Qui di seguito potete leggere, in inglese, un resoconto dello straordinario torneo di calcio che si è svolto a Dar es Salaam in occasione del passaggio in Tanzania del Matatu di Altromondiali. Un'esperienza incredibile, vissuta anche dai nostri volontari con un'emozione profonda, che ci invita a seguire questa iniziativa in tutte le sue tappe verso il Sud Africa.
United in diversity towards the football world cup "United in diversity" is not just the motto of the European Union. It is a philosophy, a way of life applicable to every contest and place.
Living together without barriers, even if there are some diversity between us. It can be language, culture, traditions, or something more physical such as disability or HIV/AIDS.
People tend to fear diversity, usually because it's something they don't know. Ignorance leads to prejudice which usually carries to marginalization and stigma. It's a vicious circle breakable just with an open-minded and curious attitude towards life.
The "LESS is more" project, which stands for Labour, Empowerment and Social Services for vulnerable people in Dar es Salaam, implemented by CEFA, CCBRT and Radar Development, and funded by the European Union and Cariplo Foundation, is aiming to draw the path to an inclusive society in which people living with disabilities, their care takers and people living with HIV/AIDS will play active roles.
In occasion of the Football World Cup which is going to take place in South Africa this June, the Network of the Italian NGOs organized and initiative called "In South Africa by Matatu" consisting in a group of youths from Italy and Kenya crossing Africa on a minibus playing with children, promoting sports as a way for tackling social exclusion of young people in degraded urban contexts.
CEFA, CCBRT and Radar Development, in collaboration with RIGHT TO PLAY TANZANIA, decided to welcome this initiative organizing a little football tournament involving 4 primary schools of Mbagala (Temeke Municipality). Following the spirit of the "LESS is more" project, the tournament presented an interesting mix of children with and without disability. Mbagala School with its special classes for children with disabilities, Mtoni Mahalum School for children with disability, Twiga School for deaf and Kizinga School which has no children with disabilities but has been the beneficiary of didactic workshops on disability facilitated by CCBRT in cooperation with CEFA.
At the end of the school tournament, a little triangular tournament was held between the CEFA-Matatu team, the Albino United and the team of an association of people living with disabilities called HAGEPA.
During the 2 days of the tournament, CCBRT tested people for HIV and provided peer education on HIV/AIDS for deaf people.
Amusement, joy and fair play have been the focal points of this two days tournament which once again proved how living with disability doesn't mean having to stay aside and just survive. People with disability can live normal lives: studying, working, playing sports and having a family.
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