and feel better overall.” Tihitina Kebede, GGRF-supported scholar from Soddo

GGRF envisions a world in which every girl is able to design a future of her choosing. It is the first and only organisation that invests in girls who use running and education to empower themselves and their communities in Ethiopia. Founded in 2006, GGRF’s impact goals have always been to enable girls to stay in school through 12th grade and avoid early marriage. It focuses exclusively on Ethiopia, specifically Bekoji and Wolaita Soddo.

GGRF’s unique programme provides access to education and sports training, leadership development, female mentors and social support networks.

GGRF provides adolescent girls full scholarships to cover their school fees and tuition. It also covers the cost of annual school exams that allow students to graduate into higher levels of education. Athletic scholars meet three times per week to run as a team and train under the direction of their coach. Their schedule allows them to train without sacrificing the time they need for homework and family obligations. The GGRF teams also compete in local and regional races and sometimes travel to Addis Ababa for larger events. GGRF creates safe spaces for girls by establishing life skills clubs where they learn critical lessons needed in navigating adolescence, including family planning, financial literacy, HIV/AIDS awareness, nutrition, healthy relationships, leadership, and creative expression. Upon completing the year-long life skills course, the scholars become peer educators for the incoming female students.

As a result of its efforts, 96% of GGRF’s participants finish secondary school, a stark contrast to the average of 16% for girls in the communities in which they operate. In addition, 98% of its athletic scholars postpone marriage to adulthood.

GGRF partners with various local organisations working to empower girls and families in the communities they are part of, including Siquee Women’s Development Association, Abba Pascal School, WRAPS for Girls, the Great Ethiopian Run, the Ethiopian Women’s and Children’s Affairs Office and Ethiopian Youth and Sport Office.

# Golden Boots Uganda (GoBU) (Uganda)

“I believe Africa’s social and economic transformation can be achieved through sport.” Mo Kisirisa, Founder and CEO, GoBU

GoBU is a Ugandan non-profit organisation empowering young people to build resilience, secure their future through sport, and become change agents in their communities.

Founded in 2020, GoBU provides access to sports and life-changing opportunities for adolescent girls, people with disabilities and refugees between the ages of 10 and 25. Its activities cover mental health, girl empowerment, inclusion and soft skills training.

Since its inception, GoBU has already reached more than 3 500 young people, trained 90 sports coaches and youth leaders on the sport for development model and provided sports kits like footballs, basketballs, boxing gloves and bibs to 50 community sports clubs.

GoBU partners with the AFD, GIZ, FIFA Foundation and the International Youth Foundation, and is a member of the Sport for Social Change Network (SSNA).

GoBU’s work has been recognised internationally. In 2022, it was among the six NGOs selected to present at the Global Sports Week in Paris for its work in promoting mental health among refugees. In 2023, GoBU was selected among ten NGOs for the Sport for One Humanity initiative. It supports sports-based grassroots projects that promote peace, mutual understanding and cooperation among diverse communities and cultures worldwide.

# Kick4Life (Lesotho)

Kick4Life is the world’s first football club and social enterprise exclusively dedicated to social change. Its sports-based methodology focuses on engaging and motivating youth to participate and learn, with young leader coaches who inspire and lead by example.

Founded in 2005 and currently playing in the Lesotho Men’s A Division and the Lesotho Women’s Super League, the club is a registered non-profit organisation in Lesotho, United Kingdom and the United States. Its mission is to transform the lives and long-term prospects of vulnerable young people in Lesotho through a wide range of football-for-good activities focused on health, education, gender equality and employability.

Kick4Life’s flagship programme, the Kick4Life Academy, provides children and young people with intensive academic support, football coaching and character development. Through this holistic approach, it empowers participants with the skills and confidence to become changemakers and leaders in the long-term sustainable development of Lesotho. Kick4Life’s Academy participants are currently active in Lesotho, South Africa, Canada, Iceland and the United States.

The club’s players are central to the success of its development activities. Many are current or past participants, health education and life-skills coaches, and influential role models for its work across Lesotho.

Kick4Life also runs various social enterprises at its centre in Maseru that are designed to generate income for its football-for-good programmes and provide employment and training opportunities for young people. These enterprises include the club’s No 7 Restaurant and Hokahanya Inn and Conference Centre, both opened in 2014, and the Kick4Life Tours, a 7-to-10-day immersive Kick4Life experience in Lesotho for groups of 15 to 24 people from around the world. The tours engage universities, high schools, academies and other groups, and give people the chance to take part in activities from life skills curriculum, football matches against local teams, cultural visits, and an adventure to the mountain region to gain a glimpse of Lesotho.

Kick4Life also contributes to development beyond Lesotho through its consulting service, Kick4Life Assist, which provides curriculum development, coach training and strategy development services to other sport for development organisations around the world.

Over the past 19 years, Kick4Life has made a significant difference in the lives of Basotho youth through its various programmes. It has already reached over 250 000 youth with programming, over 25 000 with HIV testing services and over 1 000 with referral support to further health services in partnership with organisations such as CRS, USAID and UNICEF.

# Laureus Sport for Good Foundation South Africa (South Africa)

On 25 May 2000, President Nelson Mandela delivered his iconic “Sport has the power to change the world…” speech at the Laureus World Sports Awards in Monaco. That auspicious event was also the birthplace of the global Laureus Sport for Good movement, which boasts a strong footprint in South Africa as the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation South Africa.

From its humble beginnings with one project in Cape Town, the Foundation currently supports over 25 sport for social change organisations in more than 100 communities nationwide. These organisations – or programmes as they are also known – utilise sport in innovative ways to tackle some of society’s most pressing challenges facing youth, including poverty, homelessness, gangsterism, violence, drug abuse, discrimination and HIV/AIDS.

Since its inception, the Foundation has raised over R80 million for projects that have helped improve the lives of over 100 000 young people in South Africa. The strategic longstanding country patronship between Mercedes-Benz South Africa and the Foundation has supported the Foundation’s goal of expanding its efforts and achieving the ambitious agenda of positive, sustainable change and influence to enable the youth to become active economic participants in society.

To support its work, the Foundation is the official social impact partner of various events, including the JP Morgan Corporate Challenge and SA20 Cricket Series, and hosts many fundraisers throughout the year.

The Foundation is also supported by Laureus Ambassadors – a select group of current and retired sportsmen and women who have achieved sporting greatness or made significant contributions to the sporting community throughout their careers – who volunteer their services and time to represent the Foundation at its various project activations and activities across the country. Ambassadors include swimming icon and Paralympian Natalie du Toit – one of the first and youngest athletes to join the Laureus family, rugby greats Schalk Burger and Jean de Villiers, mountaineers Deshun Deysel and Saray Khumalo, Olympic swimmers Ryk Neethling and Tatjana Schoenmaker, soccer star Andile Dlamini and many others.

Based on its work over the past two decades, the Foundation has evolved to become the blueprint for sustainable impact with a national footprint that not only funds and supports sport for development programmes across South Africa, but also plays a role in the education, training and mentoring of NGOs through its Incubation Hub programme in collaboration with Mercedes-Benz South Africa. It also nurtures the leaders of tomorrow through its Youth Empowerment through Sport (YES) Programme, which has had a tangible impact on the young minds that have graduated from this programme.

# Made for More (South Africa)

Made for More is a South African non-profit organisation that aims to include, empower and equip people with disabilities through community, God and sport. Founded in 2016 and based in KwaZulu-Natal, focusing on Durban and surrounding local areas, it uses sport as a transformational tool to drive hope, build relationships and instil morals and values while equipping and giving athletes the opportunity to pursue their sporting careers. Its vision is to see people with disabilities living passionate and purpose-filled lives.

Made for More’s sport programmes include surf therapy, para surfing, boccia and exercise therapy, all with a focus on three-dimensional coaching on a physical, emotional and spiritual level. It also offers accessible clinical and psycho-social support, leadership camps, life skills and mentorship programmes, and community projects.

In 2023, Made for More hosted 79 para surfing sessions and 185 surf therapy sessions, reaching 68 individual surfers. It also hosted the KZN Para Surfing Champs and attended three surfing contests, while the KZN Para Surfing Team (consisting of Made for More surfers and coaches) won the SA Para Surfing Champs in Cape Town. Five surfers from its surf therapy programme represented South Africa at the ISA World Para Surfing Championships, with two getting bronze medals and are now ranked third in the world. Its various weekly outreach programmes also reached more than 300 people in six communities.

Made for More’s work received international recognition in 2023 when it was one of the five nominees for the prestigious Laureus Sport for Good Award. The award recognises an individual or organisation who significantly contributed to transforming the lives of children and young people through sport.

# Mathare Youth Sports Association (MYSA) (Kenya)

“Sport enables development and social change. It can transform people’s lives, bolstering their physical, psychological, emotional and social well-being and development. Sport also nurtures the development of decision-making and leadership abilities while teaching people how to manage success and failure.” Edwin Wasonga, CEO, MYSA

MYSA was founded and registered as a self-help youth sports and community development project in 1987 in Mathare, one of Africa’s largest and poorest slums. With more than 900 000 people living in mud huts without clean water, electricity or sanitation, it can be hard to be optimistic about your future if you grow up in these circumstances.

MYSA aims to give slum youth a sporting chance to be leaders, heroes and role models on and off the field. It uses sports combined with community outreach and development activities to give young people the skills and confidence they need to aim higher, achieve more, and improve their lives. MYSA is run by the youth and for the youth who take part in its activities. Its main programmes focus on boys’ and girls’ sports, community health and rights, environment, performing arts and youth employability.

More than 30 000 youth across more than 2 000 teams participate in MYSA’s grassroots football league, slum clean-up, AIDS prevention and testing, leadership training, career guidance, music and other community development activities. Another 10 000 youth from eight countries participate in a similar sport and development project initiated by MYSA in 1999 in the Kakuma refugee camp in northwest Kenya.

MYSA partners with various local and international organisations, including the FIFA Foundation, UEFA

Foundation for Children, Norwegian Football Coaches Association, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Médecins Sans Frontières, Book Aid International, Amref Healthcare Africa, Ministry of Health and Youth in Action.

MYSA’s work has been widely acknowledged. It received the UNEP Global 500 Award for Environmental Innovation (1992), the Global Help for Self-Help Prize by the Strummer Foundation (1999), the Prince Claus Award for Outstanding Achievement in Culture and Development (2003), Nobel Peace Prize nomination (2003), World Sports Academy Laureus Sport for Good Award (2004), International Fair Play Award (2010), Common Ground Award for Community and Peace Building Achievements (2010) and the Beyond Sport Judges Award for Global Leadership in Sport (2011).

# Motion Youth Hub (MYH) (Uganda)

MYH is a sport for development community-based organisation. It was founded in 2020 by a group of passionate young individuals hailing from Kampala district in Uganda, concerned with the well-being of children and youth in the community.

MYH’s mission is to create an environment where everyone can maximise their potential as individuals and athletes. It stands as a beacon of hope and opportunity in Uganda, striving to empower and uplift the most vulnerable and underserved members of society.

A core element of MYH’s strategy revolves around the transformative power of sport, mainly soccer, rugby and netball. Sport is a powerful tool to unite and uplift the community. MYH harnesses the interconnectedness of various sporting codes to promote physical health, build life skills, and instil a sense of belonging among participants. Through these activities, MYH endeavours to nurture the youth’s potential and positively impact the community’s overall well-being.

Based in Kampala, MYH collaborates closely with local authorities, law enforcement agencies, other non-profit organisations, influential community figures, and development partners, all with the goal of realising its mission. The methodology employed by MYH is comprehensive in its scope and execution, tailored to cater to the unique needs of youth who are often marginalised and excluded from mainstream opportunities, especially within the context of impoverished urban areas such as slums.

The governance at MYH is entrusted to a capable team of young women and men who form the Executive Committee and the Board of Trustees. These dedicated individuals oversee the organisation’s operations and ensure alignment with its community-oriented objectives.

# Moving the Goalposts (MTG) (Kenya)

MTG is a sport for a development organisation founded in 2002 in Kilifi, Kenya. Its mission is to positively influence communities by working with them to provide skills and opportunities for girls and young women to achieve their full potential through football.

MTG aims to dismantle systemic issues that stem from and perpetuate gender inequality in the coastal region of Kenya, namely discrimination, violence and harmful practices against girls and women. It uses football as its tool to address these gender equality issues. Football was intentionally chosen to convey the message that girls and women can take up a sport and roles that are otherwise considered appropriate for boys and men, thereby normalising girls and women in such roles and reducing stigma and discrimination.

MTG provides disadvantaged girls and young women between 7 and 25 with education, sexual and reproductive health information and services, and leadership opportunities to ensure their full and active participation and decision-making in society.

MTG delivers its programmes on school and community fields in many villages in the coastal region. It conducts enrolment and parental consent at the start of each programme. The girls are then assigned to groups according to age categories (Under 10, Under 13 and Open Age). MTG also conducts twice-yearly week-long residential leadership camps for leaders allocated to each programme venue to oversee the day-to-day running and support of programme delivery. Venue leaders work alongside a committee comprising team captains, peer educators, referees, coaches, first aiders, and a representative with a disability. Each committee prepares its annual plan and fixtures for all activities and leagues at their respective venues.

Every girl enrolled participates in at least one weekly practice, league match and sexual and reproductive health education session in their respective age group. This is the same for girls with disabilities who participate in adapted programmes. MTG provides a scholarship awards scheme for girls to enrol and complete all levels of education and supports each girl through this process. MTG also runs a special programme for young women, which includes entrepreneurship skills and saving groups.

Recruiting girls to play football in public places kick-started a lengthy process of change and empowerment. From humble beginnings supporting 100 girls in five schools and one league field, MTG now reaches 6 000 girls and young women per annum who participate in football matches and leagues, sexual and reproductive health and rights education, and economic empowerment initiatives. It also indirectly reaches 3 000 girls, young women and community members per annum through wider community outreach services.

Since its inception, MTG has impacted the lives of more than 50 000 girls in over 60 schools and 52 league fields in four counties in Kenya.

# Pedal Project (South Africa)

“Sport and play possess the remarkable ability to foster unity, build peaceful communities, and effect meaningful change in the lives of beneficiaries. When coupled with a well-structured curriculum, sports can have a lasting impact on participants’ lives”. Jaco van der Linde, Founding Director, Pedal Project

Pedal Project, commonly referred to as PedalForGood, was founded in 2020 with the primary mission to develop and support at-risk and previously disadvantaged young people in South Africa through mountain biking. Its overarching aim is to cultivate positive values and healthy habits, thereby nurturing resilient individuals on and off the bike. This involves physical activity within natural environments and mental and emotional development opportunities. Its vision is to inspire a new generation of youth through the transformative power of bicycles.

PedalForGood encompasses a mental health support programme which includes psychosocial support and environmental education, focusing on climate change activation. It offers mountain bike coaching, beneficiary and stakeholder engagements, and weekly three-hour trail therapy sessions. It also provides mentor training, capacity-building initiatives, and environmental education sessions.

Pedal Project’s primary target audience is at-risk youth between the ages of 10 and 13, encompassing both boys and girls who need mental health support. It commenced with a pilot programme in 2021, serving 20 beneficiaries per week for 21 weeks. Currently, it works with 120 beneficiaries per week for 35 weeks.

Pedal Project collaborates with various organisations, including the Sport for Social Change Network, UNICEF South Africa S4D, Waves for Change, and the Laureus 2023 Incubation Hub. It was also recognised as an official charity of the 2024 Absa Cape Epic.

# SambaSports Youth Agenda (SSYA)

“Sports for development is a platform that excites adolescents and youth, inspires bonding, nurtures trust and confidence, and allows young people to express themselves and share their feelings, desires and fears. Sport nurtures a conducive platform for mentorship, mitigating vices and continuous grooming of healthier behaviours.” Mohamed Ali Mwachausa, Executive Director, SSYA

SSYA was founded in 2018 by youth and friends from Kwale County in Kenya to inspire and influence behavioural transformation for adolescent boys and girls by providing them opportunities to grow, learn and express themselves through structured sports play and life skills learning.

SSYA designs and implements contextually relevant, experiential and participatory programmes and activities to address the root causes of societal challenges, not just the visible symptoms. Its integrated sports, arts, life skills and value-based education interventions cover key focus areas such as mental health awareness and support, conflict management, sexual reproductive health and rights, adolescent dynamics management and climate action.

SSYA works primarily in Kwale County but also in Mombasa County, Kilifi County and Tana River County in Kenya. Recently, it engaged in a cross-border youth peace-building programme that extends to Tanzania and Mozambique. It partners with national and county governments, local NGOs and international organisations such as the US Embassy, Plan International, Aga Khan Foundation, Green String Network, Kerk In Actie, Cordaid, Grand Challenges Canada and IGAD.

SSYA’s work has been widely recognised. It was voted the best CBO in the Coast region by the Muslim Media Platform in 2021, hosted the US Ambassador in February 2022 in appreciation for its work with youth, was feted as the best volunteer organisation in Kwale County in 2020, presented by the Governor, and given its contribution to the prevention of radicalisation and violent extremism, was selected as the Pillar Head for Psychosocial Support for Kwale County in 2021 by the Counter Terrorism Action Plan, under the County Commissioner’s office.

# Sport for Social Change Network (SSCN) Africa (South Africa)

“The transformative potential of sports in Africa is undeniable. By harnessing the passion and energy of athletes and enthusiasts alike, we can continue leveraging sports as a catalyst for positive change, driving progress and prosperity for future generations.” Allan Williams, Network Director, SSCN Africa

SSCN was founded by Nike in 2007. In collaboration with other organisations, Nike created “Sport for Social Change Networks” (SSCNs) in South Africa, Brazil, Kenya and the United Kingdom that strive for strategic collaboration between the private and public sectors to create opportunities for sport as an agent for change and development for the youth.

SSCN Africa was registered as an independent legal entity in South Africa in 2012, with a board elected by its members. Its vision is to be Africa’s leading sport for development network, working with partners across the continent to deliver sustainable social impact through sport and physical activity. It aims to grow, support and strengthen the Sport for Social Change Network and mainstream sport as a tool for social change across Africa.

SSCN Africa’s primary target audience is 139 vetted and screened organisations in 23 African countries implementing grassroots projects addressing various social, economic and environmental challenges through sport. Its programmes and activities cover knowledge-sharing through capacity building and training interventions, member validation and accreditation of organisations, and resource mobilisation.

SSCN Africa partners with the National Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, The Jobs Fund through the National Treasury, the French Development Agency, National Youth Development Agency, Alliance of Social Workers in Sport, Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo, GIZ and Nike.

In 2022, it hosted the first SSCN Africa Awards to acknowledge and recognise the people and organisations that use sport to bring about positive social change in Africa.

# Vijana Amani Pamoja (VAP) (Kenya)

VAP uses the power and the spirit of sport as a tool for social and economic development. Founded in 2008, it has grown from a small-scale sport-based life skills initiative to an internationally respected non-profit organisation that aims to encourage healthy, active, inclusive and economically stable lifestyles among youth and vulnerable populations in Kenya.

Sport is at the centre of all VAP’s activities as it has the potential to drive social and economic development in communities, creating a positive and lasting impact. Sport is a powerful entry tool for engaging with communities because of its universal appeal, ability to promote youth engagement, and capacity to foster community-building. Furthermore, sport contributes to healthy lifestyles, skill development, economic opportunities, social inclusion, conflict resolution, and education.

Through a holistic community-led model, VAP has already reached over 85 000 youth with HIV, sexual reproductive health and livelihood interventions. Its programmes are aimed at empowering youth mentors with the aim of driving change from within communities. VAP engages vulnerable and underprivileged communities in Nairobi, including youth with intellectual developmental disabilities. VAP’s comprehensive strategy engages participants in core life skills programming and integrates them into vocational training and apprenticeship courses, which pave the way for employment and entrepreneurship opportunities.

VAP partners with various local and international organisations and foundations, including the FIFA Foundation, Standard Chartered Bank, Women Win, FIBA Foundation, Global Giving Foundation, Project Africa, Charity Bounce and Grassroot Soccer. It is also involved in various sport networks, including the Homeless World Cup, Common Goal, Catalyst 2030, UN Habitat World Urban Campaign and UNESCO ESD-Net 2030.

In 2020, VAP was the winner of the Beyond Sport Reduced Inequalities Award, which recognises any organisation, project or programme using sport to reduce inequalities, increase access to sport for marginalised communities, address social issues in their communities, and contribute toward one or more of the targeted outcomes of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) #10 – “Reduced Inequalities”.

# Watoto Wasoka (Uganda)

Watoto Wasoka is a youth-led sport for development organisation operating primarily in the slums of Kampala in Uganda. Founded in 2009, it envisions a world in which every child is empowered to learn and thrive to their full potential. As a result, it mobilises, educates and empowers slum children through football by creating intentional opportunities for play and learning in a safe environment.

For Watoto Wasoka, football is not just a sport but an innovative and scalable medium to meaningfully address pressing societal problems affecting children’s lives. It offers opportunities for slum children to play, thrive, learn and grow to their full potential. Football is a starting point for making training courses attractive to target groups, initiating a creative way of removing stigma, inspiring mental and physical well-being and integrating the learnings permanently.

Watoto Wasoka creates and implements adapted football games called “drills” to engender health education. This includes training and empowering community coaches as health facilitators in WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) and mental health and community sessions led by children using a peer-to-peer approach to health education. It also supports access to education through various schools’ leagues and leadership and scholarship schemes.

Watoto Wasoka organises some of the biggest football events for youth in East Africa (if not Africa), with its last Slums Derby attracting more than 2 100 kids. Its last Christmas Camp was attended by almost 3 000 boys and girls from all over Uganda.

Watoto Wasoka’s work has been recognised through the Peace and Sport Awards (Nominee, Adapted Programme of the Year, 2016), FIFA Diversity Awards (Finalist, 2019), IF Social Impact Prize (Winner, 2023) and the Sport Impact Award (Winner, 2023).

# Waves for Change (W4C) (South Africa)

W4C began in 2009 as a small, informal weekend surf club for a handful of children from Masiphumelele Township in Cape Town, South Africa. It was evident that children were coming to the club because they felt safe, heard, and connected. Since then, W4C has collaborated with community stakeholders, local and international universities, and referral partners to design and deliver a cost-effective and inclusive youth-led well-being service.

Children in the programme experience an average of eight traumatic/adverse events every year, which decreases their self-esteem and impacts their physical and mental health. These include seeing someone being shot, no food at home, emotional or physical abuse/neglect, bereavement, substance misuse,  and family economic hardship. Furthermore, they have little to no access to much-needed mental health services.

Five pillars underpin W4C’s evidence-based surf therapy programme:

• Connection to consistent adult support (surf mentors);

• Access to challenging new tasks (learning to surf);

• Access to a safe space (beaches that were not accessible before);

• W4C teachable moments (expert-endorsed coping skills curriculum);

• Connection to new opportunities, training and employment (youth surf mentors receive transition mentorship to find employment outside of W4C while some have also been absorbed).

W4C’s programme reaches children across five sites – Muizenberg, Khayelitsha, Hout Bay, Gqeberha and East London. It is delivered by community-based youth between 18 and 25 years who have been trained as surf therapy mentors over two years. Their work is supported and overseen by experienced site managers, the core management team, and community mental health referral partners.

W4C relies on a network of partners to refer children for surf therapy. Once referred, children attend a

weekly two-hour surf therapy class for the year. After one year’s engagement, participants graduate to weekend surf clubs, allowing them to grow up with W4C and maintain connections with mentors, new friends, and the ocean.

In terms of the W4C’s impact, 94% of participants feel safer and have learnt to do new things like swim and surf, 96% feel happier and more confident, 83% can better calm down when they feel sad, angry or scared,  and 73% of caregivers and parents reported improved behaviour at school or home in their child.

(These profiles showcase the critical contributions of African NGOs using sport in their work. However, this is not an exhaustive list of all such organisations, and many others do stellar work across the continent.)