IDEALS students meet with the UN

IDEALS team leaders Tom and Sarah and media student Gemma met with a representative from the United Nations in Zambia today.

The students discussed the work the IDEALS project carries out with Sport in Action and Edusport, while also learning where that work links in with the work and aims of the UN.

It was beneficial for the students to see what kind of work the UN are doing as a lot of their aims and goals are similar to that of the IDEALS project’s: those such as the empowerment of girls and women and combating HIV/AIDS.

The staff at the centre seemed keen to work with the IDEALS students, Sport in Action and Edusport. This will be a great opportunity for the students especially, giving them the chance to link in with an international organisation and add another level to their Zambian experience.

The benefits to both Sport in Action and Edusport could also be fruitful since the centre showed great interest in offering help and support in any way to both of the NGOs.

The students were interested to learn of the different programmes run by the UN centre- some of which work in the same communities as the students.
One of the most impressive projects was a computer literacy project which aims to equip pupils near school leaving age with sufficient computer skills to apply for jobs or university.

The computer area was packed with pupils practising their work- some were from Munali where two of the IDEALS students are placed. Others were in the library studying and browsing the books.

The level of involvement with young people from communities across Lusaka was impressive, something which the students respected greatly.

The relationship now established between the centre, IDEALS students, Sport in Action and Edusport should develop to be mutually beneficial to all parties. In turn, we hope it will lead to the further improvement of the projects’ abilities to positively impact on the lives of the children and communities they work with.