SEEDS Foundation / SEEDS Academy
This project's parent organization is SEEDS Foundation
It operates in Senegal
It uses Basketball
Entered the Sport for Education Award
More about SEEDS Foundation / SEEDS Academy
SEEDS uses sports as a vehicle to inspire, empower, and support the holistic development of promising African youth, involving them in decision-making and preparing them to become global citizens and lead positive transformation in Senegal, and throughout Africa and the world. SEEDS was formed in response to the lack of educational opportunity and healthy development of young people in West Africa. For young athletes in Senegal and West Africa, dim education and literacy prospects are accompanied by a scarcity of high-quality athletic opportunities.
Thousands of promising youth are missing out on the positive benefits of participating in organized sports, not least of which are improved academic performance and attendance. In Senegal, as in most places in the world, sports are a powerful engagement tool for young people. They provide a common ground for learning and the context for development of leadership and life skills.
School retention is a critical issue in Senegal. Within an adult literacy rate of less than 40 percent and only 21 percent of the general youth population enrolled in High School and five percent in college, Senegal faces a variety of societal challenges. SEEDS uses sports as a “hook” to keep young people engaged in education.