Olympafrica Zambia, in collaboration with Africa Global Logistics (AGL) Zambia, celebrated the success of the Olympafrica Youth Empowerment Through Sport (O!YES) program on Friday, 4th July 2025. The program ran from January to June.
Speaking during the ceremony held at the Olympafrica Centre, National Olympic Committee of Zambia (NOCZ) Board Member Mwape Zulu emphasized the importance of instilling Olympic values in young people.
“The O!YES program targets youths aged 10 to 15, teaching them the core Olympic values of excellence, respect, and friendship,” Zulu said. “At Olympafrica, we believe in these values. If we can incorporate them in youths, they will grow to appreciate and apply them not only in sports but in other areas of life.”
Zulu further stated that the initiative aims to go beyond sports by promoting education and cultural integration through its activities.
AGL Zambia Managing Director Philippe Niamkey echoed similar sentiments, highlighting the shared values between AGL and Olympafrica.
“It is important to instil these values at a young age because the child you educate today is the adult of tomorrow,” Niamkey said.
“These values are essential even in professional environments, and we commend Olympafrica for championing such a meaningful initiative.”
As part of the closing activities, AGL Zambia donated sports equipment to the Olympafrica Centre. On the same occasion, the Olympafrica Centre presented a certificate of appreciation to AGL Zambia, while SOS Children’s Village Primary School received a certificate of participation for its six-month engagement in the program. Trophies were also awarded to teams that placed first to third during the 10-day O!YES tournament.
The celebration also featured a symbolic tree-planting session, reinforcing the commitment to sustainability and youth development.
Olympafrica Director Tinyiko Kamanga concluded the event by leading Niamkey and his team on a tour of the Centre, where various sports codes were demonstrated.
The O!YES program continues to serve as a beacon of hope for young people, using sport as a tool for empowerment, education, and character-building across the continent.