Sports for 5000 Colombian kids' dreams

"Giving civilian victims of war and former guerrillas new responsibilities as ‘Peace Leaders’, allows them to forget what side of the conflict they were on and helps change the way they see themselves and how they are seen by community members." Football is helping ex antagonists of the armed conflict reunite for one same goal: peace. 

Together with streetfootballworld, The Ashmore Foundation and German Foreign Office in Colombia, and two other operators, Fundación Tiempo de Juego is training 72 civilian victims and former F.A.R.C guerrillas to conduct football programmes focused on peace and reconciliation. 

Colombia is at a challenging post conflict period. One of the mayor challenges of post-conflict is to help the demobilized population to come and live together with victims of the conflict in the same communities. “Football for Peace and Reconciliation” has proven, how through the power of football, we are able to bring the two groups together and engage them in how their reconciliation process can positively affect their whole community. They have seen how they can change their role by stop being recognized as victims or victimizers and become jointly “Peace Leaders” that can work together for their community. One of very few programs in Colombia bringing the two populations together is “Football for Peace and Reconciliation”, according the National Unit of Victims. 

Together, despite unimaginable hardships, 72 civilian victims of war, former guerrillas and former paramilitaries were trained as “Peace leaders” bridging their differences to coach more than 5,028 young people in peace and reconciliation methodologies, using football as a tool. Implemented in communities directly affected by the civil war, these programs give young people a much needed safe place to learn and interact. This program is vital to the reintegration of former antagonists and to ensuring that psycho-emotional reconciliation takes place in 6 communities across the country.

• 72 victims of armed conflict and community leaders have acquired educational and practical techniques to act as "football for peace and reconciliation" trainers. These individuals have developed a new view of their role in society and work to develop their competences as community leaders.
• 60 of them graduate as Peace Leaders demonstrating through the assessment of their trainers that they have advanced in the building and strengthening of skills for reconciliation and peace.
• 5,028 children and young people (indirect beneficiaries) from disadvantaged areas acquire life skills through regular participation in sport and cultural activities, that both inhibit the ability of illegal armed groups to recruit them and promote their life-long development.
• As Peace Leaders start to replicate their learnings in their own communities.  
• 8 Peace Leaders continue to develop football for peace activities in their communities or volunteering for the implementing organizations that hosted them after the pilot project came to an end.
• Inclusive sport training programs were implemented for victims and reintegrated guerrilla members, which ensure that social issues are addressed in a creative way. With the design of the festival they learn: to improve their views of themselves and others. “The only program in Colombia bringing the two populations together” Participant in kick-off workshop from the Unit of Victims.
• In six communities across the country "Football for Peace and Reconciliation” take place for children and adolescents. At each festival the football for peace methodology is implemented and safe spaces for fair play and exchange are created. At each festival, families come together and experience the transformative power of football.
• www.GolYPaz.com platform is created to share knowledge and best practices among implementing partners. Useful for replicating, scaling up and documenting learnings for other countries in post-conflict.

Read more about this spectacular project:

streetfootballworld - http://www.streetfootballworld.org/latest/blog/football-peace-and-reconciliation-shows-way-toward-peace-colombia

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