A-GOAL (Africa-Global Assist with Local Sport Clubs) is a project that tackles social issues using local sports clubs in Africa as hubs. Aiming to leave no one behind through the power of sport, it hopes to become a platform where friends in Japan and Africa exchange information and cooperate.
It started on May 16, 2020, after a call for help from a football club coach in Kenya. When a lockdown in the Nairobi metropolitan area left many slum residents without work and short of food, it provided food aid and infection prevention support through local sports clubs. About a year after starting, it reports having delivered food and items such as soap to 2,632 households and 12,997 people in Kenya, Nigeria and Malawi (as of August 2021).
Since then, it has moved from emergency aid toward sustained work on social issues. Its latest news includes the Kibera A-GOAL League, the Dream Kids Africa Project connecting children in Japan and Africa, and a call for participants in a study tour, all exchanges built around sport.
Key points
- Support based on local sports clubs trusted by residents
- Growth from emergency aid into sustained work on social issues
- Wide entry points, including monthly supporters from 500 yen and volunteering
Why this organization deserves attention
By working through sports clubs that local residents trust, it can deliver help quickly to the people who need it. The shared enjoyment of sport supports activities that make use of community ties.
It is also appealing that the project is run jointly by local members in Africa and friends in Japan, and that study tours and report events open places for younger generations to take part. It is a helpful reference for anyone who wants to get involved in international cooperation through sport.
Editor's comment
A single football can gather people and bring out smiles. A-GOAL's work reminds us again of the power of sport.
Whether you love football or are simply interested in Africa, why not start by looking at the activity reports on the official website?