The programme was introduced to Samoa in 2010 and aims to promote physical activity and healthy lifestyles to children aged six-12 years old, through football activities.
Throughout the second school term the FFS Just Play team visited 24 schools in Savaii to assess the progress of the programme as well as to provide assistance to the teachers running the programme during their physical education classes.
The monitoring and evaluation process culminated with four Just Play festivals combining schools from the Faasaleleage 1 and 2 and Itu o Tane 1 and 2 districts.
FFS vice president Reverend Laupama Solomona and executive committee member Palota Asiata attended the festival with the Just Play team to round out the term’s activities.
The first festival took place on Tuesday, 25 June at Saleaula Primary School for the Itu o Tane 1 district schools. The second was held for the Itu o Tane 2 district schools at Samauga Primary School and was attended by five different schools.
On Wednesday, 26 June Prince Edward Park at Iva welcomed schools from the Faasaleleaga 1 district. Around 400 students from six different school attended this event. The Faasaleleaga 2 district’s school’s were hosted at Puapua Primary School.
FFS Just Play project manager Lynette Laumea Faaiuaso says it has been great to see so many children participating and so many schools getting behind the programme.
“It gives our young ones a chance to play and learn about football. It also gives them the opportunity to be good in sports, especially if they are not so good with school.”
Faaiuaso says she is now hoping to extend the programme to other districts in Savaii over the next six months.
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) – and Football Federation Australia to implement the programme across the Pacific over a three-year period between 2009 and 2012. 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.
The confederation has also been working in New Zealand with Special Olympics on a Just Play programme for people with mental disabilities and has launched the same initiative in Samoa and Fiji.
Just Play has reached over 106,000 children – 43 per cent of whom are female – across the Pacific and trained over 2,200 teachers and volunteers.
For more on Samoan football go to www.footballsamoa.ws

Share