ZAMBIA / WORLD CUP

Football fever is hitting even the remotest villages of Africa, as the 2010 FIFA World Cup is played for the first time on the continent.

Here in Namushaka in the Western Province of Zambia, more than six hundred kilometers from the capital city, the local school’s sandy football pitch is being converted to a soccer fan park.

A giant inflatable screen comes to life and a team of technicians set up the projector to beam the match live. Children gather as the sun sets. They are giddy with excitement and the thrill of seeing whether Ghana, the only African team to qualify to round two can beat the United States.

As Ghana scores victory, there is no doubt where there loyalty sits. Pan African solidarity erupts into jubilation.

SOUNDBITE (English) George Kithuma, Coordinator, Children’s Radio workshop:
“It’s a social mobilization tool so you are able to bring people together and when you get a group of people together its easier to start talking about social issues. So the world cup brings them together and then we work with the youth journalists to find out what some of the social issues are that they face what do they think about poverty, what do they think about education, what do they think about HIV and AIDS.”

World Cup in My Village is an initiative organized by UNICEF, the Children’s Radio Workshop and local partners. The aim is to use the power of football to beam this global event to the remotest and poorest communities but also tap into the talent of young people to create awareness around social issues.

Fourteen year old Inonge Sitali, a grade nine student is one of 17 young people that have just under gone an intensive training in radio. They are using the matches to discuss issues of concern in the communities and hold talk shows before each match is screened.

SOUNDBITE (English) Inonge Sithali, youth journalist:
“It has been very great because we have been able to learn how to use the recorder, how to interview people and we also learned how to make a good story and also the world cup in my village.”

One of the biggest concerns they hear about is education. Although Zambia introduced free basic education in 2002, for many rural families the distance to school, as well as costs of uniforms and books make it difficult to finish and drop out rates are high. For rural girls there is also a strong chance of getting pregnant.

SOUNDBITE (English) Inonge Sithali, youth journalist:
“I think education is very important because education is the only way to success in life, you can’t go anywhere without education.”

It is why World Cup in My Village has allied its support to the 1 Goal campaign, to get every child into primary school.

The team of youth journalists interview people before the matches and produce short stories that are being broadcast on local community radio stations.

As another football match approaches, the inflatable screen is set up on a hill overlooking the Bartose flood plains, 25 kilometers from the Zambezi River. Despite their isolation, and the fact that electricity and televisions sets are rare even the youngest children here know the names of Africa’s best players and aspire to be like them. World Cup in my Village has given them a chance to see their heroes play which for many of them is an opportunity of a lifetime.