Rwanda Football Association (FERWAFA) organized a two-day retreat last week for various stakeholders to discuss the road map for a successful and sustainable Youth Football Development Programme.

The retreat which was held at Golden Tulip hotel, in Nyamata, Bugesera District, was attended by officials from the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Sport and Culture, Ministry of Local Government, Federation Rwandaise de Sports Scolaire, Ijabo Foundation, Dream Team Football Academy, FERWAFA executive committee and its technical directorate.

In his remarks, according to a statement issued by FERWAFA, the body’s president Vincent Nzamwita said the major aim is to put in place a sustainable youth football development plan, which should be operational through the Kagame Youth Competition scheduled to start in January next year.

"We have discovered that most of the Under-15 players are secondary school students and we plan to have this competition start in secondary schools located in different sectors across the country,” reads the statement in part.

It was agreed that the 2017 edition of the Kagame Youth Competition will be played by secondary schools teams from the sector level-both boys and girls.

Winning teams and best players will be picked to compete at the district level with eventual winners qualifying to compete at the Provincial level.

"In the final phase (provincial level), we will have both boys’ and girls’ teams representing the four provinces plus Kigali City to pick the best team and players that will constitute the national U-15 team,” adds the statement.

The best U-15 national teams (boys & girls) will be assembled and given technical assistance through the WDA Football Technical centre at Huye stadium effective January next year.

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