Mfa Programs

The Republic of Mauritius , scene of 63 FIFA Congress is the world football association of particular importance. This island nation in the Indian Ocean, about 900 kilometers from Madagascar, was the first to benefit from the Grassroots program in 2009, thanks to the implementation of a pilot project in football area.

This then led to a decisive change in the emphasis of development programs of FIFA, which were reserved by this time the elite trainers to disseminate the know-how at the top of the football pyramid. By Grassroots FIFA moved the focus to the base of the pyramid - boys and girls aged between six and twelve years, which are funded by the national associations and training systems.

Thanks to the cooperation between the Football Association of Mauritius (MFA) and the Ministry of Youth and Sport, education and health and quality of life for the first phase of the project between 2009 and 2011 was completed.

This collaboration included the creation of a school football tournament and the implementation of education and training in educational, social, cultural and sporting values ​​with emphasis on the football.

In 2012, the program became a renowned sports project in which all the primary schools of Mauritius involved. "This was without a doubt one of the most significant achievements since the beginning of Grassroots in this country, " said Govinden Thondoo, who is responsible for the development department of the MFA, told FIFA.com. "Among the positive indicators include, for example, the increase in the number of girls engaged in the football. 2011 there were 1, 540, this year there are already 4, 460. Of the 6, 815 students who participated in the events of 2012, 48 percent were girls "he stressed.

Challenges and Goals This was one of the major challenges faced the Grassroots how Thondoo acknowledged, as is the cooperation between the association and the various authorities. Nevertheless, the objectives could be achieved as expected, so that the program now has in each training area on a decentralized structure - even on Rodrigues, an island 560 km from Mauritius is removed, and is the tenth district in the country. "In 2012, we have organized events and 55 students in 2013 are a further 72 planned.

Besides, we already have more than 300 instructors, "explained the director of the program.

"The goal now is to consolidate the long-term plan", Thondoo continued. "Theoretically, we could at the tournaments record 15, 000 participants - and this is our aim to achieve this goal, we need to improve the infrastructure and win more educators, parents and volunteers to our cause We want to create a national grassroots day.. , and in the middle schools also integrate Futsal and Beach Soccer. then we would like to expand the concept to other organizations, and even communities.