Impact Stories from the Africa YMCA Sports Network
Sawa Young Leaders Conference : Youth Leadership Driving Mental Health Change in Eastern Africa
08/09/2025
Reimagining Peace: Young Leaders Unite in Ethiopia for the YPS 2025 Peace Agenda
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Sports as a Movement, Not a Game
Across Africa, YMCAs believe that sports are not just games — they are powerful platforms for nurturing the body, mind, and spirit. On basketball courts, in swimming pools, through martial arts classes, and on football pitches, thousands of young Africans are discovering leadership, building resilience, and shaping communities.
The Africa YMCA Sports Network brings together five flagship hubs, each with its unique strength:
Ethiopia – Leadership & Peacebuilding- Kenya – Aquatics & Inclusive Talent
- Nigeria – Integrated Wellness & Renewable Energy
- Niger – Peacebuilding & Traditional Games
- Zambia – Urban Multi-Sport & Community Empowerment
- Together, they tell one story: When sports lead, communities rise.
Ethiopia: Courts of Leadership and Peace
In Addis Ababa, basketball is more than competition — it’s a classroom for conflict resolution. Young people who once saw each other as rivals now play side by side, learning teamwork and respect. Many who started in YMCA Ethiopia sports programs have gone on to lead in their communities, championing peace and solidarity.
- 5 YMCA sports centres in Ethiopia
- 500 daily users
- Alumni include national-level athletes and community leaders
Kenya: Aquatics and Global Opportunities
At the YMCA Aquatics Centre, young people train as lifeguards, coaches, and first aiders. Their certifications have taken them far beyond Kenya — to beaches, resorts, and pools across East Africa and abroad. Meanwhile, in Shauri Moyo and Naivasha, basketball courts continue to produce professional players and offer safe spaces for vulnerable youth.
- 150,000 youth engaged annually
- Hundreds certified as lifeguards and coaches
- Dozens of scholarships secured through sports
Nigeria: A Renewable Future of Play
In Eruwa, Nigeria YMCA is building Africa’s first fully renewable-powered Sports and Wellness Hub. With a FIFA-standard football pitch, solar-lit basketball courts, a health clinic, and hostels for 100 youth — all powered by sun and wind — this hub will combine sports, healthcare, and leadership in one sustainable model.
- 100 youth trained per cycle
- 60kW hybrid solar/wind power system
- Integration of health, sports, and leadership in one hub
Niger: Peace in the Playing Fields
In Niamey and Maradi, football tournaments and traditional wrestling matches bring together youth divided by violence and exclusion. Change Agent Paul Issoufou Abou organized peace sports campaigns where young people pledged nonviolence. Here, sports become reconciliation.
- 500 youth engaged in 6 regions
- Peace tournaments used for nonviolence campaigns
- Ongoing construction of a Youth Centre with football, volleyball, and basketball facilities
Zambia: Urban Sports and Community Empowerment
Zambia YMCA’s story stretches from karate halls in Lusaka to football pitches in Kitwe and Ndola. Martial arts programs have produced disciplined champions who now serve as national athletes and coaches. Plans for a new Multi-Purpose Sports & Recreation Centre in Lusaka and a 101-hectare empowerment hub in Mumbwa will integrate sports with agriculture, vocational training, and youth leadership.
- 5,000+ youth engaged annually
- Existing basketball and martial arts centres
- New Lusaka hub and Mumbwa training hub under development
One Network, One Vision
From Ethiopia’s leadership courts to Kenya’s aquatics, from Nigeria’s renewable hub to Niger’s peace tournaments, and Zambia’s urban centres of play, the Africa YMCA Sports Network demonstrates how sports can transform lives, build communities, and empower a generation.
Partners, donors, and allies are invited to join Africa YMCAs in this journey. With investment, these hubs will change lives and shape healthier, more peaceful, and more sustainable societies.
