An initiative created to give children a real opportunity for growth through sport.
The objective? In a safe environment, girls and boys learn to believe in themselves, to work as a team and to discover the value of commitment. Regular training sessions,moments of sharing, and the development of essential skills become tools to build confidence, self-esteem, and hope. Breaking Down Barriers is more than a sports project: it is an educational path that aims to break down obstacles, build bridges, and plant seeds for the future.
This project involved over 130 children in an initial selection phase, from which 30 young talents emerged. Twice-weekly training sessions, led by two refugee coaches and a coordinator, are enriched by monthly training from coaches from the Malawi national athletics team, Coach Pach e Coach Golden.After each session, the children receive a hot meal prepared by a local cook, contributing to their nutritional wellbeing.
Breaking Down Barriers goes beyond sportThe programme includes regular visits to families to monitor the psychological and physical well-being of participants and provide emotional support. Each child will receive a personalised school kit, with books, extra lessons and coverage of school fees, ensuring educational continuity.
In a camp that houses over 50,000 refugees from Congo, Burundi and Rwanda, sport becomes a powerful means of overcoming trauma, building trust and looking to the future with hope.
Athletics is a wonderful teacher of life, a sport that allows children on scholarships to explore their potential and discover the pleasure of expressing themselves freely. It is a safe space to get to know oneself, one's body and to gain awareness. Whether it is accelerating on the track or leaping towards new goals, athletics is a space where everyone can find their own rhythm and their own way of fulfilling themselves.
However, the success of this project is not measured solely by the results achieved on the track. Every two months, training moves to the National Stadium in Lilongwe,offering young athletes from the refugee campus the opportunity to compete and socialise with their Malawian peers. This experience strengthens their sense of community, integration and belonging.
