(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Generation Amazing,
an initiative launched in 2009 by the Supreme Committee for Delivery and
Legacy (SC) to bring positive change to the region using the power of
football, has recently refurbished its football pitch in Al-Shameyeh,
Jordan, by installing solar panels that enable the site to be used long
into the night.
Due to safety fears the pitches had previously been
unusable after sunset. However, the installation of the innovative new
panels enables hours of extra use each day, meaning more young people
can benefit from use of the pitch and develop vital social skills that
will help them build stronger communities.
Isolated from nearby Aqaba
with little in the way of utilities or general services, this latest
development highlights the importance of the Generation Amazing pitch to
Al-Shameyeh. Supported by Generation Amazing community coaches,
teachers educate young people about issues such as responsibility for
the environment through football, helping participants build sustainable
behaviours that help themselves and their communities.
Commenting
on the new panels, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Senior Manager,
Isabel Gultresa, said: 'Previously, use of this facility had to cease
after sundown due to safety fears. However, through this rehabilitation
project, we are both showing the next generation how to live sustainably
and extending the valuable services Generation Amazing provides. The
innovative solar panels next to the playing field will now allow the
community to safely use the pitches for up to 5-6 hours after sunset.
Aqaba
pitch is the first safe play space in Al-Shameyeh, which lies on the
outskirts of Aqaba in Jordan. It gives schoolchildren and young people
access to a facility that will encourage them to leave the streets,
engage in community-building activities and, most importantly, enjoy the
beautiful game together.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
International Projects Manager, Rosa D'Alessandro, added: 'The
spotlights were changed from halogen to LED to improve energy
efficiency, while we also took this opportunity to refurbish of the
guard's office, replace broken windows and install a protective grid to
protect windows from future damage.
'The response has been fantastic
and I'm delighted so many more people now have the opportunity to build
more inclusive, sustainable and healthier communities.
Importantly,
although classes are segregated, all activities are open to both girls
and boys, ensuring everyone is given an equal opportunity to develop
vital skills such as leadership, communication and teamwork. In this
way, Generation Amazing will reach 3,125 beneficiaries every year
through this pitch alone.
In 2016, Generation Amazing's delivery
partner Right To Play provided daily support in the delivery of the
Football for Development programme in Jordan. Football tournaments, play
days and friendly but competitive leagues were all used to embed
sustainable positive behaviours among participants.
So far,
Generation Amazing has reached 26 communities through 26 pitches in five
different countries, benefiting more than 35,000 participates to-date.
It is a movement that uses the power of football as a catalyst for
social change to educate and empower the next generation in Qatar and
beyond.
By 2022, it will have reached more than one million people,
leveraging the opportunity presented by Qatar hosting the 2022 FIFA
World Cup to connect sport's powerful bodies and superstars with those
most in need. sc.qa
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