Dakar, Senegal — International Women’s Month highlights the pivotal role of women in integrating sports and education to promote positive change across Senegal. This initiative is part of the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) legacy program, with the Olympic Values Education Program (OVP) as a cornerstone.
Aïchatou Diop, a former swim coach and now a member of the Dakar 2026 organizing committee, exemplifies this commitment. She advocates for girls across Senegal to “set no limits, “reflecting her own journey from volunteer to organizational leader.
The Olympic Civil and Sports Certificate (OCSC) program, a national initiative, is central to the YOG legacy. It aims to engage 900,000 young people aged 9 to 15 in 11,000 schools before the YOG in October. Women like Diop are instrumental in governance, project coordination, teacher training, and classroom instruction.
Fanta Diallo, Director of Engagement and Mobilization for Dakar 2026, underscores the involvement of women at all levels of the program. Her team, which includes educators and animators, focuses on training teachers, mentoring students, and supporting schools and youth programs.
The program extends to “cases des tout-petits, “community structures for young children, ensuring the early instillation of Olympic values like excellence, respect, and friendship.
Equal access to sports, education, and leadership opportunities is a priority for the OCSC. The program targets girls in schools and communities, aligning with national and local initiatives promoting girls’education and health. Girls account for nearly 50% of the OCSC’s beneficiaries, a significant figure in a country facing cultural and socioeconomic barriers to sports and education.
Throughout Senegal, OCSC clubs in schools are often led by student committees, organizing activities inspired by Olympic values. This initiative has had a lasting impact, with participants taking on leadership roles and teachers noting improvements in students’public speaking, decision-making, and confidence.
Cécile Faye, Director of the National Olympic Academy of Senegal, emphasizes the importance of female leadership in transmitting positive values to younger generations. Women are instrumental in creating environments conducive to transformation and sustaining the legacy of Dakar 2026 beyond the Games.
Source: africa-newsroom
