Sport key to uplifting lives of youths

Sat, 10 Jun 2017 09:42:41 +0000

By Michael Miyoba

THE Rural Sports Foundation (RSF) says sport has the potential to uplift lives of youths in rural areas, hence the reason why RSF has reaffirmed its commitment to inspire youths in rural areas through sports.

Speaking in an interview with Daily Nation Sports in Lusaka, Rural Sports Foundation executive director, Job Mwanza, said more than 200 vulnerable children in rural areas have benefited from the child literacy program provide by his organization.

Mwanza said youths in rural areas face a lot of challenges which force them to engage in activities such as early marriages, hence the need for RSF to empower the youths with knowledge through sports.

Mwanza added that working with youths in rural areas will also provide his organization an opportunity to identify untapped talent.

 “We are 100 percent committed to uplifting the lives of youths in rural areas. Our main focus as Rural Sports Foundation is to change lives of young people and children in rural communities.

“Our activities have provided recreation to rural communities and also opened up doors for talent identification from youths in remote areas,” Mwanza said.

Meanwhile, Mwanza has expressed disappointment with the corporate world for turning a blind eye towards the needs of youths in rural areas.

He has therefore called on Government and the corporate world to collaborate in changing the lives of youths in remote areas of Zambia.

“We have written to a number of corporate entities especially those who work in rural communities such as seed companies and agro companies. However we are so disappointed that they are not keen to help the communities which keep them surviving,” Mwanza said.

“We will this year host a sports festival that will bring 4,480 youths for a one-week sports festival and we hope to involve other partners who will be able to educate our youths on a number of issues such as HIV/AID, sexual health, climate change,  girl children’s rights,  alcohol and drug abuse and child marriages, among others.

“And we envision that Government and the corporate world would come on board and support these activities because we can change these rural areas only if we work together,” Mwanza said.

The soccer festival in Petauke will kick off on 6th November and will run till November 11th 2017.