Lighthouse Rescue Sports Outreach (LRSO) has continued to demonstrate its commitment to peacebuilding and youth empowerment through sports by facilitating two successful phases of the Sports for Development (S4D) project in Taraba State.
The project, funded by the German Cooperation and implemented by GIZ, forms part of the broader initiative titled “Strengthening Capacities for Conflict Transformation and Livelihood for Groups in Vulnerable Situations in Nigeria’s Central Zone (PEACECORE II).” It aims to promote peace, unity, and social cohesion among young people in conflict-prone communities across Taraba, Plateau, and Kaduna States.
In July 2025, LRSO signed a contract with GIZ to lead the facilitation of the S4D initiative. The organization subsequently deployed three experts and sports consultants — Geoffrey Bottson, Choji David Bot, and Yop Bottson — to Taraba State in August 2025 to conduct a week-long training for 30 coaches and 50 players as Cohort 1.
The participants were equipped with practical skills and knowledge on how to use sports as a tool for promoting peace, empathy, leadership, and unity in their respective communities. The training culminated in a football tournament featuring six teams — each led by five trained coaches — where players demonstrated lessons learned on teamwork, fair play, and peaceful coexistence.
Building on the success of the first phase, LRSO returned to Taraba State from October 6–10, 2025, with the same team of consultants to facilitate another week-long training for a new Cohort 2 of 30 coaches and 50 players.
During the training, participants explored creative ways to use sports to foster dialogue, strengthen relationships, and promote peaceful living among youths from diverse backgrounds.
The Sports for Development (S4D) project recognises that sports transcend barriers of language, religion, and ethnicity — creating safe spaces for dialogue, teamwork, and mutual respect. It remains one of the most effective tools for engaging young people in peacebuilding, reducing tensions, and building leadership in communities affected by conflict.
LRSO continues to offer expertise in the effective planning and facilitation of peace-oriented sports programs across Nigeria.
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We where indeed grateful to GIZ and LightHousesRescueSportsOutreach.
We were blessed because this has changed our mentality to know how to bring and create peace in sports