“Every kid around the world who plays soccer wants to be Pele. I have a great responsibility to show them not just how to be like a soccer player, but how to be like a man.” - Pele

SOCCER
When you walk around Moshi in the late afternoon you will find children on every field playing football together. With bare feet they run over the sand and through the grass dreaming of becoming the new Ronaldo. Most children in Moshi are the victims of poverty and don't have many opportunities to make something out of their lives. Most youths in Kilimanjaro face the following problems:

• The general standard of living is poor; a lot of children live below the poverty line.
• HIV/AIDS infection, child abuse and alcohol abuse rates have been high among the youth.
• Almost all children in Kilimanjaro region attend primary school but only 13.1% are selected for Secondary school.
• Poverty eradication and unemployed policies and strategies that involve the youth have been very limited.
• There is a lack of adequate sport and recreation programs for youth.

Although football is very popular in Tanzania and there are many talented players there are no programs or organizations that train and educate young talented players. Unfortunately, this capacity has not been well tapped in many places partly due to lack of financial and material support, voluntary leaders or sufficient coaching and administration. Sport is far more than a luxury or a form of entertainment. Access to and participation in sport is a human right and essential for individuals of all ages to lead healthy and fulfilling lives. Sport - from play and physical activity to organized competitive sport - has an important role in all societies. Sport is critical to a child's development. It teaches core values such as co-operation and respect. It improves health and reduces the likelihood of disease. It is a significant economic force providing employment and contributing to local development. And, it brings individuals and communities together, bridging cultural and ethnic divides. Sport offers a cost-effective tool to meet many development and peace challenges.

Vision of the Project

Moshi soccer teaching will be the leading youth sport club in Kilimanjaro region and an example for the rest of Tanzania, creating a professional environment where young talented players will be trained and empowered to make the best out of their sports and their lives in general.

Objectives:

• To discover, develop, promote and maintain the talents of young sport players in Kilimanjaro
• To guide and supervise the sport teams and sport individuals of the club
• To develop talented athletes
• To improve the quality of sport and recreation activities in Kilimanjaro
• To improve the livelihoods of the youth in Kilimanjaro by promoting their talents
• To create job opportunities through sports
• To be an example and an inspiration to young people in Tanzania

The project will give you the team schedule for practice which normally the main program takes place on Saturday afternoons of every week and on week days its minor practice as some players will be attending school during the day. At least two to three volunteers are needed in a training sessions as boys are increasing every day. Being outside teaching and playing you will be able to support adult players with their English who no longer have the chance to go to school.

Skills/ Qualifications

The qualification needed to volunteer is only motivation and a willingness to work with the project and uplift the standards of football in the country. There is no specific period of attachment to the project. If you can teach and play football here is your chance to make a difference. English and Swahili aren't the only means of communication.