Fifa through its strategic alliance street football world based in Germany has injected $ 30.000 (Frw16.68 million) to elevate the sport and its activities in Rwanda.

The street football world activities in Rwanda are conducted by Association Sportive des Jeunes Esperance based at Kimisagara, Kigali city.

Esperance uses football as a tool to promote peace and gender equality. The "Football pour la Paix” (Football for Peace) project was launched in 2001 to teach youths about conflict resolution and transformation, as well as AIDS awareness and prevention.

Esperance legal representative, Donatien Nsengimana told Times Sport yesterday that the sponsorship will help in facilitating its annual activities which started last year and are due to climax mid next year.

He said, "We use street football to educate and sensitize the population in the Great lakes region since Rwanda was the only country in the Great lakes funded to sensitize regional people,”

Nsengimana added that the association is using "Football pour la Paix” by organizing street football tournaments to reach out to all provinces in the country, DR Congo, Uganda and Burundi respectively.

Since September this year, Esperance has reached out in various areas including Kicukiro, Gisenyi, Nyamyumba, Rubavu, Nyundo, Rugerero, Cyanzarwe, Bukavu (DRC), Rwamagana and they are heading to Kayonza this weekend.

Other partners who have confirmed to support Esperance include; Germany Development Service (DED), Germany Embassy and Germany Cooperation Agency (GTZ).

The Football for Hope Movement is the key element of the strategic alliance between FIFA and street football world.
It was created to enhance dialogue and collaboration between local active organizations advancing social development and football associations, committed clubs and players, professional leagues as well as involved commercial partners.

The Movement aims to utilize the role of football in society in order to contribute to the achievement of the UN Millennium Development Goals.

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