Sport has for long been recognized as a powerful tool for personal development, fostering resilience, and creating a sense of community. In recent years, its potential for improving mental health has gained significant attention. The Game Connect Annual Sports Event, held in September 2024 in Uganda under the theme “Think Sport, Think Mental Health,” exemplifies this potential.
By bringing together refugee and host community youth, the event highlighted how structured sport activities can promote mental well-being, social cohesion, and life skills development, offering a brighter future for youth from all walks of life.
The two-day event held in Adjumani, a West Nile district of Uganda at Paridi Stadium showcased the evolutionary power of sport in addressing mental health challenges and fostering peaceful coexistence.
Game Connect program – a collaboration between AVSI Foundation, Right to Play, Youth Sport Uganda, the Uganda Olympic Committee, and UNHCR with funding from the Olympic Refuge Foundation - targets to improve the psychosocial well-being and mental health resilience of refugee and host community youth aged 15-24 in Kampala, Kyangwali, Rwamwanja, and Pagirinya Refugee Settlements. Over three years (2023-2026), the program will engage 16,550+ youth through structured sport activities, life skills training, and mental health support.
Sport as a tool for mental health
147 youth from eight teams across the four refugee hosting locations of Kampala, Kikuube, Kamwenge and Adjumani expressed their best talents in football, netball, and volleyball during the occasion that served as a platform for youth to showcase their athletic skills, strengthen social support networks and learn valuable life skills.
John Makoha, the AVSI Country Representative in Uganda emphasized the significance of sport in addressing mental health: “Sport is not only a game but an inclusive approach to address the mental health of persons. The World Health Organization recognizes that a large population of youth are facing mental health-related difficulties. Our internal research agrees with this evidence which has become the basis for the Game Connect initiative.” He further noted that “These games bring cohesion, integrate the youth in meaningful endeavors.”
For many participants, sport plays a vital role in their personal development. Anek Santa, 26, from Kikuube, shared, “Positive thoughts occupy my mind whenever I play soccer. I just love it! Today, we scored some goals.” Abdalla Kenneth, 21, also added, “I enjoyed the trip to Adjumani because I explored many things and places I hadn’t been to. These competitions present an opportunity to learn and gain exposure to many places, people, and perspectives in life. Sport has also helped me to stay focused and healthy. I no longer fall sick often and the thought of alcohol and drug use seldom visits me lately.”
Inclusion and life skills
Including youth in sport activities offers numerous benefits, from promoting physical fitness to developing social and emotional skills. Sport fosters teamwork, discipline, and character while providing a sense of community and belonging. Sport offers an outlet for stress relief and improves self-esteem through personal achievements. Most importantly, sport contribute to mental health by reducing anxiety and boosting morale. By encouraging physical activity and social interaction, sport helps youth build emotional resilience and maintain better mental well-being.
Inclusivity was a key theme throughout the event, with both male and female participants as well as youth with disabilities, actively involved in the competitions. Anzo Sunday, a disabled athlete from Adjumani, shared his inspiring story: “I did not allow my disability to deny me the opportunity to participate in sport. I received a backpack as a gift for the most valuable player, and I am happy that I now have somewhere to carry my scholastics.”
The role of coaches in shaping the youth was highlighted. Ronald Kazoora a coach of the Kikuube team praised his team’s performance: “Our youth played well. I am positive that they can achieve a lot more with uninterrupted training.” Coach Miskat Mariatta Blessing, a refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo who has lived in Uganda since 2008, added that “We teach life skills with specific messages such as conflict resolution. For instance, ‘secret agent’ and ‘switching teammates’ are games that help the youth to control their emotions and live harmoniously with one another. We have noticed a lot of change in the youth and as coaches, we try to be exemplary and consistent with advising them to stay positive in thought and action.”
Recognizing talent and resilience
The Sports Event served as an opportunity to recognize and reward exceptional talent. Kampala emerged as winner in volleyball, with standout players such as Best Blocker Kadedwa Ballack from Kikuube and Most Valuable Player (MVP) Ashaba Gift Arnold from Kampala. In netball, Adjumani claimed victory, with Lindriyo Gladys named Best Shooter and top scorer after Joan Asasira from Kamwenge snubbed the MVP in the category. In football, Kampala took the title, with Joel Tumusiime earning MVP honors and Shadrack from Kikuube crowned top scorer.
For many participants, the Game Connect project is more than just a project - it is a life-changing experience. William Kenge, a 21-year-old refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo living in Kampala, shared how the project helped him improve his psychosocial wellbeing: “As a young boy in Uganda, we moved from place to place, and this challenged me because I lost many friends. I used to accommodate rage and kept quiet while angry. Now I speak out how I feel, and communication at home has improved.”
Stakeholder engagement and support
The event attracted significant support from several stakeholders, including representation from the Local Governments, KCCA, the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Gender and Social Development and the Office of the Prime Minister, CSOs like Creative Arts for All Refugees Foundation, IRC, Adjumani district leadership, Sports federations, Media. The Office of the Prime Minister Commandant in Pagrinya refugee settlement in Adjumani highlighted the event's inclusiveness as vital in promoting togetherness and building confidence in the youth: “With sports, there is only one language - you can play. There is inclusiveness, and those who are disabled can also participate. I am happy that the competition has been peaceful.”
The statistics of suicide in refugee communities is alarming. Thirteen people attempted suicide in Adjumani District between January to June this year (2024). We hope that through the Game Connect program, young people will not suffer in silence but will realize their potential.
Titus Tumusiime, the Country Representative for Right to Play
Similarly, Emmy Kirama of the Ministry of Education and Sports remarked that “The mental health of youth affects us all, including children in school, families and communities. This program is driven towards positive change in people.”
A positive future through sport
The Game Connect Annual Sports Event showed how sport is pivotal in improving mental health resilience, and social cohesion among youth from diverse backgrounds. As John Makoha reiterated that games should become of cultural significance and pursued with the commitment to ensure the sustainability of activities proposed by the program long after its life. The event demonstrated that sport goes beyond physical activity - but serves as a platform for youth to build life skills, to strengthen social networks, and to improve their mental health, while ensuring a brighter, more resilient future for all people, including refugees and host communities alike.
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