Bellamy Foundation Development League

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Bellamy Foundation Development League

Sierra Leone
Organization type: 
nonprofit/ngo/citizen sector
Budget: 
$100,000 - $250,000
Website:
http://www.craigbellamyfoundation.org
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Project Summary
Elevator Pitch

Concise Summary: Help us pitch this solution! Provide an explanation within 3-4 short sentences.

To build Sierra Leone's first nationwide youth development league to empower a new generation of young footballers to change their own and their communities lives for the better.

About Project

Problem: What problem is this project trying to address?

There is no structured your sports league in Sierra Leone. The CBF leagues uses local youth's passion for football to tackle social issues including: health and fitness, fair play (anti-corruption), school attendance, social inclusion, sanitization of communities, conservation and sustainable development.

Solution: What is the proposed solution? Please be specific!

In May 2009 the League commenced. 1,680 registered participants and 85 Sierra Leonean staff, took part across four regions: Freetown, Kenema, Bo and Makeni. The league system has been development so that points are achieved not just for match results and will form a platform for personal and social development. • 25% from Match Results • 25%s gained from Fairplay Points awarded to teams for abiding by the laws of the game, players disciplinary records and respectful general behaviour of team staff and players. • 25% gained from School Attendance Points awarded related to the school attendance records of all registered players of the team. • 25% gained from Community Projects Points awarded for the successful completion of various community projects carried out within the local area. This will include community clean ups, peer education workshops and testing the players on their knowledge of health issues such as HIV/Aids. The Girls’ league is aimed at promoting gender equality by narrowing the gap between boys and girls in terms of existing opportunities. A core focus of the girls’ league is increasing school attendance rates, which has been identified as a major barrier to personal development of girls in Sierra Leone.
Impact: How does it Work

Example: Walk us through a specific example(s) of how this solution makes a difference; include its primary activities.

Impact of the League in 2009: • Creating the opportunity for 1,680 young people to participate in football regularly (through the creation of 10 new leagues, 44 new registered youth teams, 4 of which are now girls teams) • Creating the opportunity to train 40 coaches in appropriate youth coaching methods • Creating the opportunity to train 40 Team Managers in pastoral care • The opportunity to increase school attendance rate of registered players (currently the national average attendance rate is 29% – the first year of the league has seen registered players attendance increase to 84%) • Establishing the opportunity to educate 50,000 young people in life saving health messages through peer educators • Creating an impact on local employment rates in a country where unemployment is currently 80% (through the employment of 40 qualified coaches, 40 Team Managers/pastoral workers and 5 Senior and Regional Staff) • Generating a positive impact at community level through community development projects in the areas of education, peer education, care and the environment.
About You
Organization:
Craig Bellamy Foundation
Section 1: About You
First Name

ben

Last Name

keene

Website
Organization

tribewanted / right to dream / craig bellamy foundation

Country
Section 2: About Your Organization
Organization Name

Craig Bellamy Foundation

Organization Phone
Organization Address
Organization Country
Your idea
Country your work focuses on

, W

Website URL

http://www.craigbellamyfoundation.org

Innovation
Do you have a patent for this idea?

Impact
Actions

Since the League was launched, a total of 316 basic community development projects have been implemented in the four regional league centres. These projects are carried out in the areas of environment, peer education and education and care.

Results

Increasted school attendance, strong and early awareness of fairness in society, introduction to community sustainable development and passion for healthy active living.

What will it take for your project to be successful over the next three years? Please address each year separately, if possible.

Sustainable funding.

The league is current funded by the Craig Bellamy Foundation in partnership with UNICEF. This will also be the case for the 2010/11 season as the league is expanded. Long-term the plan is to have a mixture of funding sources through the Craig Bellamy Foundation and for the teams to start to fund themselves by creating local partnerships with sponsors.

What would prevent your project from being a success?

Lack of funding.

How many people will your project serve annually?

1001‐10,000

What is the average monthly household income in your target community, in US Dollars?

Less than $50

Does your project seek to have an impact on public policy?

Sustainability
What stage is your project in?

Operating for 1‐5 years

In what country?

, W

Is your initiative connected to an established organization?

Yes

If yes, provide organization name.

Craig Bellamy Foundation, Right to Dream, UNICEF

How long has this organization been operating?

1‐5 years

Does your organization have a Board of Directors or an Advisory Board?

Yes

Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with NGOs?

Yes

Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with businesses?

Yes

Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with government?

Yes

Please tell us more about how these partnerships are critical to the success of your innovation.

The operations of the partnership project of Right to Dream (project managers) and Craig Bellamy Foundation (in-country organisation and funding) in collaboration with UNICEF (funders, facilitators and advisors) has been effective in the project implementation. Special thanks must go to the UNICEF team both in the provinces and headquarters in Freetown for the effective monitoring and supervision of the project activities throughout the four regions. Thanks and appreciations also goes to the Right to Dream Team and the In- Country Team for providing their expertise and support, ensuring that the project activities are implemented successful.

What are the three most important actions needed to grow your initiative or organization?

1. self-sufficient funding projects

2. continued high standard of organisation and delivery

3. increased awareness of impact of the programme

The Story
What was the defining moment that led you to this innovation?

when Craig Bellamy met Tom Vernon (Right to Dream

Tell us about the social innovator behind this idea.

In 2007 Welsh International football star Craig Bellamy visited a friend in the West African nation of Sierra Leone. Best known for its “blood diamonds” and nine year violent civil war Craig saw through the devastation, poverty and desperation and saw the potential for a project that could offer hope. Out of this initial hope was born the Craig Bellamy Foundation. A charity founded by Craig to offer the children of Sierra Leone the right to dream. Using the one thing Craig knows and loves, football, the project has been designed to inspire positive personal and social development through the power of sport.

The Foundation now boasts a network of nation-wide football development leagues with 1,600 registered members, aged 10-14. Further leagues for girls and the differently-abled will be implemented later in 2010. Alongside the league and opening in May 2010 is a state of the art football academy designed to offer the best in coaching and education. Underpining the project is a desire to offer hope to all that encounter the Craig Bellamy Foundation and to offer the children of Sierra Leone the opportunity to reach their full potential.In 2007 Welsh International football star Craig Bellamy visited a friend in the West African nation of Sierra Leone. Best known for its “blood diamonds” and nine year violent civil war Craig saw through the devastation, poverty and desperation and saw the potential for a project that could offer hope. Out of this initial hope was born the Craig Bellamy Foundation. A charity founded by Craig to offer the children of Sierra Leone the right to dream. Using the one thing Craig knows and loves, football, the project has been designed to inspire positive personal and social development through the power of sport.

The Foundation now boasts a network of nation-wide football development leagues with 1,600 registered members, aged 10-14. Further leagues for girls and the differently-abled will be implemented later in 2010. Alongside the league and opening in May 2010 is a state of the art football academy designed to offer the best in coaching and education. Underpining the project is a desire to offer hope to all that encounter the Craig Bellamy Foundation and to offer the children of Sierra Leone the opportunity to reach their full potential.

How did you first hear about Changemakers?

Web Search (e.g., Google or Yahoo)

If through another, please provide the name of the organization or company

50 words or fewer