Location and general information
Access to Sport - 
Conflict victims - 
Infrastructure and equipment - 
Personal developmentContext
In Malaysia, young refugees often live in an environment that offers few opportunities for recreation, education or social interaction. The Malaysian government provides no legal or administrative framework to protect or support refugees. Instead, it has invited the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to verify, register and resettle refugees, based on the concept that refugees are simply in transit. However, the severe lack of resettlement places means that refugees end up staying in Malaysia for decades, without access to mainstream education and protection at work and few safeguards against extortion, harassment, arrest and detention. Consequently, women, men and young people often feel helpless and without hope, as their opportunities in Malaysia are very limited and the chances of resettlement slim.
Project goals
1. Significantly increase opportunities for young refugees to learn about and engage in organised activities, including sports and other recreation, and to acquire life skills
2. Build teamwork, responsibility, decision-making and leadership skills through participants’ ‘ownership’ of project planning and management
3. Improve prospects by learning vocational and life skills
Project content
Over a two-year period, this project will offer young refugees in Penang greater opportunities to engage in activities that bring hope and positivity: an organised football project for boys, other culturally appropriate recreational activities for girls, and life skills classes in language and computer literacy. These are skills the young refugees themselves have identified as critical for their future. In the football programmes, the players themselves will be responsible for all aspects of team management, which will build a sense of ownership, leadership and responsibility. In the other parts of the project, the young people will play a key role in initiating and directing activities.
| ACTIVITY | FREQUENCY |
| U14 football programme boys | One practice session + one match a week |
| U19 football programme boys | One practice session + one match a week |
| Girls’ recreational activity | Frequency to be determined |
| Computer classes | Once a week at weekends (note: young refugees are only available for classes at weekends) |
| English classes | Once a week at weekends (note: young refugees are only available for classes at weekends) |
Partners
