FAME Foundation has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with FCT Football Association under the “PLAY it DREAM it” initiative, to mentor and equipped under-served and Internally Displaced Girls within the FCT with life skills, which in turn will result in the education of the girls, reduction in the occurrences of early marriage and increasing girls participation in sporting activities.
Present at the occasion which held on January 11, 2021, at the Area 3 football pitch, Garki, Abuja were FCT FA Chairman, Alhaji Abbas Moukhtar, who was represented by Mr Paschal Dogo, a board member of the FCT FA; Secretary, FCT FA, Coach Haruna Ilerika; Mr Andrew Abah; other FCT FA board members; S.A Technical to the Minister of State, FCTA, Alhaji Mubiyu Mustapha; S.A Special duties to Minister of State FCTA, Alhaji Abubakar Ibrahim, FAME staff, volunteers and girls’ representatives from Durumi IDP Camp, Abuja.
Both parties involved in the partnership signed the MoU in the presence of witnesses, to activate the boot-camp which is to kick off on January 30, 2021, and expected to hold every last Saturday of the month for 3 years as stated by the MoU.
Speaking at the event, Mr Paschal Dogo, a member of the FCT FA Board, thanked those in attendance, on behalf of the FCT FA Chairman. He also appreciated FAME Foundation for their efforts and all they have been doing for the empowerment of women and girls in Nigeria, especially within the FCT.
Mrs Aderonke Bello, Executive Director, FAME Foundation, stated that Nigeria is a heterogeneous country with religious differences, language barriers, different geo-political zones and cultures, and football is the only activity that unifies us as a country.
‘FAME Foundation is using sport as a tool to address the Sustainable Development Goals. These girls will be trained on hygiene, leadership skills, personal development, and life skills, which will empower and educate them, and also enable them to compete with their equals,’ she said.
Earlier, Ms Anna Mambula, Programme Manager, FAME Foundation, introduced the event. She stated that PLAY it DREAM it is an initiative of FAME Foundation aimed at using sports as a tool to educate the girl child, reduce the occurrences of child marriages, increase girls and women participation in football and other sporting activities while improving their general well-being and health.
‘PLAY it DREAM it aims to actualize the SDGs 3, 4, 5, and 10 in the realization of the 2030 agenda.’
Ms Deborah, a representative of girls from the IDP Camp in Durumi; beneficiaries of the initiative, thanked FAME Foundation and FCT FA for the opportunity they are giving the girls to also participate in football activities, as it is usually the boys who go out to play football.
The First edition of Play it Dream it Initiative Bootcamp will commence on January 30, 2021
