By Lauren Grimanis, Global SE 2010 grad: Self designed Global Development and Management Major. Founder Akaa Project.
One of my favorite parts of working with Dream A Dream was participating in their programs. Constance, Prachi, Chris and I had the opportunity to go to a Dream Funday and one of the soccer programs. The work that we did in the office, creating an impact assessment tool, underscored the significance of these programs on developing children’s life skills. Through the research I did for the project, the interactions with the children, my own love of sports and our completed project, I truly understand the importance of extracurricular activities for children, particularly in the developing world.
Lauren, Prince and the students of the Akaa Project
After the five weeks in Bangalore and a week of exploring Calcutta and Delhi, I traveled to my favorite place, Ghana, Africa. Three years ago I started a project with a Ghanaian woman, Joyce Doh-Efa, more commonly known as Big Mama. The Akaa Project works with a rural impoverished community in the Eastern Region of Ghana to create opportunity through educational, healthcare and financial initiatives. One of our main projects was the establishment of the Asiafo Amanfro Community School. The school consists of 3 classrooms in an open structure; sixty plus children attend the school daily and are taught by 3 teachers with a middle school education. This summer, four volunteers traveled to Ghana to work with the Akaa Project. High school soccer player, Ned, had brought soccer jerseys/pinnies so he could teach soccer. For two weeks Ned and another volunteer, Brian, took students to the soccer field in the afternoon to do soccer drills and games. Students learned the fundamentals of soccer and other outside games, while having fun.
We enforced that only children who attended school could play and over those two weeks there was a significant increase in the older children (about 9 to 13 years old) school attendance. By the middle of the first week, when the students saw the pinnies and soccer balls they immediately started cheering and running toward the soccer field, even sometimes before they were dismissed from class. When we would arrive on the field the ground was littered with clothes and flip flops. The children were waiting for their jerseys – to see what color team they would be on. When students were given a #10 jersey they would shout out “Appiah, Appiah,” after Ghanaian midfielder, Stephan Appiah, who played on Ghana’s World Cup team as number 10. Children’s personalities started to emerge in this out-of-classroom environment and many became outgoing and active.
Even in the United States, the importance of sports and extracurricular activities is not always emphasized. These activities cultivate and and foster qualities that academics can not necessarily do. Consider girls or children with special needs. These children may not get the opportunity or have a positive experience in the classroom, but through sports they can become confident leaders and learn the importance of working together. I look back at my own sports experience and realize how much they have helped me develop personally.
My time at Dream A Dream influenced how I approached the sports program in Ghana. I am grateful for Vishal and the Dream A Dream staff and coaches who helped me realize the impact of extracurriculars in developing countries.
