BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE A Ganar Alliance Initiative officially got underway in St. Kitts last week and promises to transform hundreds of the nations young people into sought after employees through football.
A Ganar is a four-phase programme that teaches life and business skills to youths while they play the sport of football. To date, the initiative has assisted more than 3000 persons throughout South America, Latin America and the Caribbean.
Within the Federation, the implementing organizations for A Ganar are the Caribbean Healthy Lifestyle Project, the Community Achievers Project and the St. Kitts-Nevis Football Association. These three bodies held an opening ceremony on Friday (May 28) to launch the nearly eight-month programme.
Speaking at the ceremony, International Director for A Ganar Paul Teeple said that even though society tends to look down on youths, particularly those who come from troubled backgrounds, the A Ganar programme has the potential to turn those persons into the future leaders of the nation.
“I hope that we prove when given an opportunity, these are going to be the future leaders and these are the people who are going to be the motors for the economy.
“Everyone of you deserves this opportunity,” Teeple told the participants, “but it is up to you what you do with it. Some of us need second chances. That is part of the beauty of being young, you get a chance to have a second chance. If you’ve been in trouble or you’re under pressure from somebody to get in trouble, take a hold of this opportunity and use it.”
Youths from each group represented showed that they have already made inroads in their A Ganar training. By engaging in drama, song and activities the dedicated young persons highlighted the programme’s six core principles of teamwork, communication, discipline, respect, a focus on results and continual self-improvement.
A Ganar in St. Kitts-Nevis is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which was represented at the ceremony by Senior Technical Specialist Mansfield Blackwood.
Blackwood noted that USAID’s support of A Ganar came after a comprehensive survey of the region revealed several key needs for young people.
“Some of the issues identified by youngsters were those related to home, lack of proper family structures, young people not having pride in themselves or in their country, crime and drugs. In addition to that, we heard about the economic side. Young people talked about the lack of economic opportunities. There are no jobs around for them.
“We also heard the private sector saying they had jobs, but they could not find youngsters to meet their requirements,” he said.
With a focus on skills training that can practically be applied to the world of work, Blackwood said USAID wholeheartedly endorses A Ganar and sees it as an integral component of their long term development plan for the region.
Minister with responsibility for Youth and Sport Hon. Glenn Phillip added the government’s endorsement to the unique venture, stating that he sees it as filling a major gap in the local education system.
“We have long complained that our education system is too academically oriented…. Some of our students are adversely affected by courses that do not facilitate…them becoming masters of their own destiny.
“We believe that the A Ganar Alliance programme, with its emphasis to soccer and encouraging students to engage in business-like activities…address the shortcoming in a very real way,” the minister said.
Catering to young adults aged 16-24, A Ganar has a 70% success rate of placing its participants in gainful employment at the completion of the progamme.
