Children need something to believe in and sports provides them with a space where to have fun and acquire a variety of life skills while they dream of becoming like their favourite footballer, volunteer Julian Azzopardi believes.
"Sportsmen and athletes are heroes and mentors for many children who aspire to become like them... At this young age, it is important to do something to help them keep believing in their dreams... Besides, sports brings people together, it's an excellent means of communication and it's fun."
As a firm believer in the integration of sporting philosophy into children's everyday lives, Mr Azzopardi will next week be setting off to Lusaka, in Zambia, where he will be volunteering as an assistant football coach - with the ultimate objective of providing children there with skills that go beyond the sport.
These include health education, communication, teamwork, integration, leadership and confidence-building skills. Issues addressed will also include HIV and Aids, gender equality, respect for others, and fair play.
His project - entitled Youth Education through Sports (Yes) for Development - will be realised through local non-governmental organisation (NGO) Third World Group Malta that forms part of the Global Education Network (Glen).
The latter is an international non-profit organisation that aims at contributing to a better understanding of global issues including development.
Once he gets to Lusaka, where he will be staying for three months, Mr Azzapardi will be working together with other volunteers under the umbrella of the Breakthrough Sports Academy (BSA), a Zambian NGO.
Volunteers will focus on enriching the children, aged between eight and 18, through football and sporting philosophy during programmes held at the BSA's grounds.
Mr Azzopardi started planning this project soon after returning to Malta after his first voluntary work experience - in India, South Africa and South America - when he spotted an article in The Sunday Times calling for volunteers in Africa. Still intoxicated by the satisfaction he felt during his first mission, he applied.
Why does he do it?
"I say why not? Children are the world's future. If you don't provide children with love, care and attention, the world will remain in the same situation," he replies promptly.
Apart from that, he adds, there is a more self-centred reason why people should help others. "You never know what life is going to throw at you. Today you might be helping a child in Zambia, tomorrow you may help an elderly person cross the street... one day you might need help to cross the street. Unless we are aware of the benefits that extending a helping hand can have to a person's life, we're just going to continue killing each other," he says.
He adds that people have often asked him how he would be able to tear himself away from the children, who may feel abandoned after bonding with him.
"The way I see it is, at least you've done it. You're giving them something... They love the attention... and you leave there with a whole lot more than what you wanted and expected."
The Malta Football Association and Urban Jungle have donated sports gear and equipment for the children in Zambia. Mr Azzopardi is now looking for funds to help transport these objects. Anyone interested in helping or learning more about the project can visit Mr Azzopardi's web-blog http://yesfordevelopment.weebly.com .
Donations can be made by clicking http://yesfordevelopment.weebly.com/participate.html .