Soccer + Life Skills for 1,000+ Youth in Cameroon

A total of 100 students from our partner schools came together to participate in our annual end-of-year Games Day. Ten student representatives - the best in each of the CFDP clubs - were selected to represent their schools. While a few schools were unable to participate due to exam schedules, those students who were in attendance will carry forth the great vibes from the day. As usual, our team of dedicated staff and volunteers in Kumba created a most memorable experience for the youth. 

The morning activities featured five competitive soccer games, including challenging ones like chipping the ball into the oil drum and a juggling competition, where some youths acutally 'tapped' the soccer ball over 200 times! The afternoon activities were the most interesting part of the day! In the classroom, student groups faced off in a quiz to test their knoelwedge of the educational topics we discussed over the past year. All of the CFDP clubs competing scored greater than 70% on the team quiz and the top two teams received over 90% scores. This is really encouraging because it demonstrates that students are learning from our programs. The schools that performed the best are those where the CFDP programs have been running the longest: GSS Nkamlikum (Champions, First Partner School - since 2010), BHS Barombi Kang (Most Dedicated Volunteer Leader, 2nd Place), and GBHS Kossala (First Partner School - since 2010). 

The number of lives that our after-school programs have touched over the past year is nothing short of amazing. From student leaders who are finding their hidden potential and working towards new goals to the  volunteer leaders who act as mentors and provide guidance through the challenging times of life as an adolescent in Kumba.

As we get ready to break for the summer holidays, we are excited to announce a new initiative we will launch in four schools: peer educators. Those students who have excelled (especially from the top performing CFDP school clubs mentioned above) will now be trained to run after school sessions on their own and gain invaluable leadership skills in these new positions. We are excited for next year and look forward to sharing more on our progress later this summer.

Thank you for supporting our after-school programs. Without you, none of this is possible. It's just that simple. Thank you for helping to change the lives of 500 boys and girls in Kumba, Cameroon. 

Links:

• Check out more about previous years' Games Day (with video!)