Fostering peace through football

The annual Inter-community football peace match is an initiative of Rural Soccer Ghana (RSG) which seeks to bring everyone together and foster mutual relationships among young people from different backgrounds, to build peace and a culture of tolerance among communities.

This year’s program was organized in collaboration with Wunzooya Development Programme (WUDEP), an organization which provides vocational training for young people to capacitate them to find work or start their own business in their own region.

Teams from four communities took part in this year’s peace match, including district capital Kumbungu, Dalun, Binbien and Gbugli. All participating teams received exercise books, pens and refreshments.

Mr. Ziblim Yakubu, WUDEP’s Programme Director, urged the youth to take their education seriously, and not only to focus on sports and recreational activities. He encouraged them to dream big and see themselves as future leaders of their communities, in professions such as doctors, lawyers, professional coaches and government officials, emphasizing that they can achieve their goals by focusing on their education, accepting their responsibilities, being disciplined and practicing tolerance.

He also thanked all the coaches and teams who took part in the event. He commended RSG for its wonderful initiative and encouraged WUDEP to support and collaborate more with RSG to expand their project to other WUDEP’s areas of operation He extended his appreciation to Faako Foundation for their support and honoring their invitation to this event, and the management at Simli Radio for providing the event coverage.

Representing Faako Foundation, an organization committed to the development of youth through health, education, and entrepreneurship, was Mr. Abul Hairi Yussif, the founder. He highlighted the importance of sport to the youth, explaining how it brings people together, fosters peace and unity, and builds tolerance. He also noted the immense health benefits of sport, including improved physical health and building positive mental health. He called on local and international scouting organizations to broaden their horizons and explore players from rural communities who do have a lot of potential but need more assistance and support.

Speaking on behalf of RSG, Mr. Abdul-Halim Adam explained that while many see football merely as a leisurely activity, RSG’s focus is on using football as a tool of communication to bring change to the community. He emphasized how football creates an inclusive environment for its players, making them feel welcome, boosting their self-esteem and creating a sense of belonging and group identity. He also thanked everyone who put in effort to make the event a success, and congratulated all participants. He particularly thanked international network partners, including sportanddev, Football Vallon, Football Globe-trotters and the International Sport Network Organization for their continued support and guidance.