UNICEF and Soccerex Team Up to Promote Children’s Development Through Sport
The global children’s organisation said it will showcase its Sport for Development program at this year’s Soccerex Convention, when it will seek to engage some 5,000 delegates on the development of children through sport.
Soccerex CEO, Duncan Revie, said: “We see this partnership with UNICEF as a great opportunity for Soccerex to contribute towards a real legacy during our time in South Africa. Everyone knows the power of football to reach into the hearts and minds of young people, especially here in South Africa, and this partnership will not only facilitate that but will also offer direct encouragement to other companies looking for relevant opportunities for their own corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes.”
Sport for Development – Building hope through play
UNICEF has pledged its support to improve the conditions of 585 of the most vulnerable schools in South Africa, identified by the National Department of Education. These schools are often in crisis, desperately in need of action now to ensure that children have access a quality learning environment, equipment, infrastructure and spaces to play. Challenges to education include violence against girls, drug abuse and teenage pregnancy, with youngsters increasingly vulnerable to the threat of HIV and AIDS.
“At UNICEF, we believe we can change children’s perceptions of risk regarding HIV and AIDS, while helping to protect them from other ‘high risk’ behaviour patterns. We are confident we can mobilise a community’s abilities to care and protect children through engagement in sport”, said UNICEF South Africa Country Representative Macharia Kamau. Providing proper infrastructure and resources for children to play is essential to their development.”
By supporting children’s development with opportunities for gender sensitive sports coaching, recreational facilities, sports infused life-skills programmes and community based sporting events that promote and increase awareness of child rights, UNICEF aims to build a legacy of child friendly schools and communities beyond 2010.
In addition to exhibiting at the Soccerex convention, UNICEF will also be represented on the key ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’ (CSR) discussion panel by Mr. Kamau and other keynote speakers. A gala dinner, communication and fundraising strategy will form the basis for the UNICEF / Soccerex partnership.
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