17 March 2021
In the framework of the regional Coronavirus Response Support Programme for Non-Profit Youth or Sports-based Initiatives and in line with the Kazan Action Plan, the Association of International Sports Clubs (AMSC) in Uzbekistan with the financial and technical support from UNESCO, implemented a project to promote healthy lifestyle and sports among children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic recovery via an online format.
Uzbekistan is a country with a 34 million population, most of the population is the younger generation (24%) and, accordingly, children and adolescents aged 5 to 14 years old, many from large and low-income families living in remote regions of the country. Since there was an opportunity to engage children in physical activity online, AMSC decided to help children from vulnerable families across Uzbekistan.The project was implemented within 3 months and covered more than 700 school students and 300 children from 60 preschool institutions of Uzbekistan, mainly located in remote and rural areas.
A team of project specialists used a continuous methodology for trainings, aimed primarily at improving the physical and mental states of children during a number of sports sessions on the ZOOM platform. Online training significantly increased participants' confidence in exercising and improving their physical capabilities in the most popular sports, e.g. rhythmic gymnastics, karate and dancesport. Participation in regular physical activity increased students’ self-esteem and reduced stress and anxiety.
The main partner of the project was the Youth Union of Uzbekistan, which supported the idea of a project to attract the younger generation to online physical trainings and promote a healthy lifestyle in the context of COVID-19. The Ministry of Preschool Education also expressed their high interest in the project and supported the dissemination of information about trainings to preschool institutions of Uzbekistan. Taking into account the work of the media partners and the assistance of other community organizations in the promotion of this project on social networks, 60% of the population of Uzbekistan, including remote regions, learned about the project.
Thus, AMSC and UNESCO partnership led to a national online healthy lifestyle online campaign, which engaged not only children but their parents as well. All participants received certificates of the completion of the training; in addition to certificates, the most active students received some valuable gifts as well.
“It is a very important project during the COVID-19 crisis, which united so many kids from different regions of Uzbekistan. At the end of the project, they took diplomas and were very happy” – Lola Khamidova, mom of one of the participants.
Permanent link: http://en.unesco.kz/healthy-lifestyle-was-promoted-among-adolescents-in-uzbekistan-for-post-covid-19-recovery