Children, and especially girls, who have had their education interrupted due to the pandemic, are at higher risk of suffering mental health problems and school dropout, something that has even worse consequences in the poorest communities in Colombia.
As Cityzens Giving projects around the world continue to find ways to adapt to new challenges caused by the pandemic, TECNO Mobile’s support will enable 80 young leaders from Barranquilla, Santa Marta and Medellín to use mobile technology to bridge the gap between the home and the football pitch, promoting the physical and mental health of young people in their communities.
Young Leaders will receive training on using football, technology and play to uplift youth, and will be empowered to deliver twice weekly virtual sessions with 2,000 young people and their families in across Barranquilla over the next six months.
This will culminate in a virtual festival to connect participants and young leaders for a day of celebration, football and learning.
The project will be delivered by Fútbol Con Corazón, and supported by the organisation’s new app, through which children, adolescents and parents can access for free a range of audio-visual material and educational content, as well as posting activities on the app’s social wall and connecting with young leaders via video calls.
This project builds on Manchester City’s long-term support for young people in Colombia through its global flagship Cityzens Giving programme.
Since 2015, Cityzens Giving has trained over 100 young leaders in Barranquilla who have in turn positively impacted the lives of over 1,200 young people using the universal language of football.
Tom Pitchon, Director of City Football Foundation said: With TECNO Mobile’s support and technology, we can scale our community football impact in Colombia. It’s an inspiring partnership that will change lives and really move the needle for young leaders and the local community.”
Stephen Ha, General Manager of TECNO Mobile said: It’s an exciting partnership. As a brand aiming to inspire people to uncover a world of possibilities, we are delighted to see young leaders can leverage our mobile technology and innovation to bridge the communication gap and uplift more children in Columbia with the aim of building a better community.
For more information on Fútbol Con Corazón, please click HERE:
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