More than 100 delegates from throughout Africa will take part in the first-ever youth-sports-focused African Summit in Lusaka, Zambia, May 23-26, to learn how to bring sports to children throughout the African continent. This historic event, hosted by the National Alliance For Youth Sports (NAYS) – the world’s leading advocate for positive, safe youth sports – is focused on uniting Africa under the Game On! Youth Sports banner, and providing leaders in their respective countries with a valuable tool to combat HIV/AIDS, as well as the drug abuse and crime that are destroying countless young lives every day.

 

Game On! is a NAYS program that was developed to show the people of Africa the power of sports in dealing with the negative influences young people face in their growing years. The program has garnered respect and support from several key leaders, including baseball legend, youth sports activist and Game On! spokesman Cal Ripken Jr.

 

NAYS Founder and President Fred Engh called the Summit a “truly historic occasion.”

 

“This marks the first time in history that people have gathered from throughout a continent to explore how something such as sports can play an important role in reducing crime, violence, drug abuse and HIV/AIDS,” said Engh, who founded NAYS 25 years ago. “Children need, more than ever, a program to build their self confidence and give them hope; one that will be truly effective in fighting crime, violence, drug abuse and HIV/AIDS throughout Africa and the world.”

 

Game On! is designed to give all children the necessary initiation into the skills and knowledge of selected sports. Using the success of Game On! in Dominica, a country in the Caribbean, attendees will be given the basic information and programming that will allow them to initiate the Game On! concepts and programs in their respective African countries.

 

“The environment faced by today’s African child presents a spectrum of AIDS, loss of parents, obesity, hunger, war, boredom, illiteracy and many other stressful aspects,” said Clement Chileshe, the African representative for Game On! Youth Sports. “There is a cry that is increasingly piercing my ears and heart every day I wake up; it is the cry of the child, the cry that calls for help. Regardless of the child’s background and experience, I have seen sport provide a safe, fun, educative, interactive and developmental platform. It puts a smile on that child and turns the cry to laughter.”

 

Leisure time is one of the most important elements affecting African youth today. Without the positive influences that sports can provide for children, the threat of crime, violence, drugs, HIV and other negative behaviors stand to destroy the civility of respective countries. Equally important is the health of children. Statistics clearly point to the strong benefits sports play in helping children maintain a healthy lifestyle.

 

The goal of Game On! Youth Sports is to allow all children the opportunity to be introduced to sports by teaching them the skills and knowledge of individual sports through the school system – and also allow them the opportunity to participate in sports under a supervised program in their leisure time. In addition to operating successfully in Dominica, Game On! is quickly making headway in Mexico.