| Member's News | No.43 January 2005 |
Sport in Action Clement Chileshe, Zambia |
Sport in Action describe here their planned activities for the 2005 United Nations International Year of Sport and Physical Education.
Project title: | International Year of Sport and Physical Education Campaign
Prepared by: | Sport In Action (SIA) 1st floor ZEPH House, Chishango Road P.O Box 50144 LUSAKA Tel:294554 Mobile: 097-821797 sia@zamtel.zm/clementchileshe@yahoo.com
Field of Activity: | Sports, physical education and development
Proposed Period of Implementation: | January 2005 to December 2005 (12 months)
Scope: | National (country wide program)
Introduction of the Lead Organization (SIA) Sport in Action (SIA) is a non-governmental organisation whose aim revolves around the betterment of people’s quality of life through sport and recreation activities. Formed in 1999, SIA was the first Zambian sports NGO to be registered and its membership comprised of ex sports men and women, and administrators. Sport in Action (SIA) is a corporate body with a perpetual succession separate from its members and is capable of suing and being sued and of holding property apart from its members. SIA is registered with the registrar of societies as with effect from May 1999. Organisational Structure Vision and Mission Statement SIA’s vision is working towards an “active, healthy and better Zambia”. The mission statement states that “SIA shall endeavour to use sport and recreation as a tool through which the quality of peoples lives can be improved by providing a programme that will bring about motivation, self-development and self reliance through social and economic empowerment”. Sport In Action’s Experience SIA is running sports leagues for children and youths in our target areas or districts. We have also been in the infrastructure repay and construction of basketball courts. The Twafwane community school and sports academy is run by our volunteers and caters for more than 300 orphans and vulnerable children in Katondo community of Kabwe town. We Trained 160 volunteers working under Project Concern International (PCI) and World Vision International in Lusaka and Kitwe from 1999 to 2001. We have also trained 40 community school teachers from Buyantashi group of community schools in Physical education integrated with HIV/AIDS.SIA is also involved in Health and Fitness programs such as Katondo in Kabwe, Kanyama in Lusaka and the YETS in Kabwata, Lusaka. SIA works with three (3) Youth Empowerment Through Sport projects in Lusaka, Chongwe and Kabwe. In Lusaka one is located in Chamba Valley and is called Chamba Valley Young Farmers Club and the other is located in Kabwata. And the one in Chongwe is located in Kazemba area and is called Kazemba Young Farmers Club. All groups carry out peer education programmes through sport. SIA is working with Unicef and Care international ( through their scope OVC) in training community school teachers and organising sports activities in their target areas of Zambia. Our Program Outcomes The activities we have conducted have resulted into a number of successes including the following: The quality of sport and recreation activities being conducted in the project target areas has improved through the trained teachers and community leaders including local peer educators. The Life skills on HIV/AIDS and Civic Education among the youths and children of the project areas have improved hence, contributing to the reduction of HIV infections and raised awareness and action against Child Abuse. The School attendance levels in the schools especially the community schools which have introduced Physical Education through Traditional Games has improved. Community involvement and support to children’s sport and recreation in schools and communities has improved due to awareness events and media interviews conducted in project areas and print and electronic media. The quality of life of the project activity participants has improved due to the active and healthy life styles through Fun and Fitness activities, which improve cardiovascular health and stress management. Need for this program Many people are interested in sports, particularly big events like the football word cup, the Olympic games and the Africa cup of nations. But how much do people know that sport is very important for their own benefit? Sport and physical education can improve people’s lives in many ways. Children in particular will benefit from the opportunities sport can offer. Their experiences will stay with them through their lives and may be passed on to future generations Sport gives people a chance to: Get together and have fun: every one can enjoy the social aspect of taking part in sport what ever their standard or ability. Experience success and achievement: sport gives people a chance to improve their personal performances, fulfill their potential, participate in and win competitions. Keep fit and healthy: sport can help physical conditioning and, general fitness and well-being. Co operate and communicate with others: training and competing with others (particular in team events) will encourage people to express and share their feelings with others. Enhance motivation, organisation, leadership and interpersonal skills: sport can act as a way to develop these skills and take on responsibilities, which can be transferred to other aspects of life in the community. Generally, SIA believes that sport and recreation is a ‘peg’ on which various programmes can be hanged. We believe that sport is a very effective tool towards the delivery of development programmes. Owing to its properties, sport is able to package even the most complex of messages in a “palatable” user’s friendly manner. Through research and wide experience, SIA has successfully integrated sports activities and movement games with various developmental massages such as HIV/AIDS, child and substance abuse education The current and envisaged picture of Sport and Physical education in Zambia is very challenging. Zambia has had very significant developmental outcomes from physical education and sport in the past but this has faced a steady degradation from the early 1990s been. The problem has been identified well and consensually agreed to by most stakeholders. What then are we putting in place that enhances and sustains the developmental values and benefits that sport and Physical education brings to human life? For the sport partners, the challenge faced is much bigger than what can be seen currently. The reduction in the culture of sport, participation levels, accessible facilities, trained human resource and organised activity is a risky situation. When the current crop of athletes we have, have played their time, we may have a vacuum of players. The need to invest in Physical education, sport for children and youths can therefore not be over emphasised. The development partners on the other hand risk loosing a platform for social cohesion, social mobilization, stress management, healthy living, social marketing, conflict resolution, child development and a life long influencing education system. The declaration of the year 2005 as the international year of sport and physical education is an important step in the recognition, utilization and improvement of sport and Physical Education. The image of sport as an important tool for development will be promoted and raised to a larger national development stakeholder pool. Sport In Action is determined to participate in making this declaration a reality in Zambia taking advantage of its experience and abilities in coordinating and networking with a cross section of sport and development partners. This proposal therefore presents a series of activities that have been planned to achieve this very cardinal goal to place sport and physical education among the other key personal and national development components. SIA Experience in Co-ordination and Networking Our experience in co-ordination and networking can be seen in many of our operations. Among them are that Sport In Action; Is a member of the Kicking AIDS Out Alliance, which is an alliance of sports organisations in Zambia and Kicking AIDS Out Network which is a network of sports organisations in 13 countries in Africa, Asia, North America and Europe. Has co-ordinated events to commemorate World AIDS day funded by Unicef and Ministry of Health involving many other organisations. SIA has technically assisted, monitored; co-ordinated and disbursed funds to more than 12 other organisations. When implementing activities works with Schools, Churches, royal establishments and Civic authorities. In May 2004 organised a National conference on Youth Sport, Physical Education and development in conjunction with Ministry of Education, Ministry of Sport, Unicef and the Physical Education Association of Zambia (PEAZ). Is the secretariat for the Zambian Sport for Development network that involves 3 government ministries and 16 Non Governmental organizations that use sport as a tool in the development process. Objectives for the 2005 international year for sport and physical education program Sport In Action intends to lead a consortium of sport and development partners to achieve the following: To raise awareness of the value of sport and physical education in national development. To raise awareness of the value of sport and physical education in child development development. To raise awareness on the roles various stakeholders in the use of sport and physical education for development. To use the campaign as a resource mobilization tool for youth sport and physical education programs. To use the campaign as a market sharing tool for current achievements and best practices in the use of sport and physical education in the development process. To facilitate an empowerment process in which the media becomes well informed to be an effective mouth piece for sport and physical education in the development process. To use the campaign to initiate involvement, sharing and support for an assessment of current and past practices in the use of sport and physical education for development. Proposed activities 1. Tournaments for sensitization and awareness (one day youth sports competitions) At least one in eight provinces except Lusaka Lusaka will not have a tournament as it will host the National Physical Education Day 2. Workshops Government and International development agencies officials School officials, NGOs officials and sport administrators The media Profit making organizations marketing managers 3. Meetings with stakeholders at provincial level Government officials Civic authorities Stakeholders Physical education teachers School managers 4. National Physical Education Day celebrations Exhibitions Demonstrations Research and speech presentations 5. Inventory of physical education teachers and sport administrators 6. Distribution of sport equipment Strategies for increased participation in the activities Encouraging Girls Specifically to Take Part We will choose games that do not have an image of being gender specific, such as volleyball. We will encourage mixed teams of boys and girls particularly in traditionally male dominant sports such as football. We will organize activities around the responsibilities many girls have in the home after school We will try to promote sports to girls by using their pictures in publicity materials. We will try to encourage community awareness of the benefits girls can experience from sport, for example, it will help increase their confidence. This will help girls to feel that it is most socially and culturally accepted for them to play sport. Encouraging Children with Special Needs Working with children who have special needs in very rewarding, providing us understanding their needs and feel confident in providing what is best for them. Most importantly we will make sure that children with special needs fell integrated with everyone else in the program activities and are always included in decisions, even though we will have to make some adaptations to meet the specific needs of these children. Encouraging Everyone In order to encourage everyone to participate we wish to: Run competitions and present small prizes to winners and to those with other achievements such as best effort, most improved, fairest player etc. Encourage parents to support their children by coming to watch them in ive talks about sports heroes and personalities. Program partners Government Ministries responsible for education, sport, health and information United Nations country agencies International development organizations National sports Council of Zambia NGOs in sport and development (16 member organizations of the sport for development network) Expected Outcomes of the Outlined activities It is expected that when this program is well support and implemented will lead to: Mapping of organizations and projects dealing in youth sport, physical education and development through sport Increased sensitization and awareness on development through sport and its value in National development Increased awareness on government policies and strategic plans and activities in the areas of a) Physical Education b) Youth sport and c) development through sport Increased realization of a common drive and direction for sport in the development processes Enhanced sharing of best practices of using sport as a tool in the development process and set a base for data collection and dissemination countrywide Increased resources and support to sport, physical education and development programs http://www.icsspe.org/portal/bulletin-january2005.htm Sport in Action Clement Chileshe, Zambia