Location and general information
Access to Sport - 
Employability - 
Gender Equality - 
Personal development - 
Strengthening partnershipsContext
In Cape Verde, in particular the Calheta region on the island of Santiago, young people face high levels of poverty and limited opportunities. Many children live in precarious conditions without access to adequate education or academic support. Families lack resources, which limits their children’s access to academic support, sport and leisure activities. These inequalities hinder the personal and professional development of young people, who have no chance of a sustainable future. This affects girls and young women in particular.
The ADEC project (Academía do Desporto, Educação e Cultura – the Academy of Sports, Education and Culture) aims to reduce these inequalities by meeting the educational and social needs of a community that has too often been marginalised, and by offering girls in particular support so as to promote equal opportunities.
Project goals
The Cabo Verde Foundation for Education supports several educational projects so as to improve the future prospects of children and young people in Cape Verde. It also aims to empower girls and promote equal opportunities.
ADEC combines education and sport to break the cycle of poverty and to offer new opportunities to children from disadvantaged backgrounds, particularly girls and young women.
Together, these projects support young people in Cape Verde with their personal and professional development in order to achieve the following goals:
- improve access to education through quality academic support programmes and tutoring for disadvantaged children
- encourage girls to participate in sport, particularly football, to promote gender equality
- improve youth employability through training and academic support
- create a structured framework that promotes personal development through sport and education
Project content
- Educational support and tutoring
Pupils receive daily academic support, notably IT lessons to develop their digital skills and tutoring to improve their school grades. ADEC complements rather than replaces school. These academic support sessions are compulsory for any child or young people wishing to participate in the project’s other activities.
- Sport, personal development and inclusion
Football is used as an educational and social tool to teach discipline, teamwork and perseverance. Girls, often marginalised in sporting activities, are actively encouraged to participate. They form teams and enter local, regional and national competitions, thereby boosting motivation and engagement among the members.
- Nutrition
Every child receives one healthy meal a day, which ensures that their nutritional intake is sufficient for their well-being and concentration.
- Raising awareness and workshops
Topical workshops tackle key issues such as preventing drug abuse or sexually transmitted diseases, all while encouraging gender equality and environmental awareness. ADEC also believes that it is very important to instil values and promote healthy social interactions.
- Transport
A transport service has been set up to allow children, especially the very young, to access sporting and educational facilities.
These initiatives combine to give children the necessary tools to build a better future, all while enhancing social cohesion within their community.
Partners
