The United States government has
launched a football mentorship programme for girls as part of its diplomatic
efforts to tackle the menace of sex trafficking in Nigeria and other parts of
the world.
The launch, which was presided
over by Claire Pierangelo, the US consul general in Lagos, on Monday, held at
the Campos mini stadium in Lagos Island.
It witnessed the engagement of 50
public school girls from Lagos in a programme “devoted to highlighting the
importance of employing sports in the development of leadership skills,
promoting health and wellness, and encouraging academic success.”
Among those who were present at
the event are Staci Wilson and Joanna Lohman, two US sports envoys, who are
former members of the country’s women’s national team; Joanna Lohman, a global
sports diplomat; and Precious Dede, former Super Falcons goalkeeper.
Speaking at the event, Claire
reiterated the US government’s commitment to combating sex trafficking through
the prosecution of offenders.
She also commended the efforts of
the federal government in that regard, but stated that citizens of the country
have an integral role to play.
“Sports Diplomacy is an integral
part of our efforts to build even stronger relations between the United States
and Nigeria. It uses the universal passion for sports as a way to transcend
differences and bring people together,” she said.
“Participation in sports teaches
leadership, teamwork, and communication skills that help young people succeed
in all areas of their lives and our envoys are to not only teach these girls
football skills, but also to engage young women on a very important topic –
human trafficking.
“The U.S. government is committed
to combatting this form of modern slavery through the prosecution of
traffickers, the protection of victims, and the prevention of human
trafficking. Through programs like this, girls become aware of the dangers of
trafficking, how to detect and prevent it, and better protect themselves.
“We’re bringing US professional
soccer players and Nigerian professional soccer players altogether, normally to
train the girls on how to play sport and how sports can affect their future by
building strong minds and bodies. But, more importantly, it helps us pass the
message of how to prevent trafficking in girls and women.”
Chisom Ezeoke, a sports
journalist involved in global mentoring programmes, expressed enthusiasm about
the prospects of the scheme.
She stated that it saw them scout
for 50 girls from Lagos and a total of 120 from eight different schools in
Benin.
“We know that Nigeria, especially
Edo state, is widely seen as the headquarters of sex trafficking and this is
something that bothers us greatly. Sport is such a powerful tool to impact
lives. It’s very nice to have the US Consulate partner with us. We’ve done this
programme for two years, this is the third and girls are getting a lot more
from this than they have over the years,” she said.
“We scouted for 50 girls in Lagos
and 120 from eight different schools in Benin. Very few female role models in
sports are available to the girls. But, now, they’re meeting people who have
had success stories playing sports. Imagine what it would do to them in terms
of their confidence. This way, we can change the lives of more.”
On her part, Staci Wilson, a
football training consultant and former professional footballer in the US, said
the mentoring program would also serve to stimulate the interests of the girls
into exploring other professional gains that come with being a footballer aside
from the career in itself.
“Football is a piece of the
puzzle when it comes to stopping sex trafficking among young girls because part
of what happens is that they’re in this situation where they lack confidence
and self-esteem. There are social rewards from the game and I’ve benefitted
healthwise, mentally, and by meeting people,” she said.
“Another important aspect of this
is that there are so many aspects to the game. There’s the coaching, there’s
marketing, maybe you want to be a nutritionist. You can learn about it while
playing being around the game.”
The mentoring programme, themed
“Goal! Strong Girls, Bright Future”, is put together by the US Consulate and
Fortem Inspire in partnership with the Lagos state ministry of education and
the state’s sports commission.
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