EU, German Delegation Hand Over Terekeka Sports Ground to County Authorities

Today, Ambassador Pelle Enarsson of @EUinSouthSudan, Nicole Hoffman (Deputy Head of Mission at #GERinSSD) and representatives of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH visited Terekeka County.

During the visit, the delegation met with the Commissioner, Hon. Dr. Emmanuel Loku, and representatives of his Administration and community. They discussed development, community needs, election preparations and sports with the County team. They also handed over the newly rehabilitated community sports playground to the county government and local community.

"Thank you for welcoming us so warmly. Today we hand over this sports field just one piece of land, but an important one. Yet the real prize is all of you here. Through this work you have become coaches of inclusive sport and of peace, and you will be the champions in your own community," Pelle Enarsson, EU Ambassador to South Sudan, said during the handover ceremony today. "A football pitch matters, but what matters more is the new mindset you will pass on to others. You are the most important investment we have made."

Ms Hoffman weighed in, saying football speaks to everyone everywhere. "For me football is what really brings a community together. I know wrestling too. Football speaks to everyone, everywhere; it's something that brings the world together," she said. "That's why our Sport for Development concept is so valuable: it brings young people together to learn about rules, teamwork and organisation skills that prepare them for other engagement. But above all, what makes football so important is that it brings people together."

According to Commissioner Dr Loku, a lot of work, including improvements to the drainage system, has been carried out on the sports ground. He praised the donors for their support and asked for more. "We have done a lot of activities here before. It was not like this, but now it is much better. And I think it is the best playground now in the county. So, I want to appreciate the donors. Thank you very much. We want to shift from cattle community to be a football and tennis community," Dr Loku said.

The playground's rehabilitation was co-funded by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The upgraded facility offers a safe, inclusive space where young people can come together through sport, strengthen social connections and take part in activities promoting peaceful coexistence, inclusion and gender equality.