Ahead of the next Olympic games, the Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports Development has launched the Adopt Campaign Initiative to support athletes in the hopes to help them shine at the coming Olympics.
Launched in Lagos on Monday, the campaign was described as a developmental scheme conceptualized in collaboration with the organized private sector and privileged individuals in the society.
The initiative provides private individuals and corporate organisations the opportunity to pick an athlete or a team and sponsor them –invariably, this affords them the chance to also carry out their corporate social responsibility as well as inspire other youths.
“The Adoption Programme is our baby –all of us. By it, we hope to change the narrative about sports in Nigeria,” Sunday Dare, Minister of Youth and Sports Development, said at the launch.
Dare reminded the audience that the hope of the athletes was to be at the Olympics, or the World Championship for their sport; to stand on the podium, and fly their country’s flag.
Hence, the Adoption programme hopes to reach at least 25 number of athletes in 11 number of sports, “with our 2020 Tokyo Olympic hopefuls.”
“It is our belief that we have partners here tonight who will adopt one, all or any number of the athletes and support them to win gold, bronze and silver. By this, we hope we can give them the right pedestal to flourish, guarantees increased chances of success at the games,” he said.
The campaign has two models –Adopt-a-Pitch, and Adopt-a-Sports Centre. These target sporting infrastructure and facilities across the country.
With the models, individuals or private sector organisations commit to rehabilitate and maintain a stadium pitch, or sport centre such as basketball courts, tennis court and the likes, for an agreed period.
Read also: Much more sportier Sonata brakes cover
BusinessDay learnt that branding/marketing rights around the facility, access to VIP suits, free tickets to games are some of the perks the adopter gets.
“These athletes and youth; they are each travelling the road of their dreams. And only need a little support from us. We can just line the sidelines of their path with a cup of water, or offer a simple clap to provide some push, or just a cheery shout that tells them “we are game!” Sometimes all they need is the little air around them to breathe. We are, by our collective or individual choices, creating and providing that air tonight,” he said.
Adopt just one – an athlete, a facility, a stadium – or it could just be a training track, or a boxing ring, or the volleyball court at the corner of that community, Dare adds.
While the night was dedicated to soliciting support for Nigeria’s athletes, the Work Experience Programme (WEP) was also launched on the side lines, having found ‘work experience’ to be “a challenge of unemployment”.
BusinessDay gathered that WEP will ensure that young people acquire a level of experience and hone their skills to make them suitable for employment, and acquire the required skill for self-development.
This will be achieved through a three-month internship programme that will provide participants with the opportunity to gain knowledge, develop skills and workplace competencies that will increase their potential for employment success.
Dare said: “We need our corporate organisations to plug in. We need to give our graduates the added advantage they need. A Bachelors of Science in Geography is no longer enough to get you the job. If you go for that job interview and you have zero experience, even if you have first-class, it’s extremely difficult. But if you go for that interview and you have three or four months experience relevant to your course of study, you have an added advantage.
“WEP is about adding advantage to our youth. We want to place 10, 20, 30 in each organisation, give them opportunity to experience the workplace, and we believe that doing will help our youth to realize their dreams and be part of national development.”
