March 2009

Tracy Travels to Africa to Raise Education Awareness

UN Special Representative and World Olympians Director Tracy Mattes
talked to the Mozambique children about the importance of education

Tracy arrived in Africa last weekend in her role as UN Special Representative to monitor and raise awareness of an education initiative called "Thank You Small Library."

UN Special Representative and WOA Director of Global Programs Tracy Mattes, UNWTO ST-EP Foundation Chairman Ambassador
Dho Young Shim and Mozambique's Olympic Committee President, Marcelino Macome at the Opening Ceremonies of the Thank You
Small Library on the OlympAfrica Sport Center in the village of Bairro de Mabanja, Mozambique.

More than 1000 children anxiously awaited the opening of their new library in Mozambique

The children rushed to the tables to look through the books they found on the shelves.

A Thank You Small Library is a place where children and adults can study and read books of all subjects and genres. Meanwhile, bread and refreshments are given to the children to encourage them to visit the library and use its resources. Tracy says these libraries play a key role in the educational development of the children by offering reading material for all ages and all literacy levels. "Many of the children here don't own or have the access to books, and many children in these rural areas don't have the opportunity to stay in school because their families cannot afford to lose the labor."

Tracy is proud of the new library and the opportunities it will bring the children of this community

Children rush to the shelves to look at the books after the Library Opening

The Opening Ceremonies of the Thank You Small Library

"These kids have such big dreams like all children do, but they are also well aware of the realities of the world in which they live. "They tell me, "I want to be a doctor", or "I want to be a pilot.' They have the passion, but the reality is if they don't break this cycle of poverty, they will never have the chance to even try. Education can break this cycle of poverty and this is what we are trying to offer. It has to happen in small steps here, but we are making progress." Tracy bought 1000 new books for the library and shipped them to youth center in Bairro de Mabanja; a small village located about 200 km outside of Maputo in Mozambique. More than 1000 children anxiously awaited the opening of their new library.

Sport Plays a Key Role

While, the UNWTO ST-EP Foundation has already opened 42 libraries in developing countries, this particular "Thank You Small Library" opening was extra special for Tracy, because this library was the first one to open on an OlympAfrica Youth Sport Center.

Tracy played a game of basketball with the kids
at the OlympAfrica Youth Center in Mozambique

Tracy was instrumental in forging the partnerships between the World Olympians Association, for which she is Director of Global Programs, and the UNWTO ST-EP Foundation, the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa, the OlympAfrica Foundation and the UN Office on Sport for Development & Peace. The agreement was to build libraries on all of the IOC supported sport and youth centers being built around the continent of Africa.

Tracy says the OlympAfrica Centers are designed to bring sport to the communities. "Sports brings a sense of hope, confidence and wonder to the children here. For them, sport allows them to be children: to play, to laugh and importantly, it gives these kids a healthy, well needed diversion for their everyday realities."

Mr. Marcelino Macome, President of the Olympic Committee of Mozambique was instrumental in bringing the Sport Center and the Thank You Small Library to this region in Mozambique. He says sport offers the opportunity to bring the kids together and to educate them on subjects such as health care and AIDS prevention to the values of leadership, teamwork and hard work.

In new uniforms the track athletes line up for a race at the OlympAfrica Center in Mozambique

Tracy takes time with the young Track athletes at the OlympAfrica Sport Center in Mozambique

First Try! The new hurdlers show off their form

"Sport is such an incredibly powerful tool in bringing people together, teaching values and creating peace and harmony" says Mattes, "and education is crucial to the region's development." "Implementing projects that can bring these two entities together is so fulfilling. It really creates a wonderful atmosphere of hope and opportunity for the children in this village." It's so touching to see the transformation that happens when kids begin to play. This is how it should be. We are offering them a chance to play and to learn, and we hope that the outcome of their future will be different because of these opportunities."

Playing football is the favorite pastime of the children at the OlympAfrica Sport Center in Mozambique

Tracy is expected to remain in the region for a few days and is due to visit with the children. She is also scheduled to speak with political leaders about topics including literacy, gender equality and girl's education. I am really thrilled to have this opportunity ... to bring this to the forefront of people's minds this week," Tracy said. "These issues are so important."

About Mozambique

Mozambique is one of the poorest countries in the world, ranked 172 out of 177 countries on the 2007/2008 Human Development Index. The country is prone to a wide range of natural hazards, which regularly cause major damage and disrupt economic growth. Due to the scale and severity of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, the number of orphans is increasing. According to the Government of Mozambique 63 percent of rural children live in absolute poverty; and 34 percent of households are food insecure and face perpetual hunger.

The lunch we hosted for the children was the only food they had to eat that day

The vast majority of rural and peri-urban families find it difficult to lose their children's contribution to the family labor pool by sending them to school, so many children enroll at the beginning of the year, but are forced to drop out and miss classes in order to help with family chores.

Mr. Macome says The Olympic Committee of Mozambique has greatly contributed to finding education solutions and funding for many children to go to school, and will continue to work to keep this progress moving forward.

The library opening took place on March 2nd on the OlympAfrica Youth Sport Center.

The highlight of the Opening Ceremony was when the children put on a wonderful musical show for all of us

Mozambique National Olympic Committee President Marcelino Macome, UNWTO ST-EP Chairman Ambassador Dho Young Shim,
Deputy of Education for the Republic of Mozambique, UN Special Representative and World Olympians Director Tracy
Mattes and Director of Economy and Tourism for the Republic of Mozambique, Dr. Dina Tavá Ribeiro.

The deputy of Education for the republic of Mozambique tours the library and takes part in the Opening Ceremony