At United Action for Children (UAC), we believe sport is far more than a game—it is a powerful tool for hope, healing, and positive change. As an official member of the global Streetfootballworld Network (Berlin, Germany), our Community Sports for Development Programme harnesses the universal love of football to protect, inspire, and empower vulnerable children and youth across Cameroon.
For young people affected by extreme poverty, conflict, and displacement, football serves as a safe haven. We use the power of play to channel youth energy into productive paths, guiding children off the streets and welcoming them back into formal schools and vocational training centers.
Key Community Activities
Our sports platform opens the door to essential life skills and community-building programs:
Youth Tournaments: Organising inter-village football competitions that promote peace, fair play, and teamwork.
Community Cleanups: Leading youth-driven environmental service projects to care for local neighborhoods.
Health & Life Skills: Hosting guided sessions on critical topics, including HIV/AIDS awareness, leadership, and personal growth.
Practical Mentorship: Engaging participants in hands-on learning like container farming, career mentoring, and job shadowing.
Gateway to Education: Using sports as an entry point to enroll out-of-school youth directly into our primary schools and vocational training programs.
Host for FIFA Football for Hope Centre
As a proud legacy of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, FIFA selected UAC to host Cameroon’s official Football for Hope Centre—one of only 20 built across the entire continent. Today, this facility stands as a vibrant hub for athletic training, education, and social development.
Coaches Across Continents
United Action for Children (UAC) is a Street Football World member which operates in two communities in the South West province in Cameroon. UAC uses a comprehensive approach to educate the youth of Buea and Mamfe. UAC operates a school in each location with an extensive education network that utilizes mobile tutoring, transportation for students, and rigorous academic standards that ensure that the children of these two communities (many of whom are underpriveldged) receive the best education possible.
Alongside this educational missive, UAC has added a sports component that Coaches Across Continents is helping to develop. UAC sees sport as another opportunity to continue the educational process. In 2012, the teachers from the UAC schools participated in our training sessions, as well as their coaches who already run youth teams in the communities. With the games they have already learned from the CAC curriculum, they can continue to teach their students outside the classroom and achieve their mission of a better education for all.
In addition, UACs northern and more rural location of Mamfe, is now home to a brand new FIFA Football For Hope center which will have its official opening in early 2013. This legacy from the 2010 World Cup in South Africa will serve as a hub for the community which will serve as an HIV testing an counseling center, a hub to congregate, and a field for continued learning and footballing opportunities.