Sport for Mental Health: A Lifeline for Refugee and Host Community Youth in Uganda
By John Kusolo
The AVSI Foundation, in collaboration with Right to Play, Youth Sport Uganda, the Uganda Olympic Committee, and the UNHCR, has embarked on a transformative journey to improve the psychological and mental resilience of refugees and host community youth in Uganda. Funded by the Olympic Refuge Foundation, this Sport for Mental Health intervention aims to reach 16,550 youth aged 15-24 years across Kampala, Kamwenge, Kikuube, and Adjumani Districts. Spanning from August 2023 to July 2026, the project leverages the power of sport to foster psychosocial well-being, strengthen social support networks, and enhance stakeholder engagement and advocacy.
Project Objectives and Implementation Strategy
The project’s core objectives are:
Improving psychosocial coping skills: By engaging youth in structured sport activities, the project aims to bolster their ability to manage stress and adversity.
Strengthening social support networks: Sports provide a communal environment that encourages interaction and mutual support.
Increasing stakeholder engagement: Advocacy efforts target policymakers and community leaders to recognize and support sport as a vital tool for mental health.
To achieve these objectives, the AVSI Foundation and its partners implement a range of strategies:
Structured Sport for Protection activities: Skilled coaches guide youth through sports sessions designed to protect and include, while promoting psychosocial well-being.
Assessment of mental health: Using standardized WHO measures, the project identifies and tracks the psychosocial and mental health of participants.
Sport for Protection toolkit: This resource offers sport and play-based sessions and life skills training to support the development of vulnerable youth.
Graduation and peer leadership: Youth who successfully complete the program and demonstrate improved mental health are encouraged to become peer leaders, fostering scalability and advocacy within their communities.
Engagement with schools and CSOs: Collaborations aim to broaden the reach and impact of the initiative.
Remarkable Outcomes from the First Cohort
The initial results from the first cohort (January to April 2024) highlight the intervention's profound impact:
Improved psychosocial well-being: 95% of reassessed youth displayed adequate psychosocial well-being.
Reduction in depression and anxiety: Depression rates dropped from 62% to 1%, and anxiety rates from 66% to 1%.
Enhanced coping skills: 99% of participants developed adequate psychosocial coping mechanisms.
Stronger social connections: 87% reported having someone to turn to for support, and 84% received assistance from outside their household. Additionally, 71% of youth provided help to others.
Increased sense of belonging: This metric rose dramatically from 8% to 49%.
Key Outputs and Community Engagement
From January to April 2024, the project achieved several significant outputs:
Youth participation: 2,084 youth (1,113 males and 971 females) engaged in Sport for Protection activities.
Support for safe spaces: 33 locations received sports equipment for various activities, including basketball, volleyball, netball, and football.
Home visits and referrals: 2,072 youth were visited at home for follow-up, and 116 youth were referred for mental health services.
Peaceful coexistence activities: 3,469 youth participated in initiatives promoting harmony.
Livelihood training: 980 youth were trained in cost-effective livelihood interventions.
Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLA): 35 groups comprising 760 members saved a total of UGX 11,475,500, with an average saving of UGX 15,000 per member and a loan-to-saving ratio of 97%.
Addressing Policy and Perception Gaps
The Game Connect Advocacy Strategy Validation meeting at Sheraton Hotel Kampala identified critical issues hindering the broader implementation of sport for mental health:
Policy gaps: The National Sports Act 2023 lacks provisions for using sport to address mental health and protection, focusing primarily on physical education.
Inadequate funding: Sports programs, especially those aimed at mental health and protection, receive insufficient financial support.
Capacity building: There is a need to train sports teachers to appreciate and utilize sport as a tool for mental health.
Sensitization efforts: Misconceptions about the benefits of sports persist among teachers, parents, and guardians, necessitating awareness campaigns.
Conclusion
The AVSI Foundation's Sport for Mental Health intervention demonstrates the profound impact that structured sports activities can have on the mental and social well-being of refugee and host community youth. By addressing policy gaps, enhancing funding, and building capacity among educators, this initiative can serve as a model for integrating sport into mental health strategies worldwide. The success of the first cohort underscores the potential for sport to be a powerful catalyst for resilience, social cohesion, and overall well-being.
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