Last week UK company G4S (possibly the biggest employer in Africa) gathered seven young athletes from around the world (Bangladesh, Botswana, India, Kenya, Peru, South Africa and The Philippines) at the British Residence in Addis Ababa.
They were part of the “G4S 4teen” programme, which has supported 14 extremely talented young athletes towards their sporting goals since 2007 – several of them have already won medals in major sporting competitions, including the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Ethiopia’s sporting superstar and role model Haile Gebreselassie has been an ambassador (with a small “a”!) and mentor for the G4S programme since it began, sharing his experience with them. And he was there last week to give some more inspiring remarks to them and indeed to me and the other guests who were present at this event.
Aside from his mentoring, the young athletes have all been given funding and educational support under the programme as well as having wider investment going into their communities through legacy projects. The evening was an excellent example of how sport can break down barriers – including language, race, religion and gender.
That’s why we have been working to cement the legacy of London 2102 in Ethiopia, including through the British Council. Their delivery of global programmes such as International Inspiration and Premier Skills complements the work that G4S 4teen has undertaken with young athletes in Ethiopia and other countries. Their programmes use sport as a powerful mechanism for engaging and inspiring young people to improve their leadership and other life skills.
They have involved developing the Physical Education curriculum for schools and teacher training colleges to improve its overall quality and ensure it is relevant and inclusive of all children and young people (regardless of age, gender or physical ability) – and increasing participation in community sports, helping develop a Community Sports Strategy and Framework for the country.
PE teachers and coaches in Ethiopian schools have – through these programmes – been trained by UK experts in modern sports teaching and coaching methodologies and have successfully been linked to counterparts in UK schools to share experiences and best practice in these areas.
In talking to the guests at last week’s event about this work, I was able to point out that all this is because we believe passionately that sport is for all and we want to make it accessible to everyone and help them to use its benefits to the full. But of course we also love to watch the performances of elite athletes like those in the G4S 4teen programme.
Which was why it was so exciting and encouraging to meet these young athletes from around the world and hear directly from them about their experiences.