Restoration of War-Affected Youth
This project's parent organization is L.A.C.E.S.
It operates in Liberia
It uses Football (Soccer)
Entered the Sport for Conflict Resolution Award
More about Restoration of War-Affected Youth
The goal of our program is to develop mentorship-based soccer leagues as a tool to teach important values and life skills including self-esteem, teamwork, respect, and fun.
The program connects children ages 10-14 with role models in their communities, providing this vulnerable population with a positive influence which is often absent in their homes. 14-years of violent, civil war have led to a breakdown in community and family structures in Liberia, and L.A.C.E.S. seeks to bridge this gap by emphasizing self-discipline, respect, and teamwork developed in an active fun environment. We partner with community based organizations to help identify and recruit coaches from the community and then train them to embody and teach the program’s skills and values.
Each child spends 4 years in the program, learning valuable lessons from their mentor coaches, who reflect these lessons as living examples in the community. The program is run entirely by local staff this ensures that we are not only developing leaders for tomorrow, but empowering the leaders of today to actively participate in their country’s recovery.