From June 26 to 30, 2023, the stade omnisport de Pobè in the Plateau department hosted the local Alley-oop Africa camp initiated by REPAC-SJ-BENIN as part of the implementation of its national Alley-oop Africa campaign for health and equality through sport “AWA-LOKAN”. 14 young handball players selected at the end of the social mobilization tour in schools took part in this enriching camp full of exchanges, experience sharing, training and socio-cultural activities.
During the camp, discussion workshops on the ten (10) Alley-oop Africa teaching kits were run by trained socio-sportive leaders, and presentations were given by experts and specialists called in to help the participants. The presentations covered topics such as :
General information on gender
Sport and life skills
STI/HIV and unwanted pregnancy prevention through and in sport
Prevention of physical and mental health through sport
The local Alley-oop Africa camp also featured a number of creative workshops, during which the young campers were introduced to the technique of personalizing sports jerseys, and to recycling plastic waste into training balls. A large quantity of waste collected after an eco-citizen walk was recycled into a mini training ball. They were also given the opportunity to learn new techniques to improve their handball skills and performance. Added to this were workshops in socio-sports games, which enabled the youngsters to tackle various subjects through play, such as “Tick-tock ball for inclusion”, “Union is strength”, and the game “One or the other stereotype”. Not forgetting the nights of screenings of the Alley-oop Africa docu-series, enriched by fruitful exchanges with the animation team led by Elvis Kpatinvoh and Serge Alokpowanou.
On the evening of Thursday June 29, 2023, participants gathered around a campfire. Reinforced by a team of scouts mobilized for the occasion, the young people enjoyed themselves and spent pleasant moments of cultural integration.
On Friday June 30, 2023, the first official mixed handball match was held at the Pobè sports stadium. The event pitted the AS Lumière Awa Lôkan team against the Pobè commune handball sports class. Attended by leading figures in Beninese sport, this unique and original match ended in victory for the mixed Awa Lôkan team.
It was a joyous and emotional occasion, with the focus on sport for health and equality. And you could hear it in all the spectators’ mouths: “you don’t even feel that it’s girls and boys together on the pitch”.
This last activity marked the end of the 5-day local Alley-oop Africa camp and the birth of the LUMIERE AWA-LÔKAN sports academy for development, to which these young ambassadors have committed themselves, now equipped and ready to work for the preservation of health through sport and the inclusion of gender in sport.
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