The National Olympic Committee and Commonwealth Games Association of Sierra Leone (NOC/CGA SLE) hosted TAFISA's Certified Leadership Course Level 1 on July 8-11 in Freetown, Sierra Leone. This programme was financed by the IOC through its Olympic Solidarity funding.
Forty-two participants, 18 of whom were female, representing the Athletes' Commission, coaching networks, national federations and various sports associations and clubs, underwent training in the transformative power of Sport for All, policy and strategy development, strategic leadership enhancement and the design and evaluation of inclusive Sport for All initiatives, led by Dr Katongo Bwalya from Zambia and Mr Elvis Nshimba from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
During the opening ceremony, Prince Vandy Sualley, the president of NOC/CGA Sierra Leone, emphasised the importance of capacity building in advancing the Olympic movement. He highlighted wider participation and physical activity as fundamental to the Sport for All philosophy, encouraging participants to promote healthier, more active and inclusive communities across Sierra Leone using the knowledge they had gained.
The ceremony concluded with a heartfelt vote of thanks from Ms Adama Paulina Suma, a beneficiary of TAFISA's Girls Positive and Safe Coaching Pathway. She thanked TAFISA, Olympic Solidarity and the NOC/CGA Sierra Leone for creating opportunities that empower leaders to champion Sport for All and inspire positive change through sport.
In the coming months, participants will progress to CLC Level 2, where they will reinforce the principles learnt in CLC Level 1 and develop their advanced leadership and strategic planning skills. They will focus on the themes of TAFISA's Mission 2030 and refine, implement and evaluate their community project proposals with greater strategic depth through specialised, context-driven learning.
