Life-changing projects awarded WOA Grants

4 | 6 | 2021

Ten projects across all five continents will change the lives of communities around the world after being awarded this year’s WOA Service to Olympians and Service to Society Grants.

Upskilling Olympians to run small businesses in Sri Lanka, integrating child refugees in Mali, preventing obesity in Papua New Guinea and promoting social cohesion in France are just some of the inspirational projects awarded $5,000 each.

Following a record-level of applicants, the Olympian-led projects, which have been developed in partnership with their NOAs, were selected by WOA’s Grants panel led by President Joël Bouzou OLY and will be brought to life in the coming months.

World Olympians Association President and Chair of the Grants Panel, Joël Bouzou OLY, said:

“Awarding NOAs and supporting Olympian-led projects with our WOA Service to Olympians and Service to Society Grants is a highlight of our year and, as the world continues to endure the ongoing impacts of the pandemic, these initiatives are even more significant.

“Each year, we see first-hand the direct, positive impact Olympians are able to make in their communities and for their fellow Olympians with this funding. We are very pleased to be able to help Olympians and NOAs across the world bring these inspirational projects to life.”

Learn more about the inspirational work NOAs and Olympians are doing with their WOA 2021 Grants through our website, Facebook and Twitter.

The 2021 Service to Society Grant awardees:

  • Mali’s Support for refugee children through sport will use sport to facilitate the integration of child refugees into society in the refugee camps of Niamana and Faladjie in Bamako with the creation of sports activity centres.
  • Panama’s Sport as a tool for social change will use face-to-face classes with Olympians and elite athletes to inspire physical activity, promote sustainability and teach new skills to vulnerable children in Panama’s SOS Children’s Villages.
  • Hong Kong’s Series of short Olympism Education Videos will inspire school children and bring the values of the Olympic Movement to life with a series of engaging videos designed to be adopted as part of the school curriculum.
  • France’s For sport without violence project will promote the fight against violence in sport in all forms and use the Olympic values to demonstrate how sport can be an indisputable factor of social cohesion.
  • Papua New Guinea’s Obesity Prevention initiative aims to lead a society shift towards healthy eating, active lifestyles, good nutrition and regular physical activity to prevent obesity.

The 2021 Service to Olympians Grant awardees:

  • Uganda’s Against All Odds: Uganda’s Olympic Legends will raise awareness of Olympians’ achievements with a documentary, TV miniseries and book on Uganda’s Olympians and the struggles they endured to train, participate and, for some, win medals at the Olympic Games.
  • Colombia’s Olympic Warriors will organise an event incorporating sports, academic and cultural activities led by Colombian Olympians who will share their skills and knowledge to children, youths and adults.
  • Sri Lanka’s Livelihood enhancement of yester year needy Olympians will enhance the livelihood of Olympians and offer educational opportunities in modern agricultural methods resulting in sustainable incomes and increased capabilities.
  • Portugal’s Unleash the Olympic Potential GALA will increase the organisational structure of the Portuguese NOA, creating a detailed database of Olympians and supporting greater cohesion to deliver its social purpose of helping those in need.
  • Italy’s Passion and Victory will provide educational support and services to Olympians towards the end of their career to support them as they enter their new life and look to develop professionally.