• HOME
  • ABOUT US
    • Introduction
    • Mission and Vision
    • Core Values
    • Our Team
  • IMPACT
    • Stories of Impact
    • Issues
  • GET INVOLVED
    • Become a Volunteer
  • EVENTS
    • Events
    • Reports
  • MEDIA HUB
  • BLOG
    • Blog
    • Articles
  • CONTACT US
  • DONATE
    • Fundraising

Helping Boys Grow Into Well-Rounded Men Despite Poverty

by access_admin / Wednesday, 07 September 2016 / Published in ARTICLES

Helping Boys Grow Into Well-Rounded Men Despite Poverty

Tokunbo Ifaturoti

Introduction

A group that often goes dangerously unnoticed within much of Nigeria’s patriarchal society is that of young boys living in poverty. The boys face many of the same struggles as everyone else around them but are often ignored with the thought that they are “tough”, “naturally able to cope” and already living with the benefit of being “preferred” over their female counterparts.

These boys are often left on their own to decipher what it means to be a mature and responsible man through the haze of poverty. Few solutions are put in place to ensure that they grow into well-rounded men who are ready to take on the responsibilities of adulthood and contribute positively to the upliftment of their families and communities.

Lessons From Sports

One proven way to address this issue is through sports. Sports can play an active role in the transformation of boys to men. Additionally, to a great extent, it requires less financial input than many other initiatives. Football, often considered Nigeria’s national sport, is a prime example of how sports can make a change.

All that it takes are a ball, an open field and a coach prepared to work with the limited resources the community has. Willing and capable coaches and mentors play an indispensible role in and are a major benefit to many impoverished communities. The coaches guide boys in these communities in the display of acceptable and respectful behaviour while passing on valuable life-lessons.

Social lessons and skills learnt through playing football include (but are certainly not limited to) the following:

  1. Handling Conflicts – When conflicts arise, boys on the field take the matter to whoever is in charge, be it the referee, coach or team captain. Football teaches them to solve their problems without violence. They respectfully plead their case and accept the decision of the authority figure.
  2. Self-confidence – A sense of pride comes from contributing to the success (or good performance) of a team. Boys feel a growing sense of self-worth in that their input made a difference in the team’s overall accomplishments. This confidence in their abilities makes it easier for them to seek out new prospects off the field and to take advantage of opportunities as they arise.
  3. Perseverance – Defeat and set backs are part and parcel of the game, so too are analysis of failure and strategizing for making another attempt. Boys learn that life is not all about winning but about learning from our mistakes and having the diligence to keep tackling the challenges life brings.
  4. Individual Contribution – By playing football, boys learn that each member of the team plays a role in its overall performance. Scoring a goal is as important, as setting one up or foiling an attack from the opposite side. They transfer this lesson to their families where they begin to see the value of both males and females, young and old to the advancement of family.

Conclusion

These lessons are profound and are taught in an informal and supportive manner. The beauty of it all, is that the things the boys learn are naturally and subtly transferred into the homes and communities from which they come. This makes football and sports in general, a vital tool not just to distract boys from their condition of poverty, but to instill positive traits needed in adulthood.

.

 

  • Tweet

About access_admin

What you can read next

Youth Skills Acquisition Series (Episode 1)
Nigerians in Nigeria are Donating Books as well…
Skills Acquisition for Youth (Episode 5)

Recent Comments

  • Olawande on International Day Against Nuclear Tests – August 29, 2016

Archives

  • December 2021
  • October 2021
  • March 2021
  • November 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • September 2019
  • April 2019
  • January 2019
  • October 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016

Tweets

WE ARE HERE…

Office Address

12, Oyibo Odinamadu,
National Centre for Women Development,
Opposite Central Bank of Nigeria,
Abuja, Nigeria

NIGERIA: +234 081 8243 8231
UNITED KINGDOM: +44(0) 7956 815 762

info@chiyowo.org
www.chiyowo.org

Search Our Website

Our Recent Updates

  • ChiYoWo’s CHRISTMAS PARTY WITH FRIENDS AT THE LITTLE SAINTS ORPHANAGE HOME IN LAGOS STATE, NIGERIA

  • Talscent Partners with ChiYoWo and Donates Solar Reading Lamps to Children as part of their ‘Spread the Light Campaign’

  • Kortex is set to Partner with ChiYoWo to celebrate the International Day of the Girl Child 2021

  • So proud of our Entrepreneur!

  • Happy International Day of Peace 2021

  • GET SOCIAL

© 2023 ChiYoWo. All rights reserved. Website Designed by Design Streams

TOP