In light of Cameroon’s disappointing early exit from the 2014 World Cup here is some good news to cheer you up!
About 2 months ago a Football for Hope Center was completed in Besongabang, Cameroon which is about 2 hours north of Kumba. The Football for Hope program was launched by FIFA and streetfootballworld (our partner!)  in 2007 as a social legacy initiative for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The objective was to build 20 community centers across Africa for local organizations that work to address education and public health issues with the help of football as a tool for development. e objective of the Football for Hope Movement is to establish a quality seal for sustainable social and human development programs working with football as the central tool in the areas of Health Promotion, Peace Building, Anti-Discrimination & Social Integration, Children’s Rights & Education and the Environment, thus supporting best practice in the field.
 

 
Each Football Hope Center offers a youth football pitch and a gathering space to house community-based social and economic programs. The programs must be aimed at children and young people, and use football as an instrument to promote participation and dialogue.
 


This particular center is hosted by United Action for Children (UAC). The UAC has been working with orphans and other vulnerable children for the last five years. UAC uses football’s popularity to get young people off the streets and into classrooms and training centers. Through inter-quarterly and holiday football tournaments, the project provides HIV/AIDS awareness while trying to tackle poverty, youth unemployment/child labor and inter-tribal conflicts in the respective region. The participating youths have the opportunity to take part in innovative programs including the provision of basic education and vocational training in woodwork, painting and IT as well as workshops on HIV/AIDS education, sports and disability issues. Through these programs, the streetfootballworld network member (since 2005) strives to create a caring society and environment for children and young people in Cameroon.

 
All of this is good news for CFDP as there is now a football pitch not too far from our base of operations. Additionally the more groups that are involved in Cameroon and focused on improving children’s lives means we have more partners and organizations to team up with!