IOC spread wings in Africa
THE International Olympic Committee (IOC) has joined hands with Paris 2024 and the French Development Agency (AFD) to allocate $450 000 (€406 000) to finance 10 social impact projects in Africa, expanding the Olympic legacy beyond the Games and propping communities through sport across the continent.
The heritage of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games extends beyond its borders, reaching new horizons in the African continent with the latest decision made. In an act of commitment and vision, the IOC has announced the injection of nearly half a million dollars to finance various social projects with significant impact in Africa, all aimed at using sport as a tool for change and social cohesion.
Based on the success of the Impact 2024 International program, an initiative born out of Paris 2024 and the AFD, the IOC has decided to bet on the continuity and expansion of this legacy. The in-vestment aims to extend the reach of these projects beyond the celebration of the Games, ensuring that the Olympic flame continues to burn in Africa’s most vulnerable communities. Over an 18-month period, the “Sustained Insight and Impact” initiative, launched in March 2024, will nurture and strengthen the selected projects, ensuring that their impact is lasting and pro-found. The goal is ambitious but clear: to build more inclusive and peaceful societies, where sport is a fundamental pillar in social transformation.
The 10 selected projects are not new to this crusade. All of them have been part of the Impact 2024 International program, demonstrating their ability to generate real and meaningful changes in their communities. From South Africa to Uganda, each of them uses sport to address complex issues such as gender inequality, armed violence, social exclusion, and lack of educational opportunities. One of the stand-out projects is “Gingando pela Paz” in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This initiative uses capoeira, a blend of martial art and Afro-Brazilian dance, to help young people affected by armed violence find a path of peace and personal development. — Agencies.