Sport for Mental Health and Social Inclusion: Alwaleed Philanthropies “Global” and Barça Foundation Launch Program for Refugees in Greece
Highlights
Location
6 refugee camps in Greece
Beneficiaries
1 million people
In partnership with
Promoting Wellbeing and Social Inclusion
The importance of social inclusion for refugees cannot be overstated. When refugees are welcomed and included in their host communities, it not only provides them with a sense of belonging but also promotes their overall well-being and empowers them to rebuild their lives. Social inclusion allows refugees to access essential services, education, healthcare, and employment opportunities, enabling them to contribute their skills and talents to society. It fosters intercultural understanding, tolerance, and empathy among community members, breaking down barriers and stereotypes. By embracing social inclusion, we create a more diverse, resilient, and compassionate society that celebrates the strength and resilience of refugees, giving them a chance to rebuild their lives with dignity and hope.
To promote the well-being and social inclusion of refugees in Greece, Alwaleed Philanthropies “ Global” partnered with the Barcelona Foundation to launch a sports program across six refugee camps. The project, which aims to support 517 refugees, focuses on creating child and youth-friendly spaces where they can engage in sports activities and build social connections. Through these activities, young people can learn important life skills such as communication, self-esteem, and accountability. The program is designed to foster a sense of community and promote mental health among the refugee population.
What Are We Aiming to Achieve?
Alwaleed Philanthropies Global and Barcelona Foundation have launched a sports program in Greece aimed at achieving two objectives. The first objective is to improve the emotional and physical well-being of refugee children and youth. The second objective is to foster cultural understanding, dialogue, and friendships among the participants to promote social cohesion. The program hopes to achieve these objectives by providing specially designed sports activities for child and youth-friendly spaces where they can meet, socialise, exchange ideas, and learn together.
Achieving Several Milestones
In 2021, the program with Barça Foundation accomplished several milestones in its efforts to support refugee children in Greece. It conducted training seminars for 45 coaches and volunteers, who were trained on the Sports, Life Skills, and Values program developed by Barça Foundation. Additionally, the program distributed clothes and equipment to the participants, while delivering the FutbolNet methodology as the central sports program. Furthermore, it organised a series of special activities and excursions for refugee children, including World Kindness Day, World Cerebral Palsy Day, World Peace Day, and World First Aid Day.
Success Stories
From Aggression to Appreciation: Afghan Refugee Boy's Remarkable Transformation in Barca Foundation's FutbolNet Program
Abbas Khawari, an 11-year-old Afghan boy, is currently residing in the Eleonas refugee camp in Greece. He participated in the FutbolNet program launched by Barca Foundation and showed remarkable improvement in his behaviour. Initially, he struggled with anger and aggressive behaviour, especially when he lost or felt inadequate during the program.
However, through persistence and one-on-one conversations, his coach helped boost his confidence and self-esteem, and Abbas began to feel secure and appreciated within the team.
His coach expressed: “I can confidently say that he has shown a significant improvement in his behaviour since the beginning of our FutbolNet program, in September of 2021. Initially, he exhibited outbursts of anger with aggressive behaviour, even at the expense of other children in the group, when he was losing or felt he was not doing something well and created disturbances in the flow of the lesson.” As a result, he now enjoys the program's activities, manages conflicts with teammates, and expresses gratitude when he likes something. His progress is a testament to the positive impact of the FutbolNet program on refugee children's mental and emotional well-being.
