The National Olympic Committee of Zambia (NOCZ), together with the Olympic Refuge Foundation (ORF) and key stakeholders, toured the facilities at OYDC Zambia – Sports Development Centre during a two-day meeting held on May 25 and 26, 2026, as discussions continued on Zambia hosting the Sport Coach+ Train of Trainers Programme.

The meeting, hosted at OYDC Zambia, focused on the possibility of Zambia becoming the first African country to implement the Sport Coach+ Programme, an initiative expected to benefit more than 500 coaches across the country.

Among those in attendance were representatives from the Office of the Commissioner for Refugees, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Red Cross Red Crescent Movement MHPSS Hub, the Judo Association of Zambia, as well as OYDC Zambia’s acting CEO Benjamin Tembo and programmes manager Mwange Kampamba.

As part of the engagement, delegates toured OYDC Zambia’s sports and training facilities, appreciating the centre’s role in youth and sports development and its potential contribution towards the successful implementation of the programme.

Speaking during the meeting, Alfred Foloko revealed that the project will initially be implemented in only two African countries, Zambia and Kenya, with Zambia set to become the first host nation.

Foloko described the initiative as a major milestone for sport development in Zambia, adding that it will help create safer and more supportive sporting environments for young people affected by crises, including forced displacement.

He further noted that the training package will equip coaches with valuable skills to better support vulnerable young people through sport, while emphasizing NOCZ’s commitment to strengthening collaboration with stakeholders and partners to bring more impactful programmes to Zambia.

Meanwhile, Jeroen Carrin highlighted Zambia’s long-standing hospitality towards refugees and praised the country’s strong sporting culture.

Carrin explained that although many young people actively participate in sport, coaching environments are not always adequately prepared to respond to the mental health and psychosocial needs of young people affected by crisis, displacement, or economic hardship.

“We have come here to work with the National Olympic Committee and the Zambian Red Cross to deliver Sport Coach+ in Zambia for the first time,” said Carrin. “This programme is aimed at equipping sports coaches with the skills to create safer and more supportive sporting environments for young people.”

He added that the programme is expected to begin with a 12-month first phase starting in September 2026, beginning with a Train of Trainers session in Zambia. This will then be followed by outreach training sessions in communities across the country, targeting over 500 coaches.

Throughout the two-day engagement, stakeholders discussed collaboration among partners, stakeholder mapping in sport and mental health and psychosocial support sectors, mobilisation strategies, regional expansion opportunities, project administration and financing, as well as the roles and responsibilities of each partner organisation.

Sport Coach+ was developed through a partnership between the Olympic Refuge Foundation and the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement MHPSS Hub. The programme is designed to equip coaches with practical tools and strategies to create safe, inclusive, and supportive sporting environments for young people affected by crisis and forced displacement.