Sports4HOPE International

The mission of Sports4HOPE is to prevent and reconcile conflicts by inspiring hope, improving the quality of life, and empowering youth in conflict-affected areas through sports and peace education.Sports4HOPE is a US-based NGO aimed at 'Creating an Equal Playing Field’. The Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is a region that is no stranger to conflict. It has been estimated that between 1998 and 2008 5.4 million people died in this region due to war related causes. In 2003, 300 people were massacred in a single-day in the small town of Bogoro; a town of approximately 3,000 people. This massacre involved three communities and tribes: Bogoro (Hema), Vilo (Lendu), and Kagaba (Ngiti), resulting in destroyed relationships, broken families, and divided communities.Our program design is to use both Sport and Peace Education in ‘Creating an Equal Playing Field’. Sport as a relational approach to reconciliation will be used to develop relationships and engage conflict-affected communities to meet. Peace education as an educational approach to reconciliation will be used to break down ideas of ‘the other’ and function as a platform for inter-community engagement. We will begin this project in September of 2011 and are guided by three phases of project development:1. Build and develop relationships within each community. 2. Develop sport and peace education program within each community. 3. Develop an inter-community sport and peace education program.“Letting go…” is the philosophy that drives Sports4HOPE, guiding the decisions we make as an organization both in Eastern DRC and in supporting countries. Our ability to affect change is often hindered by commonly held ideas, beliefs, and judgments. By believing, empowering, and living we let go of the things that hold us back from realizing our vision.Letting Go......by Believing. We let go of assumptions about the inevitability of conflict by believing in a peaceful future. We believe we have an important role to play in the reconciliation process of conflict-affected communities. ...by Empowering. We let go of abstract ideas of empowerment by developing programs that rely on the local leadership and responsibility of conflict-affected communities and the support of a concerned community around the world. ...by Living. We let go of fearing the unknown by living alongside and sharing our ideas with conflict-affected communities and boldly making decisions that show our dedication toward realizing a common vision of peace.The Sports4HOPE story begins with a family connection to Eastern DRC since the 1950’s and was catalyzed by a 2008 journey to the region by Co-Founder Stephen Reynard where he met Congolese community developer Kalongo Rwabikanga. This meeting and subsequent conversations between Kalongo and Stephen led to the development of Sports4HOPE. In 2009, Stephen returned to the region to meet with targeted communities and local partner Synergie Simama with the goal of developing plans for the first Sports4HOPE project. Seven core team members have rallied behind the Sports4HOPE idea and, since 2008, have been working on developing an organiztional structure that will support our future development.