streetfootballworld East Africa Forum 2012

Kimisagara One Stop Youth Employment and Productive Center

Kigali, Rwanda – Friday October 5th, 2012

Football, a tool for peace building and violence prevention

Donatien Nsengimana

Legal RepresentativeESPÉRANCE

Margaret Belewa

streetfootballworld East Africa Regional Coordinator

Dear friends and colleagues,

We are very happy to welcome you to the first ever streetfootballworld East Africa Forum in Kigali, Rwanda. The forum is an international event supported by the German Federal Foreign Office bringing together organisations from across East Africa that use football as tool for social change in their communities.

The forum’s theme is “Football, a tool for peace building and violence prevention” and will feature presentations, panel discussions and demonstrations on what is one of the most pressing issues in the region.

Football brings young people together: it provides a wonderful opportunity for organisations to support young people in improving their health, education and employability. Football also has the power to foster peace and combat violence – something that streetfootballworld network members in East Africa have been demonstrating for years in their local communities.

At the streetfootballworld East Africa Forum, you will get to know different approaches towards tackling violence against and between young people as we share experiences and ideas about how football can be used as a tool to create a safer and more harmonious society.

We take this opportunity to say Karibu, welcome, and MURAKAZANEZA. We invite all of you to get actively involved in the forum by asking questions and participating in the debates; get to know new partners and network with old and new friends; experience the rich culture of Rwanda and the generosity of the Rwandese; and above all: learn how football addresses social issues in the East Africa region by hearing the voices of young leaders, who have experienced football for social change.

streetfootballworldstreetfootballworld is the leading network in the field of Social Change through Football.

streetfootballworld unites organisations throughout the world which use football as a tool to empower young people, addressing challenges such as HIV/AIDS prevention, social integration and peace building.

By connecting network members to partners from the worlds of sport, business, politics and philanthropy, streetfootballworld brings global support to sustainable local initiatives.

The streetfootballworld network currently unites over 90 independent organisations across 61 countries. Thirteen organisations form the streetfootballworld network in East Africa.

Association des Jeunes Sportifs de Kigali – EspéranceBased in Kigali, Rwanda, Espérance uses football as a tool to promote peace and gender equality, to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS, and to teach young people about conflict resolution.

Espérance’s Football Amahoro (Football for Peace) tournaments are played according to special football3 rules that facilitate peaceful conflict resolution through dialogue. The organisation’s Football Forum Theatre combines Football Amahoro and theatre on the pitch. Players are also actors and present a specific conflict or social issue, allowing the spectators to contribute to the play, providing feedback and solutions to the presented conflicts. Participants are not just educated; they are trained to be educators themselves, thus encouraging young people to take responsibility for their own actions and to become role models in their communities.

Espérance has been a streetfootballworld network member since 2002 and was selected as a Centre Host in Rwanda for the “Football for Hope 20 Centres for 2010” campaign.

Host organisations

streetfootballworld network East Africa

One visionA peaceful society where ALL young people have equal access to opportunities to be healthy, educated and empowered.

Oct 17 - 19, 2011The foundation for the East African streetfootballworld network is laid in Nairobi

July, 2012Margaret Belewa is appointed streetfootballworld regional coordinator in East Africa

Jan 3 - Feb 1, 2012A strategic plan, which defines what the network will achieve together in the coming years, is developed

Oct 2 - 5, 2012The first streetfootballworld East African Forum takes place in Kigali, Rwanda

13Organisations

6Countries

Violence in East Africa

Around 60% of the population in East Africa is classified as “youth“. Young people in Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda share many challenges during their teenage years regarding their education, future employability and health.

Violence is a reality for many young people in the region, be it political or structural, at community level or at home. The causes of violence are multi-layered and complex. Addressing them requires active cooperation among the key players in the different countries. To change violent behaviour and to minimise the risk factors that lead to violent behaviour, it is necessary to change young people’s response to their surroundings and their social setting.

The streetfootballworld network in East Africa is convinced that a valuable approach to address this scenario is the effective formulation of football-based educational programmes with a focus on empowering young people to take responsibility and become agents of peace.

The Forum examines the different approaches developed by the members in the region, inviting everyone to join the discussions and explore solutions together.

Time

Over the two days prior to the forum, streetfootballworld network members from East Africa will hold their annual meeting to discuss their current activities and areas they want to collaborate on in the coming year. At the same time, young leaders from each member will take part in a “Football for Peace” workshop delivered by Espérance so that they can incorporate elements of the methodology in their own programmes.

Programme element

08.30 - 09.00 Registration of participants

09.00 - 09.30 Opening remarks & introductions Espérance and streetfootballworld

09.30 - 11.00 Violence in East Africa: the situation at the grassrootsContribution by streetfootballworld network members in East Africa

11.00 - 12.00 football3 and Football Forum Theatre – peaceful conflict resolution through footballEspérance

12.00 - 13.00 LUNCH

15.00 - 15.30 COFFEE BREAK

13.00 - 14.30 Violence prevention and conflict resolution through football: experiences from East AfricaContribution by streetfootballworld network members in East Africa

14.30 - 15.00 The view from afar - successful approaches from the global networkAMANDLA EduFootball (South Africa) FUDELA (Ecuador)

15.30 - 16.30 Young leaders: perspectives for the future from across East AfricaContribution by streetfootballworld network members in East Africa

16.30 - 17.30 Building strong alliances: the role of governments, the corporate sector and civil societyContribution by representatives of different sectors

17.30 - 18.00 Concluding remarks and cultural performanceEspérance and streetfootballworld

Programme of the day

streetfootballworld network members in East Africa

Espérance, RwandaBased in Kigali, Rwanda, Espérance uses football as a tool to promote peace and gender equality, to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS, to teach young people about conflict resolution. www.esperance.rw

Carolina for Kibera, KenyaEstablished in 2001, Carolina for Kibera uses football to promote community cooperation and to bridge social divides. As well as running the only all-girls football tournament in the city of Kibera, the organisation contributes towards inter-tribal understanding by requiring all affiliated teams to be ethnically diverse. www.carolinaforkibera.org

HODI, KenyaThe Horn of Africa Development Initiative (HODI) has developed a unique programme with the motto “Shoot to Score, Not to Kill” that aims to reinforce and promote the peaceful resolution of conflicts in areas of persistent tribal warfare. www.hodiafrica.org

IDYDC, TanzaniaIringa Development of Youth Disabled and Child Care (IDYDC) serving around 21,000 young people throughout the Iringa district. Coaches, students and volunteers become educators on and off the field, relating knowledge in areas such as health care and children’s rights. IDYDC is the host of the Iringa Football for Hope Centre. www.idydc.or.tz

Moving the Goalposts, KenyaMoving the Goalposts Kilifi (MTGK) uses the power of football to empower young women and girls by teaching them about gender issues, reproductive health and rights, women‘s rights, good governance and economic empowerment. All activities are organised by the girls themselves and follow the principles of peer education. www.mtgk.org

MYSA, KenyaFor the past two decades, the Mathare Youth Sports Association (MYSA) has been helping young people become responsible citizens and develop healthy bodies and spirits. Its activities include providing training and organising tournaments within the 16 most deprived slums of Nairobi. www.mysakenya.org

Soccer Without Borders, UgandaSoccer Without Borders uses football as a catalyst for positive social change. It helps underserved young people overcome personal difficulties and pursue new opportunities. In Uganda, the majority of participants are refugees, and the focus is on integration within the community and personal growth. www.soccerwithoutborders.org

Our special guests from the global streetfootballworld network

SEP, KenyaUsing football to attract young people, Society Empowerment Project (SEP) provides life skills, sports leadership and management training. SEP strives to improve the livelihood of its participants providing assistance to families in small-scale agricultural production.

SSYSA, South SudanThe Southern Sudan Youth Sports Association (SSYSA) has developed a holistic approach of counselling, provision of food and educational support, and empowerment efforts towards girls and young women. In addition, participants take part in clean environment activities and gardening for food.

Sport – The Bridge, EthiopiaFounded in 2002, Sport – The Bridge works with street children to help them resocialise, reintegrate with their families, and attend public school by engaging them in specially developed sport sessions, providing regular meals, health care and health education, literacy programmes and counselling. www.sportthebridge.ch

The Kids League, UgandaThe Kids League aims to improve children’s lives through sport by breaking down religious, social and economic barriers within communities, thus bringing boys and girls together to convey messages on health, HIV/AIDS and education. The organisation socially integrates ex-child soldiers and traumatised children, and actively encourages more girls to take part in football. www.thekidsleague.org

TYSA, KenyaTrans-nzoia Youth Sports Association (TYSA) is a community-based organisation which uses football as an entry point to educational programmes, training and livelihood opportunities. The organisation aims to empower young people to take responsibility for their future, with an emphasis on youth participation. www.tysak.org

VAP, KenyaVijana Amani Pamoja educates young footballers on the importance of hygiene and issues relating to HIV/AIDS while at the same time training them to be healthy and active. Players are challenged to think creatively and critically and are encouraged to spread their knowledge to others in the community. vijanaamanipamoja.webs.com

AMANDLA EduFootball, South AfricaAMANDLA EduFootball initiates, implements, and supports educational projects in South Africa. With its innovative Night League, AMANDLA has been successfully combating crime and violence in Khayelitsha, a township of Cape Town. www.edufootball.org

FUDELA, EcuadorFundación de las Américas para el Desarrollo (FUDELA) is dedicated to provide educational opportunities to disadvantaged communities. The organisation will share experiences from its recently startet campaign against violence in Ecuador which also addresses the problems of started violence in football. www.fudela.org

The streetfootballworld East Africa Forum is supported by

Association des Juenes Sportif de Kigali – “ESPÉRANCE”

PO Box 4613

Kigali, Rwanda

phone +250 78 86 15 016 +250 78 84 42 220

E-mail: ajskesperance@yahoo.fr www.esperance.rw

streetfootballworld gGmbH

Waldenserstr. 2-4 10551 Berlin, Germany

phone +49 30 39 80 73 17 fax +49 30 78 00 62 45

E-mail: contact@streetfootballworld.org www.streetfootballworld.org

facebook.com/streetfootballworld

@sfw_tweets

Photography by: MYSA & Espérance