Imagine trying to coordinate a Grassroot Soocer program in an area the size of Maryland and having no transport to do so. That was the situation for two Local Program Coordinators (LPC) in Meheba Refugee Settlement in Northwest Province, Zambia. At least it was, until the international non-profit globalbike stepped in.
globalbike (www.globalbike.org) has recently provided funding for Grassroot Soccer Zambia to purchase four bikes for its work in the Mayukwayukwa and Meheba Refugee Settlements. These bikes will be provided to Local Project Coordinators who live in the settlements and who have been trained by Grassroot Soccer to help oversee the program while GRS staff are not present. The LPCs report on how activities are running, deal with issues as they arise, update the coaches and settlement leaders on program development and monitor coaching activities, providing assistance when necessary.
When coaches were first identified for the project they were intentionally chosen from all areas of the settlements in order to ensure that the program reaches all corners of the camps. This means that the LCPs must travel to all areas within the settlements, no simple feat when you consider that Meheba and Mayukwayukwa settlements are 720 and 160 square kilometres respectively, and lack reliable phone networks. The only way to communicate is usually in person. Thanks to globalbike, the LCPs will now be able to move quickly and efficiently through the camps, keeping in touch with the coaches and monitoring the success of the program.