Football: An Alternative for Kano Youth

U.S. Embassy Abuja partnered with Inclusive Community Education and Development Association (ICEADA) on a football diplomacy initiative to counter violent extremism in northern Nigeria. The project, Youth for Healthy Communities Initiative (Y4HCI), targets young people in 16 communities of Kano State that are vulnerable due to a history of communal conflicts and juvenile delinquency. Y4HCI seeks to provide a safe environment that offers coaching on self-development in leadership, civic activism and peacebuilding, while channeling youthful energy into healthy exercise. Football, being popular in Nigeria, was chosen as the driving vehicle for this form of engagement.
As part of its awareness campaign, Y4HCI reached out to traditional and religious leaders to obtain their buy-in for the initiative. Various sensitization and advocacy activities were conducted to support the notion that sports is more than just a game and instead provides a safe means for youth development by instilling the qualities of patience, tolerance, team work, and discipline.
The Emir of Madobi community supported the project enthusiastically and was personally engaged in the sensitization of parents and other traditional leaders. In each of the communities, 22 boys from age 15 to35 formed a team named after their community, and were guided by 5 officials from their communities.
Football practice routines include an hour of leadership and vocational skills development. The project provides branded materials to promote team spirit and has developed a tailored guide for the self-development sessions. The aim is to not only train active youth in the community, but also embed in them skills that will be beneficial for their participation as self-reliant and patriotic citizens.
Women and girls in the community are also encouraged to listen and participate in the sessions. Female businesses also provide refreshments for the training sessions. Women receive branded hijabs for their involvement and receive free mentorship from urban female entrepreneurs on packaging, marketing, branding and distribution of their products.
This initiative has proven to provide a means for grass roots communities to share best practices of using sports to encourage healthy exercise, tolerance, female inclusion, and community cohesion.

