We look at how sport is being used to help others by each World Cup 2014 qualifying country.

Group E

Switzerland

World Cup 2014 Using Sport for Good

Coach: Ottmar Hitzfeld
Star man: Xherdan Shaqiri
Tournament best: Quarter-finals 1934, 1938, 1954

A nonprofit organisation using sport: Sport – The Bridge

Sport – The Bridge is a Swiss-based NGO from the capital city of Bern. Established in 2002, the association promotes the personal development of children through the use of sport.  The organisation runs projects in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, as well as in Switzerland.

Ecuador

World Cup 2014 Using Sport for Good

Coach: Reinaldo Rueda
Star man: Antonio Valencia
Tournament best: Last 16 2006

A nonprofit organisation using sport: Fudela

Fudela is a charity which uses football to help children gain key life-skills, develop positive behaviour and work towards future employability. The programme is aimed at helping vulnerable young people with no access to higher education or employment to prevent situations such as unemployment, violence, drug use and teenage pregnancy.

France

World Cup 2014 Using Sport for Good

Coach: Didier Deschamps
Star man: Franck Ribery
Tournament best: Winners 1998

A nonprofit organisation using sport: L’ENVOL

L’ENVOL offers specially designed residential Therapeutic Recreation Programmes where children from 7 to 13 with a serious illness can participate in a full activity programme including archery, climbing, swimming, visual arts, theatre, writing, and music. Activities are adapted to be accessible to all. Whether individual or group, they correspond to the age and developmental stage of the child. A major goal is to create an environment where children are safe both physically and emotionally, and are free to just be children. The holiday is covered entirely by L’ENVOL at no extra charge to families.

Honduras

World Cup 2014 Using Sport For Good

Coach: Luis Fernando Suarez
Star man: Wilson Palacios
Tournament best:
 Group stages 1982, 2010

A nonprofit organisation using sport: The World Youth Movement Youth Basketball Team

The World Youth Movement Youth Basketball Team works together with the Bay Island Sport Institute (BISI) to provide the at risk youth of Roatan, Honduras with the resources necessary to obtain a higher quality of life and a brighter future.

Through team sports young people can learn positive ways of working together for successful outcomes, become leaders and role models in their communities, and they are provided with a safe and structured place to spend time outside of school.

The main objective of World Youth Movement is to provide the at risk youth of Roatan, Honduras with the resources necessary to obtain a higher quality of life and a brighter future.

Requirements to be a part of the World Youth Movement Basketball team are to do well in school and to be positive leaders in the community.  Good grades, no fighting, no drugs or alcohol, and positive lifestyle choices are all needed from the young people in order for them to be allowed to play basketball.

Group F

Argentina

World Cup 2014 - Using Sport For Good

Coach: Alejandro Sabella
Star man: Lionel Messi
Tournament best: Winners 1978, 1986

A nonprofit organisation using sport: The Fundación Baccigalupo Foundation

The Fundación Baccigalupo Foundation works to ensure that children and young people with disabilities improve their quality of life and enhance their psychological and physical development by using sports as a tool for achieving greater integration in society.

Bosnia & Herzegovina

World Cup 2014 Using Sport For Good

Coach: Safet Susic
Star man: Edin Dzeko
Tournament best: Never qualified

A nonprofit organisation using sport: Novi Most

Novi Most is a charity that pioneers youth work in Bosnia and Herzegovina. They work with young people to equip them to face their futures with hope and confidence, and empower them to be instruments of positive transformation in their communities.

The name, Novi Most, means “New Bridge” in English. The charity seeks to build bridges between different communities and ethnic groups in the country.

One project involved taking a group of young men on an overnight hiking trip in Bosnia and Herzegovina. For the majority of them it was the first hiking trip they had ever been on.   

Iran

World Cup 2014 Using Sport For Good

Coach: Carlos Queiroz
Star man: Javad Nekounam
Tournament best: Group stage 1978, 1998, 2006

A nonprofit organisation using sport: Popli Khalatbari Charitable Foundation

 The Popli Khalatbari Charitable Foundation helps run sporting activities in Iran. This summer they are holding a football camp for Afghan refugee boys who attend a centre the Foundation fully supports. A young Popli Khalatbari Charitable Foundation supporter who has a coaching certificate is travelling to Tehran from the UK to hold the camp.

Nigeria

World Cup 2014 Using Sport For Good

Coach: Stephen Keshi
Star man
: Victor Moses
Tournament best: Last 16 1994, 1998

A nonprofit organisation using sport: Access to Success (A2S)

 Access to Success (A2S), a Christian-based nonprofit with a focus on sports and education, was founded by former professional Basketball player Andrew Lovedale out of his continued desire to give back to his native Nigeria and share his philosophy of sports, faith and education with underprivileged youth.

A2S currently operates in Benin City, Nigeria, and has plans to expand to other cities in Nigeria over time. A2S does not discriminate based on background or religious preference. Their policy is to provide hope and promote change irrespective of race or religion.

Click here to read about Countries in Groups A & B using Sport for Good

Click here to read about Countries in Groups C & D using Sport for Good

Come back tomorrow to read about the countries in Group G & H!

 

Share this article

About Author

Nisha Kotecha is the Founder of Good News Shared. Having worked and volunteered for charities in the UK for over 10 years, Nisha is on a mission to highlight how amazing charities are.