TAFISA and the African Union Sport Council Region 5 (AUSC Region 5) are proud to announce the signing of an agreement to strengthen cooperation, develop the Sport for All and physical activity movement and build on focus areas such as gender equality, capacity development and traditional sports and games in Region 5. The AUSC Region 5 comprises 10 countries; Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. All ministers formally approved the initiative.

TAFISA Secretary General Wolfgang Baumann noted: “Alliances are needed to counteract the negative effects of the epidemic of physical inactivity.   We are proud to partner up with the leading regional authority in the field to achieve the objectives set by TAFISA’s Mission 2030 and make a positive difference in the lives of citizens.  We strongly believe that by joining efforts and the experiences of the ten countries we can build a better world through Sport for All.”

AUSC Region 5 CEO Stanley Mutoya said: “The smart partnership with a Global giant like TAFISA serves to endorse the credibility and trajectory of the AUSC Region 5 in the area of sports development and investment in human capital, specifically in physical activity and women empowerment.  A healthy lifestyle among the 177 million citizens of this Region easily translates to socio-economic dividends which contributes immensely towards upliftment of the standard of living within all the participating Member Countries. ”

Newly appointed staff member Ms Tsholofelo Maduma will undertake the coordination of this partnership from her office located in the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sports and Culture Development in Gaborone, Botswana.  AUSC Region 5 and TAFISA will share their respective knowledge, network and expertise to promote Sport for All and physical activity as well as increase participation in Region 5.  This materialises through a first 12-month project in 2019, which features three core components:

• Advocacy: Streamline the inclusion of Sport for All and physical activity as part of the policies, strategies and processes of AUSC Region 5 and its member countries (Ministries of sport and National Sport Councils/Commissions).  Each AUSC Region 5 country will nominate a Sport for All referent.

• Education: Sport managers from the ten Region 5 countries will be trained to develop and lead the Sport for All Movement including Gender empowerment through the Women Leadership Programme (WLP).

• Promotion:  Organize the African World Walking Day in all ten countries.

Within this scope, a Kick-off Workshop; “Women Leadership Mentorship in Sport for All” supported by UNESCO will be held in Johannesburg, South Africa on March 20-23, 2019.  This event will focus on empowering young leaders from the ten countries to step-up and act as multipliers in their countries.  During the Workshop, TAFISA’s partner Nassau will announce a donation of sports equipment to support the project in the Region.