Rwanda has been one of the numerous beneficiaries of Fifa’s $70 million on projects to improve African soccer while the continent prepares to host the 2010 World Cup finals.

The installation of artificial pitches, introduction of professional leagues and administration and training of coaches and doctors form part of the ‘Win with Africa in Africa’ initiative launched in 2006.

The grant that was revealed last year by Fifa’s director for international relations Jerome Champagn, has seen artificial pitches installed in all but one of Africa’s 53 member countries, the only exception being World Cup hosts South Africa.

A total of 21 have already been completed, most of them in national stadiums. The project also supports the development of national leagues, with training and equipment.

The national football governing body Ferwafa got yet again a Fifa grant under the Goal project worth $400,000 for another installation of an artificial turf at the yet to open football academy in Remera. Work on academy pitch has already started.

The development is the second in the country after Stade Regional de Kigali, Nyamirambo was completed and ready in use.

Work on the installation of an artificial turf at the Stade Regional de Kigali, Nyamirambo under Fifa’s "Win in Africa with Africa” initiative was estimated to have cost $0.7m.

The idea for the ‘Win in Africa with Africa’ project first emerged on 15 May 2004, when members of Fifa’s executive committee chose South Africa as hosts of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Sensing a duty to assist the African continent above and beyond the realm of sport, world football’s governing body resolved to go further. Thus ‘Win in Africa with Africa’ was officially unveiled on 7 July 2006, boasting a budget of 70 million dollars.

In essence, ‘Win in Africa with Africa’ is not about sending aid to Africa so much as providing the continent with the tools to progress and the skills with which it can continue its own development.

The initiative has the backing of the United Nations, for whom former Secretary General Kofi Annan signed the original document on 7 July 2006, and the European Union, which came on board on 9 July 2006.

Similar wide-ranging initiatives based on the same model have been planned for other regions of the world, with ‘Win in Oceania with Oceania’ and ‘Win in India with India’ soon to go ahead.

Similar projects have been extended to regional countries like Burundi, Uganda and Tanzania. The Goal Programme inspired by Fifa president Sepp Blatter was launched for the 1999-2002 period with funds amounting to Swiss Francs 100 million.

The programme targets to financially benefit underprivileged associations, by providing headquarters, natural and artificial turf pitches, training and education centres and other facilities essential to a basic infrastructure.

Under the Fifa initiative of the Goal Project, the existing Ferwafa headquarters and Technical Centre facility was built.

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