Ethiopia
The goal of the program «Ethiopia – Sport Builds Bridges» is to reintegrate street children into their families and public school in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Elements of sport pedagogy are used to foster the personal development of the children. Simultaneously, the families of the children receive assistance, in order to lay the foundation for a successful reintegration.
The work by Sport – The Bridge is based on the principle of «help for self-help» and can be divided into two phases: one year of intensive support, at the end of which the child should be ready to sleep at home and attend public school; three further years of supervision of the child and it’s family. This guarantees the sustainable success of the program.
The program «Ethiopia – Sport Builds Bridges» currently supports about 200 children. Pole vault world record holder Sergey Bubka and the Ethiopian sprinter Haile Gebrselassie have shown their support by visiting the program. In 2009 «Ethiopia – Sport Builds Bridges» was nominated for the «Sport for Social Inclusion Award» from Beyond Sport. Since 2010 the program has been part of «Football for Hope», a movement by the FIFA and streetfootballworld. The program «Ethiopia – Sport Builds Bridges» also receives support from the Swiss Olympic Association and the Swiss Federal Office of Sports.
Contact: Lyliana Ahmed and Addisu Seifu, General Executive Manager
