Uganda Red Cross & Everton Launch Refugee Sports Therapy Program
March 29, 2019
Uganda Red Cross and Everton FC will use sports therapy as part of a new project to support the psychosocial wellbeing of vulnerable communities in the West Nile region of northern Uganda.
This week, the Corporate Social Responsibility arm of Everton FC, Everton in the Community, signed a memorandum of understanding with partners in a West Nile Consortium that includes Uganda Red Cross Society and prominent local football team Onduparaka FC, to use sports to support the refugees and hosting communities in West Nile. Uganda is currently home to over 1.4 million refugees.
The Uganda Red Cross supports refugees by providing humanitarian assistance, protection and psychosocial wellbeing and works with Onduparaka FC to mobilize the community to be part of football clinics.
Everton in the Community mobilized resources to start a week-long clinic for 40 Coaching trainees. These coaches will in turn become community coaches, bringing together the different neighborhoods they represent to play football.
Among these trainees are refugees from different West Nile refugee settlements who will play football as part of psychosocial therapy to help alleviate the effects of war and trauma. The program will provide an outlet for people to come together, get active, learn new skills and become part of a team, which in turn helps relieve stress and trauma and builds trust.
“In refugee community spaces, we notice that people who were once busy in their daily routines in their home countries become redundant which in the end takes a toll on their mental wellbeing. Football is a great game to bring them together and bring keep them active,” said Isaac Etoku, Uganda Red Cross Psychosocial Support Officer.
Football brings many people together, especially the youth who would have rather been involved in many dubious activities due to being idle. When we engage them in football, we will occupy them for constructive survival,” Etoku added.
Through the Premier Skills coaches, Everton organized coaches from British Council Uganda to support the coaching Clinic, dedicating their time and technical skills for the week to ensure that the package is delivered to the trainee Coaches effectively.
“It has been an honor for me to see the enthusiasm and passion for learning from the trainee coaches this week. It is our hope that this passion will translate into meaningful action being implemented after the course, working in partnership with the West Nile Consortium Partners. I look forward to the next phase of the project to observe the progress made to help transform refugees and host communities using the power of football,” said Jonathan Garside, Manager - Everton in the Community.
Everton in the Community were the official winners of the 2017 Sport for Health and Well-being Award for their “Imagine Your Goals” program. Learn more about the Beyond Sport Global Awards here.