Game Connect is an Olympic Refuge Foundation programme based in the Adjumani, Kampala, Kamwenge, Kyangwali and Lamwo districts of Uganda.
By connecting communities through sport, this exciting programme improves the mental health and well-being of over 10,000 young people affected by displacement, and their host communities.
Uganda hosts the most refugees in Africa, with refugees and asylum-seekers mainly from South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Burundi (UNHCR reference). Young people joining Ugandan communities can feel disconnected, unwanted and often suffer from depression, anger, low self-esteem and other mental health issues.
Sport has a vital role to play in improving the mental health of young refugees and their host communities. Through the programme we’ve seen that sport is crucial in increasing resilience and promoting a culture of peace and social cohesion between refugees and host communities.
Working together with lead agency AVSI Foundation, Right to Play, Youth Sport Uganda, the Uganda Olympic Committee (UOC) and UNHCR allows us to scale and benefit from the different strengths of each organisation.
We’ve identified and equipped safe sport spaces and run activities to help young people from diverse groups connect. We’ve carried out home visits and public meetings to increase the knowledge and awareness of parents and community leaders who have since become champions of the programme, and in supporting our mental health and well-being initiatives. In addition, we’re developing coaches so that they understand more about safe sport and how to deliver it successfully.
The Olympic Refuge Foundation has invested over $1.5 million in the programme, which started in August 2020 and will run for three years. We’re grateful to Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) for joining us and providing $250,000 that allowed us to expand the programme to include the Kyangwali settlement.
