First CAF Cup Children's Football Tournament

The tournament, which is one of the events planned for the Month of Children and Recreation, is part of the Sports Training program which the Andean Development Corporation has promoted in the region for last three years and which in Colombia operates with the support of the National Federation of Family Compensation Entities (Fedecajas) and Coldeportes for the benefit of 600 children from the cities.

The tournament, to be held in the Club de Afidro, Carrera 7ª, calle 220, will start on April 20 at 9:30 am in the presence of First Lady of the Nation Lina Moreno de Uribe; CAF representative for Colombia Freddy Rojas Parra; Coldeportes director Everth Bustamante; Fedecajas President and CEO Danilo Vega; and Comfamiliar Afidro director Consuelo Sarmiento.

Seventy children selected from the Fé y Alegría schools, who are members of the regional social program Social Action for Music led by CAF, will sing the national anthem.

The Bogota Millonarios football team announced its linkage with the program with donation of sports equipment for the schools and participation of several players in the opening event. The children will also be able to meet celebrities from the Cali sports scene who will attend the tournament.

CAF Sports Training Program, building values

The CAF Sports Training Program channels and develops sports potential for prevention and social rescue by providing training for children and young people, trainers and local referees.

The program is present throughout the Andean region with football projects in Bolivia (Santa Cruz and El Alto); Colombia (Bogotá, Medellín, Calí, Cartagena, Sincelejo, Barbosa, Puerto Tejada, and La Guajira); Ecuador (Quito, Guayaquil, Esmeralda, and Atacames); and Peru (Chincha). CAF also supports a social rehabilitation project in Venezuela through practice of rugby, and sponsors boxing and basketball in Uruguay as tools for prevention of drug addiction.

In Colombia, in addition to the CAF contribution, the program is jointly financed by Cooperazione Italiana with support from Fedecajas and Coldeportes. The benefited children who attend three sports schools in Bogotá, Cali and Medellín receive integrated training designed to increase individual and collective capacities and facilitate interaction and proactive integration into their social context.

Actions are also planned in the area of mental and nutritional development for the young beneficiaries through medical, psychological and nutritional support components. As a result, the strategic alliance is carrying out a preventative program which covers training, recreation and social protection for vulnerable communities.