ONE of the key elements of the CAF African Schools Football Championship, COSAFA Qualifier in Walvis Bay, Namibia from October 11-13 will be teaching the participating players life skills they can carry forward with them.
Many of the learners in the Under-15 age group will be travelling outside of their countries for the first time and taking in new experiences in an unfamiliar environment, which can be both exciting and daunting.
Looking after their best interests, a Safeguarding Officer is assigned to each team.
This person will act as a focal point for all matters related to the well-being of the players and team delegation. The individual should be someone who is well-versed in handling the challenges faced by youngsters and will have completed the mandatory FIFA Guardians Safeguarding Essentials online course.
The Safeguarding Officer will have four major responsibilities and will be among the most important people at the event.
Their key areas are:
To act as the first point of contact and lead for all safeguarding matters within the team delegation during the African Schools Football Championship
To take all reasonable steps to ensure that the student's mental and physical well-being is prioritised.
To liaise with the Championship Safeguarding Manager and the CAF Event Safeguarding Manager should a concern or an allegation of harassment or abuse (be it psychological, physical, sexual, or neglect) arise
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To know the specific safeguarding measures for the African Schools Football Championship and the avenues available for reporting concerns. All the boys and girls at the event will be taken through safeguarding activities to not only provide them with information on the social impact of football but also explain the measures that CAF have put in place to create a safe environment for the children.
Boys' and Girls' teams from eight nations will descend on Walvis Bay next week for the championship, where they will hope to qualify for the continental finals next year. The participating nations are Angola, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, hosts Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The squads in the Boys' and Girls' tournaments can contain up to 20 players.
Only students who took part in the national phase are eligible to participate in the zonal and continental phases. Namibia is the third host --nation of the CAF African Schools Football Championship, COSAFA Qualifier.
Malawi staged the tournament in the inaugural year in 2022 and Zimbabwe played host in 2023 with the Boys team inspired by El Shaddai Sadomba beating Namibia 1-0 to settle for a bronze medal.
ZIFA are expected to unveil the Boys and Girls squads today ahead of their trip to Walvis Bay. -- Sports Reporter/cosafa.com
