The Laureus World Sports Awards 2023 Nominees have just been announced… and South Africa has a seat at the table!
Global (20 February 2023) – The Laureus Sport for Good Award recognises an individual or organisation who, in the opinion of the members of the Laureus World Sports Academy, has made a significant contribution to transforming the lives of children and young people through sport.
Nelson Mandela was the first Patron of Laureus. At the inaugural Laureus World Sports Awards in 2000, President Mandela said:
“Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair. It is more powerful than governments in breaking down racial barriers. It laughs in the face of all types of discrimination.”
This has become the philosophy of Laureus Sport for Good and the driving force behind its work.
This year, the inspirational shortlist includes a movement-based psychosocial support intervention developed by War Child, Save the Children and UNICEF the Netherlands that uses physical activity to relieve stress in children affected by war or conflict (TeamUp); one that uses boxing to challenge stereotypes and empowers young women in Kenya (Boxgirls); a football project aimed at educating and elevating the homeless population in Delhi (Slum Soccer); a programme whose mission is to make sport inclusive for people with disabilities in South Africa (Made For More) and a project in Germany that uses action sports to help orphaned and migrant children integrate into new communities (High Five).
The African continent is represented by two amazing initiatives that make a significant difference in the lives of the children that they work with.
Made For More (South Africa) Multi-sport
In Africa, there are 90 million people estimated to be living with disabilities, many of whom are disregarded due to stigma or ignorance. Made for More breaks this discrimination by equipping and empowering the disabled through sport to discover their purposes and passions in life. It is unique because it focuses specifically on inclusion and uses sport as a transformational tool. As part of that, it offers a surfing programme that teaches adaptive ways to bodyboard and surf, provides accessible clinical and psycho-social support for people with different abilities, and operates sports camps that focus on Paralympic sports.
“What a privilege it is to be seen, honoured and celebrated by Laureus Sports for Good for the work that we do to include, equip and empower people with disabilities in South Africa. We had goosebumps reading that we had been nominated for this prestigious award and are very grateful for the opportunity to create more awareness around inclusion through this incredible platform,” Julia Van Zyl, Founding Director of Made for More said.
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Boxgirls (Kenya) Boxing
A programme which engages with girls and young women across poor and disenfranchised neighbourhoods in Nairobi. Here girls marry young, they get pregnant in their teens, they have little control over economic assets, they drop out of school earlier than boys, and are subject to a disproportionate level of violence. Boxgirls challenges this vicious cycle which is anchored in a cultural pattern, by reaching out to schools to engage with girls, providing them with boxing training and with peer coaching and related discussions about life experiences and life skills, helping the girls to build skills and confidence in themselves.
“I want to jump and scream and shout because this is a clear information that our work is impactful in all communities and the world is going to be a better place for girls and young women,” Mercy Odero, Facilitator at Boxgirls said.
“I grew up under the wings of Boxgirls and am now at the organization as a young woman giving back to my community and am super happy because the more recognition, the more girls will be reached and learn about the beautiful work the Organization does,” Grace Buliba Mini-Coach at Boxgirls said.
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