Just Play uses sports and community engagement to ensure children are aware of the importance of vaccination, malaria and gender equality.
Just Play staff, teachers and volunteers help to disseminate critical information and re-engage children through active participation in a football-oriented environment.
UNICEF PNG communication specialist Sipora Monier said UNICEF needs partners like Just Play which uses sports to address serious issues affecting the PNG population.
“The environment also provides the opportunity for children to express themselves.”
UNICEF PNG and Just Play are also reaching out through the 2015 Pacific Games Baton Relay which is helping to give the children an element of involement and making them feel that they are part of the upcoming Pacific Games event.
The successful partnership between PNGFA and UNICEF PNG continues as they teamed up for the Games Relay in Goroka and Simbu last week giving out awareness on child protection and health care.
Monier said the idea now is for Just Play and UNICEF to do a regional programme cooperation agreement in which PNGFA will be a new member working with UNICEF.
The agreement will help to address issues like water sanitation and the importance of hygiene in and out of school for the communities.
“We are looking at working closely together in that partnership to teach children in other provinces on these issues after the Pacific Games,” Monier says.
Developed by the OFC Social Responsibility and Technical departments, Just Play is designed for children aged six to 12 and promotes physical activity while encouraging community involvement, healthy living, gender equality and disability development.
OFC has worked closely with UEFA, the Australian Government – through its agencies the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) and the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) – Football Federation Australia and UNICEF to implement the programme across the Pacific. It was launched in Tonga and is now also running in American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tahiti and Vanuatu.
For more on Just Play programme, visit justplayofc.org.
Story courtesy of PNG Loop.

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