In Cameroon, Cameroon Football Development Program acronym “CFDP” is among a handful of sports for social impact organizations privileged to have a three year partnership with CAC. Last year when CAC made its debut to Kumba; cradle of CFDP there was an overwhelming mobilization of community impact coaches who stormed GPS venue every day for two weeks to learn the had-trick initiative; sports for social impact. More than fifty community impact coaches received certificates after going through the training, Kumba vibrated to the rhythm of sport for social impact, more youths were enlisted in football academies and more communities where visited with the doctrine of sports for social impact creating a wave of social awareness and change.
Unlike year one, CAC’s second visit this year for the past two weeks; 8-12 and 15-18 was centered around helping Community Impact Coaches intricately involved in CFDP programs as well as those who support the advocacy work of CFDP to learn the art of creating their own football games or adopting CAC football games to solve just any social problem in their communities. In week one, CFDP staff members and Community Impact Coaches in all six CFDP football academies including a few peer leaders constituted the learning group. Youths like Afere Bidias, Atud Collins, Enow David exhibited exemplary proficiency in creating and or adopting football games to address social issues like corruption, tribalism, gender equity and school dropout; very prominent social problems in Kumba and like everywhere else in Cameroon. Head coaches of football centers also exhibited a greater understanding and adoptability of CAC football games to solve social issues. In week two, the training was open to all who share the passion of sports for social impact with week one participants leading sessions and helping the bigger group to learn from cultural and context base adopted football games. It was fun, it was excitedly amazing and it was impactful. The more than thirty community impact coaches who obtained certificates after the two weeks training session were empowered with a skill to help create positive social change in their respective communities.
“Nothing empowers a people like the skills to solve their own problems” CAC came to Kumba on the invitation of CFDP and in two weeks they empowered more than thirty Community Impact Coaches with the skills to create simple, fun and very educational football games to solve just any social problem in Kumba and Cameroon.