Young people are not passive recipient of services but are social agents of change. 'anything for us without us is against us'
Location
we use sports to change the social life of young people around us with the support of the local community in small groups.
About You
Location
Project Street Address
Project City
Project Province/State
Project Postal/Zip Code
Project Country
Your idea
Sport
Soccer
Year the initative began (yyyy)
2007
YouTube Upload
Project URL (include HTTP://)
Positioning of your initiative on the mosaic diagram:
Which of these barriers is the primary focus of your work?
Stereotyping that excludes
Which of the principles is the primary focus of your work?
Include through sport
If you believe some other barrier or principle should be included in the mosaic, please describe it and how it would affect the positioning of your initiative in the mosaic:
Lack of young men's participation robes off the society what would be productive and responsible citizens.
Name Your Project
Young people are not passive recipient of services but are social agents of change. 'anything for us without us is against us'
Describe Your Idea
we use sports to change the social life of young people around us with the support of the local community in small groups.
Innovation
What is your signature innovation, your new idea, in one sentence?
we use sports to change the social life of young people around us with the support of the local community in small groups.
Describe your innovation. What makes your idea unique and different than others doing work in the field?
People in our community see sports as Leisure and nothing beyond that. We have tried to bring a change by using sports to moblise the young People to bring a change in the community. Through sports we mobilise, we facilitate the development of talents- some youth have joined big teams now, we impart skills of leadership, decision making, interpersonal relationship among others. Young people love sports and can actively participate with sports and is easy to change than talking to them just. Like if we have a football competion, the activity may start with sensitising the community about maintaining our enviroment and planting of trees before the match.
What are the existing barriers, the biggest problem, your innovation is hoping to address/change?
Our community is badly hit by HIV and AIDS, Poverty, High school drop out and massive violation of child abuse and enviromental degredation and the most affected are young people and yet their involvement in addressing the problems is minimal.
Delivery Model: How do you implement your innovation and apply it to the challenge/problem you are addressing?
We have 5 groups in the community run by the young people but guided by adults. Young people are empowered through sports to bring about social change in the community. we believe that children understand each other better and so are helped to form small groups within their respective communities and the project facilitates them with play materials. The community offers space for play and supports the your people in carring out sports and games programs. The community too ensures that the young people attend the activities as planned so that there is no one missing out. Also the use of small groups makes it easier for the young people to keep on supporting each other incase of any challenge. They monitor each other meaning all do not end in the field but go on to support each other at school, in the community without necesarrily our presence.
How do you plan to grow your innovation?
We started in 8 villages and now in 102 villages. A ball on side speaks for itself. When Young people meet for sports, their neighbours also come with them. After realising the benefit and consulting us, we encourage them to form the groups within their communities approved by the local authourity. They then have to proof the approval with the letter from the local leaders. A team from the project with young people representatives from other community groups visit to sensitise the new identified community about our project the activities. Among the activities is Games and sports for young people. In this meeting, the local leaders and young people are present. Them new members are then welcome into a biger team by other young people through an organised sports outreach. We hope to mobilize more funds to support more 10 groups by 2010.
Impact
Provide one sentence describing your impact/intended impact.
The program has enhanced resilience in younger people, made community parenting easy and enhanced young peoples' participation in community social programs.
What impact has your innovation had to date/or what is your intended impact? Exactly who are the beneficiaries?
Younger people:
Have formed supportive groups where they can easily share their social problems- some children who have gone through a series of traumatic events have healed through the group support, Some have developed their talents and are joining big teams, we have witnessed young people taking up leadership roles both within their groups and in schools.
Community:
Community mobilised to support the vulnerable children by attending thier activities and encouraging them to go on, there in increases awareness on issues of child rights, HIV and AIDS, Drug abuse, Planted 2.000.000 in just 2 years and other sexual reproductive health issues in the community as a result of the program.
The communities whoes children do perform better in sports are proud and have come to be known within and beyond. To us ' A Ball has brought a big change in the community'
How many people have you served directly?
We have reached 20,000 young people directly.
How many people have you served indirectly?
We have reached over 50,000 people indirectly through other activities like trainings and community sensitisation workshops.
Please list any other measures reflective of the impact of your innovation?
Feedback given after an activity and a huge number of other communities comming up to request for the same services. We have also provided a suggestion box where comments are put. we also have monthly evaluation meetings.
What are the main barriers to creating or achieving your impact?
We hope to creat more 10 groups but we are limited with the funds.
This Entry is about (Issues)
Sustainability
How is your initiative financed (or how do you expect your initiative will be financed)?
We now rely on community contributions and small donations from welwishers and vulunteers. We hope to outsource for funds from the community through fund raising and grants from donors to help us expand.
If known, provide information on your finances and organization.
Annual Burget is $30.000.00
Annual Revenue for 2007 is estimated to be $40.000.00
Sources of revenue- 78% local contributions in form of membership and 22% is from the well-wishers.
What is the potential demand for your innovation?
Our potential demand is funds for expansion. There are many demands to extent our services to other communities but we are limitted with the funds to expand the program.
What are the main barriers to financial sustainability?
Our income base is so small. 78% of our income is from local community contributions. It has not been easy for us to mobilise the funds becouse most people are poor.
The Story
What is the origin of this innovation? Tell us your story.
our community was hit by the problems of HIV and AIDS, Poverty, Illiteracy and a massive abuse of child rights. The social support systems were weaked and less government support. No organisation had come up to adress this. Our organisation was founded in 2004 to suplement the government efforts in trying to bring back the social order in the community.
Please provide a personal bio. Note this may be used in Changemakers marketing material.
Mt. Elgon Self-Help Community Project empowers families and communities to be able to provide quality care and support to their children. ‘Building strong circles of support around children at risk’. We aim at creating a supportive and therapeutic environment in which children can freely share their experiences of loss, grief and transition, enable caretakers to understand and acknowledge the difficulties their children face and help them to effectively cope with the challenges in life. We work directly with children, families and communities.
How did you hear about this contest and what is your main incentive to participate? (this is confidential)
We heard about this contest on the internet and our motivation to paticipate is that you are promoting sports a tool we are using to bring social change in our communities.
Affiliation (please list all that apply)
Not affiliated to the above but am a kind of person who belives in sports for development.
 | sshah said: Dear Caleb: Thank you for participating in this collaborative competition. We value the time and effort you’ve put forth and we ... about this Competition Entry. - 1380 days ago read more > |
| danafrasz said: Hello Caleb, It sounds like you are really doing some great work and the way in which you have engaged members of the community to ... about this Competition Entry. - 1512 days ago read more > |
| Laura Schueppler said: Dear Caleb Wakhungu, I think your project sounds very interesting. Your focus on including people and connecting them to each other ... about this Competition Entry. - 1536 days ago read more > |
Comments
Dear Caleb Wakhungu,
I think your project sounds very interesting. Your focus on including people and connecting them to each other is extremely important. I have noticed that stereotyping and judging others is also a big problem here in Germany. Especially young people tend to identify with certain groups and exclude others at the same time. Supporting a conscience where respect, responsibility and understanding for each other play a vital role constitutes the basis for peace. I think that we actually have to support this conscience, work against the stereotypes that you have mentioned and try to connect people to each other everywhere in the world. Sport is one good means to actually achieve this goal.
I would like to know more about Mt. Elgon Self-Help Community Project and its structure. How did your initiative begin and who was the initiator? I also would like to know how many people are working with Mt. Elgon Self-Help Community Project and how you realise the contact and communication with the local groups in 102 villages. The young people organise their groups themselves, right?
Sincerely yours,
Laura Schuppler
University of Erfurt Project Group
Spirit of Football - football's equivalent to the Olympic Torch
http://www.spiritoffootball.com
http://www.spiritoffootball.com
Hello Caleb,
It sounds like you are really doing some great work and the way in which you have engaged members of the community to support the program is impressive. Is there anyone else doing similar work in Uganda or is this totally a new approach? Could you explain a bit more about what a membership looks like? Who are your members? How do you reach out to them? What are they charged and what is it that they are paying for? Also, it sounds like the sports program is part of larger project that you run. Of the 20,000 young people that you have impacted directly, how many of those are in the sports program? Thank you for your responses!
Dana Frasz
Changemakers
Dear Caleb:
Thank you for participating in this collaborative competition. We value the time and effort you’ve put forth and we would like to offer you feedback and some thought provoking questions from our Evaluation Team.
The way the project addresses key Millenium Development Goals and its link to local communities and youth participation aspect is promising, as is the project’s significant impact in just one year. Hovever, the exact role of adults and programming structure of the organization is unclear. Financial sustainability is also uncertain since the current business model is the same one anticipated for the future.
Please use this input as both potential insights into your innovations, as well as constructive ideas for how to improve or grow your organization.
Warm regards,
The Changemakers Evaluation Team