Martisans Sports and Cultural Foundation, a community-based non-profit NGO in Accra, has taken steps to intensify its sports for development initiatives along the coast of the Greater Accra Region.
This in line with its objective to promote sports for youth development, promote gender equality as well as contribute to the realisation of the United Nation Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).
As part of efforts aimed at achieving such goal, the president of the Foundation, Desmond Mantey, disclosed that the Foundation had hosted a mini soccer tournament for the youth living within Osu and its environs.
“The aim of the event was to create a platform for the youth to exhibit their football talent, and enhance their overall health and wellbeing in the process. The event also created the platform for the youth to learn about the SDGs and lend support towards the agenda within their various homes and communities,” he noted.
EYBFS
Mr Mantey also revealed that his outfit, in the coming months, would inaugurate the “Empowering the Youth for a Bright Future through Sports” (EYBFS) project at other locations along the coast of Accra.
He emphasised that one of the key objectives of the foundation was to ensure the participation of more girls in sports across communities along the coast of Accra.
“In line with this, special efforts will be taken to enhance the sporting experience of girls by providing more playing time, investing in the training of girls’ coaches, provision of apparel and right programming to ensure that girls fully benefit from their participation in sports,” he said.
The president of the Foundation also indicated that he was also working to develop partnership with community schools to “help deliver an effective school sports programme that can positively impact the health and wellbeing of community, especially girls”.
“As a partner to the UN World Urban Campaign, MSCF additionally, hopes to utilise the potential of sports to help enhance the state of our city. We will use sporting events to inform the public about the SDGs and the need to help accelerate efforts towards its achievement,” he added.
Mr Mantey further hoped that the activities earmarked for the coming months would strengthen the efforts of Foundation to support youth and girls’ development, as well as realise SDGs.
“We believe in the realization of the goals within our community through sports is key. MSCF is further calling on all stakeholders to come on board and support to promote sports for the socio-economic development and sustainability of the country,” he entreated.
