Goal! - News from Coaching for Hope

CFH Burkina was proud to be invited to take part in a meeting of the permanent secretaries/ executives secretaries of the National Committee for the Fight against HIV and AIDS (CNLS) of the Economic Community of West African States(ECOWAS) and Mauritania in May. This meeting took place in Ouagadougou and the purpose was to discuss the different strategies and ways of fighting against HIV and AIDS throughout the different areas.

The objective was to create a synergy between the different actions of the governments and youth of ECOWAS and Mauritania, to make the fight against HIV more effective in these areas. Countries represented at this meeting were: Bénin, Ivory Coast, Guinée Bissau, Mauritania, Niger, Sénégal, Togo and Burkina Faso.

CFH Mali has been busy creating and solidifying relationships with local government and grassroots organisations. As a member of the Child Rights Reflection Group, CFH helped organise a campaign to raise awareness among decision makers about the problem of child begging in Mali. The event kicked off with a debate on national television and was followed by a radio programme and a press conference/debate and a presentation of the campaign document. 35 local children from organisations of street children (including 10 deaf young people) participated in integrated football sessions and played with two local coaches.

With the support of funds from the FIFA Football for Hope Fund, one local coach is helping develop a young women's team with a local women's cooperative in Kati. The girls, who had never touched a football before March are developing skills and say that they are now ready to take on any Bamako football team.

CFH Mali is also now able to extend activities into the regions, thanks to a new 4x4 Hilux pick-up truck funded by adidas. The upcoming CFH course in July will be a great time to capitalise on local input and bring many new faces, including a group working specially on sport for people with disabilities, members of the Segou League, and women from a local community cooperative.

Coaching for Hope in Burkina Faso

The seventh Coaching for Hope training course in Burkina Faso, supported by FIFA's Football for Hope Fund and adidas, took place in June, in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. This time, partnership was at the very forefront of the course, as 90% of the coaches were members of 'Reseau Africain Jeunesse Sante et Developpement au Burkina Faso' (RAJS), a youth-based health network in 16 countries in Africa. The RAJS coaches were from 38 of the 45 provinces of Burkina which now gives CFH a genuine country -wide presence. Based in both rural areas, and towns, the coaches will be rolling out CFH's innovative integrated sessions which use football to engage young people in discussion about sexual health and HIV and AIDS.

Two further coaches were from AESCD, a street children's organisation from the very edges of Oouagadougou, four came from ACRO, an organisation in Ghana that works with rehabilitating young offenders, one coach was from CFA in Ouagadougou and two coaches were recommended by the Burkina Faso Ministry of Sports. "The course had a genuine international feel to it!" said Jacob Naish (West Africa Programme Manager, CFH).

This was further highlighted by the fact that the coaches shared a venue and accommodation at the Stade du 4 Aout with none other than Les Etalons, the Burkina Faso national team! Les Etalons faced the Seychelles at the Stade in an African Nations Cup and World Cup qualifier, and sure enough, the coaches were given pride of place in the stands, with Skillshare Internationl and FA logos emblazoned across their bright white T-shirts.


coaches at the Stade du 4 Aout	Burkina Faso RAJS course

Coaching for Hope in South Africa

In mid June the second Coaching for Hope course to be held in Cape Town took place. There were about 35-40 local participants on the course from all over Cape Town, some from partner organisations and about five of the participants had been on the first CFH Cape Town course in December 2007.

This was the first ever course Coaching for Hope had run that combined education on substance abuse, HIV and football and it was a giant success. There were two three-hour lectures for the coaches, one on HIV education and one on substance abuse and its effects.

There were four English coaches in Cape Town; Michael Richardson (CFH), Matt Barr (Hull City FC), Steve Quashie (QPR FC) and Dave Robinson (QPR FC). They are all extremely experienced football coaches and provided the course with knowledge, enthusiasm, and supported the superb organisational skills of Tom Pitchon, our Southern Africa Programme Manager, with the tools to make the course a success.

The follow will take place soon with Tom encouraging and supporting participants to go out to their communities and roll out all the football crossover sessions they have learnt, with the local children.

"The course was a massive success and sending the quality of coaches we do only improves the level of information the participants gain. Well done Tom for making the course a massive success," Michael Richardson (CFH).