Cao Bang develops Grassroots Football under the support of Norway: Round ball realizes Vietnamese children's far-reaching dreams
Cao Bang is one of the first four northern provinces of Vietnam implementing the FFAV model.
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| Deputy Head of Mission, Norwegian Embassy in Hanoi Ms Mette Møglestue attended the Launching Ceremony of the "Football for All in Vietnam" Project. (Photo: FFAV) |
Football is more than just a sport
On November 30, Deputy Head of Mission, Norwegian Embassy in Hanoi Ms Mette Møglestue went to Cao Bang Province to attend the Launching Ceremony of the "Football for All in Vietnam" Project (or FFAV) of the Football Association of Norway.
The launch of the FFAV Project and other sideline activities spotlighted the presence of leaders of the Cao Bang Department of Education and Training; Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism; Department of Planning and Investment; representatives of the Agency for Teachers and Education Managers; UNESCO Vietnam and related local authorities.
In particular, 72 teachers from 18 primary and lower secondary schools across Cao Bang, who have just completed training courses on “Grassroots Football Coaching” and “Life Skills Training”, and around 100 local pupils got together in this unique football event of Cao Bang Province.
According to Mr. Ngoc Van Chan, Deputy Director of the Cao Bang Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the project owner, FFAV was deployed in Cao Bang with the purpose of developing a levelled and non-competitive playground using football as a tool to integrate life skills education for children, especially child girls, through establishment and development of various football clubs in schools.
By doing so, FFAV will help with the sports and physical education activities in the school, inspire the kids to practice football, replicate the grassroots children football model in the province, and thereby actively contribute to building and training of the young generation, reduction of social evils...
Norwegian Deputy Head of Mission Ms Møglestue was very happy to attend the event and to see FFAV’s expansion. She shared that Norwegians, like Vietnamese people, are big fans of football. Norwegian kids also play football a lot.
According to her, football is not only a sport but also a teacher where football ground is a classroom. As children lace up their cleats and step onto the field, they are not just chasing a ball; they are chasing dreams, developing character, and acquiring life skills: team spirit, discipline, resilience, respect for diversity, and how to bounce back from setbacks.
These skills will stay with them well into adulthood. “Importantly, FFAV helps the kids change their mindset about football. This is not a men’s or boys’ sport, but women and girls can also play. Promoting gender equality has always been a priority of Norway”, she added.
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| Cao Bang is one of the first four northern provinces of Vietnam implementing the FFAV model. (Photo: FFAV) |
The model is replicated, the message is spread
According to Mr Nguyen Hoang Phuong, Head of the FFAV Project Office, Cao Bang is one of the first four northern provinces of Vietnam implementing the FFAV model. Started in 2001 in Thua Thien Hue province, the model was selected by the Ministry of Education and Training and the Vietnam Football Federation in 2015 for replication nationwide under the "Vietnam’s Football Development Strategy to 2020, with vision to 2030". As of now, the FFAV model has been replicated in over 15 provinces and cities of Vietnam.
The project not only creates a levelled and non-competitive playground for children but also contributes to teaching them life skills, promoting the model of friendly and positive schools, reducing the dropout rate...
FFAV in Cao Bang will include numerous activities including technical training on grassroots football coaching and life skill education for school teachers, organization of non-competitive grassroots football clubs at schools; maintaining quantity and quality of regular football training and regular life skills education activities at football clubs; increasing the participation of students particularly child girls, students from disadvantaged groups and ethnic minorities in the spirit of mutual respect and equality.
On behalf of the Cao Bang Department of Education and Training, Ms. Dam Thi Trung Thu, Deputy Director emphasized "In the context that Cao Bang province still faces many difficulties, the support from the Football Association of Norway for the implementation of FFAV has a practical meaning as it promptly helps the Cao Bang education system to address part of the challenges in school-based physical education and sports activities; create a solid foundation for schools to continue and promote; build club models for other sports, thereby improving the quality and effectiveness of this work in schools. This would ultimately contribute greatly to the comprehensive education of students, training of young generations, and reducing the risk of social evils".
Representative of the Norwegian Embassy in Hanoi, Ms Møglestue, expressed her hope for FFAV to grow stronger and contribute to the efforts of concerned authorities, schools and society at large, to nurture the children’s passion for football, and by doing so, to foster the leaders, team players, and resilient individuals of tomorrow.
