Kicking for Hope

In January, two of the biggest refugee camps in Congo and Kenya came alive as the Confédération Africaine de Football (“CAF”) hosted the CAF Africa Cup of Nations Football Festival for internally displaced persons. PUMA partnered with the CAF in their mission to harness the power of football as a vehicle to include everyone and supported with equipment for both tournaments. Read the full article!

The events took place at Lac Vert-Bulengo IDP site in Congo as well as at the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya. Each event involved young players – Girls and Boys – from seven other nearby sites housing displaced people. As an official partner of CAF, we were happy to support the youth tournaments in the largest refugee camps in Africa with equipment on and off the pitch.

Aiming to give hope to those who might otherwise feel hopeless, the objective of the football festivals was to utilise football as a vehicle for social inclusion and unity, drawing international attention to the situation of children in the camps, enhancing communication with children, advocating for peace, social cohesion and peaceful cohabitation. Further, life skills training for children, and training in basic football techniques and life skills for educators and coaches have been organized.

Playing like the stars

The events each kicked off with a Grassroot Football Festival for U12 Boys and Girls, followed by a U15 Boys and Girls Tournament and a variety of coaching workshops. Several guests, including former coaches, former internationals and local football high-society added prestige to both events. And at the Lac Vert-Bulengo Camp, a drainage system was laid to ensure that local people would be able to use the field for years to come.

Looking forward, we will continue our collaboration with CAF and their commitment to ongoing investment in football pitches, goal posts, and other essential equipment in these regions, ensuring that everyone who wants to play, can play.