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UNICEF donates Sporting Equipment to Over 200 Schools Lobamba, August 2008 - While the world's attention focused on the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, Swaziland's attention was poised on a goal closer home, namely, investing in sports for Swazi children to help them become the leaders and Olympians of the future. To help reach this goal, UNICEF donated sports equipment and supplies to the Ministry of Education for 215 schools. The donation, worth 1.6 million emalangeni (approximately U.S $228,000) includes balls, poles and nets for soccer, volleyball and netball, and athletics equipment such as high jump stands and sponges. The donation is part of UNICEF's continued commitment to the Life kills Education (LSE) through Sport initiative, a major component of the Schools as Centres of Care and Support (SCCS) programme. Schools are at the heart of the SCCS programme. Creating partnerships between the school, community and students, SCCS tackles issues of HIV, poverty, food insecurity, safety of children and their health in the nation's most affected schools. The new equipment will assist the schools in promoting learning through recreational activities. LSE will teach children values inherent in sport, such as teamwork, discipline, training, and coping with victory and disappointment. In addition, LSE activities will promote prevention of HIV and violence, two threats facing all Swazi children. "I am proud to be working with our partners, the Ministry of Education and the Sports Olympic Council of Swaziland (SOCS) to educate children through sport and improve not just their physical well-being, but their emotional, intellectual and spiritual life," said Dr Jama Gulaid, UNICEF Representative. UNICEF also donated nine computers and five printers to the Ministry of Education to improve the capacity in Guidance and Counselling department that monitors the SCCS initiative. "This donation gives us the tools we need to ensure that the SCCS programe is a reality in our targeted schools," said Themba Msibi, Minister of Education. UNICEF's support of SCCS and Life Skills Education through Sport goes beyond donations of sports equipment. UNICEF is currently working with partners to enhance skills development for sports teachers and improve the LSE curriculum. UNICEF also has plans to improve 36 sports fields across the country.
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