Sports and Refugee Youth
A quick google search for youth sports programs in refugee camps and you will very clearly see that not a lot of options currently exist. With more than 70 million forcibly displaced individuals arounds the world, more than half of which being youth, the need for a multitude of programming is immense. Sports programs shouldn’t supersede basic needs like food, water, shelter, security, and health care; but they still need to be part of the conversation when talking about how to best support refugee youth and their families. I am personally working through developing a program in Ethiopia on this very subject, but why don’t they currently exist? A few of the biggest reasons are:
Cost (refugee camps are often remote and rural)
Lack of qualified staff (most refugee camp staff are run by the UN and similar organizations, none of which have a sports-specific focus)
Limited resources (basic needs have to be met first and challenges exist to meet those needs)
Trauma (we will talk a lot about trauma in this blog, but it’s especially important when thinking about refugee programming)
It’s not easy for organizations to put together youth sports programs in refugee camps, that is important to note. It doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try and do it. Watch this video to get an idea of why it’s so important.
In 2002, the UNHCR said “We need to be aware that there are many refugee children who have never known the carefree joy of a simple childhood game or the sense of accomplishment that comes from teamwork. Many have simply forgotten how to be children. Play and teamwork can help heal their emotional scars and restore at least some semblance of normalcy in the otherwise alien environment of a refugee camp.”
Not a ton has happened since this was said, except for the fact that there are more refugees, more camps, and more need. Yes, sports have been introduced in many refugee camps around the world, but not at the level that meets the need.
I’ve worked with newcomer youth in the United States and in conversations with the kids, a commonality among the youth was that they didn’t have many opportunities to play sports (soccer was of course the sport of interest) while they were in various locations. Obviously, basic needs have to be the focus, but room exist for sports to be a priority for organizations and programs around the world; for both youth and adults. The need for exercise and healthy habits still exist no matter where you are, so we have to think of ways to meaningfully reach refugees to engage in athletic programming. With refugees spending, on average, 18 years in refugee camps; this is are area we can’t ignore.
How can we as global citizens help? This is a tough question and part of the challenge that exists. Without established organizations outside the UN (who have other areas of focus), it’s hard to know exactly what to do. A few easy ways to start to help is through:
Advocacy
Understanding the global refugee situation
Resource mobilization
Specific donations (earmarking donations to sports programs)
Support U.S. based organizations working with newcomer youth, like Soccer Without Borders.
This is a globally important topic and one that is not easy to work through, but beyond necessary to understand and support. The majority of the world doesn’t fully understand the refugee crisis around the world and it’s somewhat understandable why that is. The current global narrative on this subject often contradicts the reality, especially here in the United States. When the narrative doesn’t match the reality, it’s hard for the everyday citizen to understand what needs to be done and why it’s important. We are often given negative information about refugees, the vast majority of which is not correct, so it’s up to all of us to find the real information and filter out what is superfluous.
I look forward to continuing the discussion on this topic and engaging in dialogue about how we can better understand the needs of refugees around the world and how to be supportive elements of the positive movement in the space.