Laureus Sport for Good passes six million impact milestone
On the eve of The International Day of Charity, Laureus Sport for Good is proud to announce that it has used the power of sport to change the lives of more than six million children and young people around the world.
To mark its 20th anniversary year, Laureus Sport for Good has released its most detailed Annual Review yet, breaking down the measurable impact of its work which currently covers funding and support for over 200 community sports-based programmes operating in more than 40 countries.
Headline statistics from the latest edition of the Annual Review, which covers the Foundation’s activities across the 12 months of 2019, include:
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341,027 children and young people measurably impacted across the year
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51% were boys and young men; 49% were girls and young women
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234 programmes funded and supported in 43 countries
For the first time, the Review includes data covering both the work of the Global Foundation and its National Foundations which focus on their own regional areas, as part of the formation of a global Impact Measurement Framework aligned to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Review breaks down the 6 Social Focus Areas that Laureus Sport for Good’s work aims to address, and the objectives aligned to each area; namely Health, Employability, Education, Inclusive Society, Women & Girls, and Peaceful Society.
Across these Social Focus Areas, the impact of Laureus Sport for Good’s work is evidenced through a range of indicators.
In 2019 alone:
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74,397 young people showed improved attendance and retention in education
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325,329 had access to a safe and inclusive space
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55,103 recognised girls’ and women’s right to a life free from violence
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83,366 youth from marginalised groups enjoyed positive, non-violent relationships with others
Edwin Moses, Chairman of Laureus Sport for Good, stated: “I always say that if we can use sport to positively impact the life of just one child, we are doing something right. To have reached the significant milestone of positively impacting over six million young people over the last 20 years is the strongest possible evidence of the unique power of sport to change lives. On behalf of the entire Laureus Academy, I would like to thank each and every programme leader for their efforts in using the power of sport to end violence, discrimination and disadvantage. Now, more than ever, the global work of Laureus Sport for Good is of vital importance to the future of our society.”
Adam Fraser, Chief Executive of Laureus Sport for Good, added: “We are incredibly proud of the ongoing impact of the work we are doing, as detailed in this Annual Review, and passing through the 6 million mark is a major milestone for this organisation. However, that is now the past. It is what happens next that is most important.
“Almost all of us have faced challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic but for the world’s most vulnerable young people those challenges have been exacerbated. They are those most at risk and the ones Laureus Sport for Good is determined to help every day. With our delivery framework in place and the funding and support we provide growing year-on-year, we look forward to helping many millions more in the future.”
Laureus Sport for Good was founded as a direct response to a speech by its patron Nelson Mandela at the inaugural Laureus World Sport Awards in 2000 where he declared that “sport has the power to change the world”. Laureus Sport for Good exists to bring this power to life – a belief that the best way to improve society is by giving children and young people the opportunities and abilities to improve their lives and impact their communities.
The Foundation invests in programmes that use the unique power of sport to unite and engage with children and young people with the goal of ending violence, discrimination and disadvantage in their communities and beyond. The provision of funding and support enables these programmes to tackle the most challenging social problems that limit the futures of the younger generation.
Laureus was established by its two Founding Partners, Richemont and Daimler, who continue to support all aspects of the organisation’s work through their brands Mercedes-Benz and IWC Schaffhausen. They were joined as Global Partners in 2018 by MUFG, formerly known as Mitsubishi Tokyo Bank.
The organisation is supported by more than 200 Laureus Ambassadors and 69 Laureus World Sports Academy Members, all of whom work to support Laureus Sport for Good’s objectives.
