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Home >Countries >Zambia >

YDF in Zambia: How to use football to develop health and hygiene skills

The Republic of Zambia gained its independence from the United Kingdom in 1964 and has been a multiparty democracy since 1991. The country, with its capital Lusaka, is landlocked in the southern part of Africa. It is home to 11.5 million people from more than 70 ethnic groups and its official language is English. Zambia is among the world's least developed countries and faces steep challenges from poverty and AIDS. In 2007 some 14 per cent of women and men between the ages of 15 and 50 tested positive for HIV. Although Zambia is a country with sufficient water, the quality of both its surface and ground water is decreasing owing to industrial and agricultural pollutants, extensive mining activities, but also to a lack of latrines. Only 59 per cent of households have access to safe water. Water- and sanitation-related diseases such as malaria and diarrhoea are therefore the cause of major health problems in Zambia; malaria takes its toll on the population with nearly four million clinical cases and 50,000 deaths per year.

Simple measures - significant achievements

Since simple, low-cost health and hygiene-related interventions can prevent water-borne diseases and have a huge positive impact - particularly on the lives of children - YDF has, since its introduction to Zambia in 2009, focused on developing water- and sanitation-related health and hygiene skills among the youth. The Zambian YDF programme builds on existing initiatives and structures which are already successfully working in the field of water supply and sanitation, and in youth development through football. It is implemented by the GIZ Water-Sector Reform Programme and its water-sector partner institutions - the National Water Supply and Sanitation Council (NWASCO), the Devolution Trust Fund (DTF) and the Water and Sanitation Alliance of Zambia (WASAZA) - in cooperation with YDF South Africa. Water and sanitation projects of the Devolution Trust Fund in four different regions throughout Zambia serve as entry points. In addition, the YDF programme in Zambia works together with the EduSport Foundation and the Breakthrough Sports Academy (BSA). EduSport is a non-governmental and non-profit organisation that was established in 1999 and that emphasises education through sport. The BSA is a community sports programme aimed at providing sports opportunities to young Zambians between 4 and 20 years of age.

Developing youth through football

In a country where football has been the most popular sport ever since the national football team defeated Italy in the Seoul Olympics of 1988, football events and training are used to raise awareness about safe water and hygiene and to educate young people. HIV and AIDS prevention and gender are further issues that are addressed. Mixed-gender football teams have been formed and are trained by sports partners in each of the four Devolution Trust Fund project areas. Girls who actively participate in the football training and tournaments are supported to become peer educators and adopt leadership roles at community and district level. A sanitation league has been created to encourage sports competitions. Besides regular training, football-for-development tournaments and other events are used for educational, motivational and promotional purposes and to attract further community members.

When sports trainers become peer educators

In cooperation with YDF South Africa, the programme in Zambia is currently developing a toolkit for water- and sanitation-related health and hygiene education aimed at strengthening existing sporting initiatives. The toolkit comprises an event module, an instructor's manual and a manual for coaches. These 'tools' serve to train sports trainers based on a curriculum that uses football training and sporting events to address issues of concern and relevance to the youth and that aims to change the behaviour of young people. Sports partners, predominantly from civil society, learn how to use the toolkit to empower communities through active participation in sport and at the same time contribute their own experiences. Football coaches and players are well trained on water- and sanitation-related health and hygiene issues and on HIV and AIDS prevention. Equipped with leadership and life skills, they are empowered to act as peer educators and to train and positively influence girls and boys to make informed decisions on issues that affect their lives. The implementation of the programme is closely monitored. The approach is documented and standardised in order to make it accessible as a tried-and-tested tool for further initiatives in Zambia and other YDF partner countries.

Partnership and networking as a key to successful implementation

Strong partnerships between sports education organisations and organisations working in the field of water and sanitation are facilitated within the programme. A communication and information platform will be developed to enhance the exchange of knowledge and experience among non-governmental organisations and governmental sporting institutions. YDF Zambia celebrated World Water Day 2010 with a health and hygiene tournament together with its partner institutions and teams from the Devolution Trust Fund project areas. A national Sanitation Challenge Football Cup highlighted the official YDF World Cup campaign.


 
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Learn More:

  • Best practices from African partner countries
  • SSCN takes the next step
  • Let's - wash united''!
  • Six days to go!
  • Play Clean, We Win! - For a healthy community!
  • Clean water for a healthy world
  • Local Ambassador for YDF in Zambia: William Njobvu
  • YDF supports football tournament in Zambia

See Also:

  • Partners collaborating with YDF

 

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Downloads:

  • "Join Water Sanitation and Hygiene Education (JWASHE)" Training Manual.pdf .pdf (985.22 KB)
  • "Join Water Sanitation and Hygiene Education (JWASHE)" Facilitation Book.pdf (1.77 MB)


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