2006, 24 April
2006, 15 May
2006, 12 September
2006, 26 October
2006, 1 December
2006, 3 December
2006, 23 December
2007, 25 May
2007, 11 June

By Michael Smith, Managing Director, Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia
Federico Addiechi (left), FIFA's Director of Corporate Social Responsibility, with Deon Namaseb, Special Olympics Namibia athlete board member. [All photos courtesy of Special Olympics Tanzania]
The FIFA-Special Olympics Development Project was kicked off formally with high-profile launches in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania on 6 April, 2006 and Windhoek, Namibia on 12 April, 2006. At the launches a Protocol of Cooperation was signed by the Football Federations of Tanzania and Namibia, who pledged their full support toward footballers with intellectual disabilities, on and off the field. Government representatives, diplomats, guests, local media, Special Olympics athletes and family members attended the launches.

FIFA-Special Olympics Development Project Launched in Tanzania and Namibia

24 April 2006

Federico Addiechi, FIFA's Director of Corporate Social Responsibility, was the keynote speaker at the Namibia launch. “The opening was very successful and its detailed organization showed the high level of professionalism that the Special Olympics team has put into the joint FIFA–Special Olympics initiatives.

"I extend my great thanks to the team who have made my visit to Namibia a truly enjoyable experience. I wish everyone all the best for the continuation of the programs in Namibia and Tanzania and a successful launch in Botswana,” said Addiechi.

Project activities focusing on the recruitment and training of coaches and athletes will begin in May 2006. The goal of the one-year project is to recruit 500 new Special Olympics football (soccer) athletes in three pilot programs and to use the project to support family education and basic health screening.

Front row, left to right: Alpheus Gawaseb, Secretary General of the Namibia Football Association; Charles Nymabe, Special Olympics Africa Sports Director; and Esther Kambala, National Director, Special Olympics Namibia, sign the protocol of cooperation as Special Olympics Namibia football (soccer) athletes look on.

Botswana Launches FIFA Project

15 May 2006

By Charles Nyambe, Special Olympics Africa Project Coordinator
Special Olympics Botswana held the FIFA–Special Olympics Africa Development Project launch on 12 May 2006. The launch took place in a small town called Maun in the north of the country, located in the southwest edge of the Okavango Delta. This area is a major tourist attraction in Botswana. Held in the early evening at the Crestar Lodge Hotel, the launch attracted more than 90 local people.

The guest of honor was Frank Ramsden, Assistant Minister of Works, Transport and Communi-
cations. In his remarks, he pledged to support this project as it benefited citizens of his country who in the past were marginalized. He thanked Special Olympics and FIFA for such a great initiative and encouraged all those tasked to run the project to ensure that it is managed responsibly. The local Chief Charles Letsholathebe, whose name means “the one who holds the spear,” officially welcomed Special Olympics to Botswana and to

Frank Ramsden, Assistant Minister of Works, Transport and Communications (gray suit), meets Special Olympics athletes (left to right) Kumo Bofedile, Moses Paul, Oabile Sepakonyana and Kago Makondo. [Photo courtesy Special Olympics Botswana]