Lurdes Mutola Foundation

On the 16th and 17th of November 2009, Maria de Lurdes Mutola and Frans Bijvoet, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Mozambique, were in the provinces of Zambezia and Nampula, visiting the villages of Gurue and Malema for the Lurdes Mutola Foundation´s Sport for Life Program (DDV).

The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Lurdes Mutola Foundation have a financing arrangement that aims to expand the DDV progrmm in Nampula province. DDV is a program implemented by the Lurdes Mutola Foundation in partnership with local institutions of the Ministry of Education and Culture. This project benefits from financial partners such as Oxfam Novib and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

With support from Oxfam Novib the Lurdes Mutola Foundation implemented the first and second phase of DDV between 2006 and 2007, which focused on the design and publication of the training manual Craque, implementation of testing activities in Namaacha and Guru and use of the manual for education through football.

“Sport for Life” is the only program exclusively focused on Gurúe, Ile and Alto Molocue in the province of Zambezia and Malema in Nampula province. Community football activities for children here receive direct support through the branch office of the Foundation, with funding and training based upon the methodology established by the Foundation, including a manual called Craque!: A guide of future stars. The manual uses the power and motivation of football to encourage changes in behavior and attitudes about health in young people between the ages of 10 and 16, while framing a new way to create sustainability in the sport community through private partnerships.

It is in this context which the President of the Foundation , Maria de Lurdes Mutola and the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Frans Bijvoet visited Gurúe and Malema. During their visit, they were able to witness the results of the implementation of the Sport for Life Program first hand.