Emmanuel Baba Dano, known throughout Iraq as Amu Baba, the Pelé of Iraqi football and national coach for more than three decades, will team with International Medical Corps to serve as a voice for children and youth issues throughout Iraq.
“The best moments of my life are the moments I spent investing in youth and children. I believe in promoting a future where Iraqi youth and children are the winners,” Baba said. “I look forward to this partnership with International Medical Corps where we will visit neighborhoods, cities, governors and ministers to obtain their support and raise awareness about these important issues that affect all Iraqi children,” he said.
International Medical Corps and Amu Baba will work together to provide children and youth with opportunities to lead long and healthy lives but also allow them to access resources needed for active living, learning and recreation. Sports play a fundamental role in improving physical and mental health of children.
This approach compliments a wide variety of International Medical Corps grassroots programs that have identified sport and economic projects as useful tools in peace building. International Medical Corps seeks to encourage a healthier generation through programs that keep children safe while making positive contributions to their social and physical well-being.
“Children in Iraq have told me that they are living in a negative environment. They lack the skills and opportunities available to children elsewhere in the world. International Medical Corps wants to create a platform to bring these opportunities back,” says Agron Ferati International Medical Corps country director in Iraq. “We want youth and children to become engaged and responsible members of the society. They are the future teachers, doctors, engineers, professors, and leaders of Iraq,” he added.
“We stand tall and we have the courage to keep up with positive developments that improve social cohesion among youth and children of Iraq that will respect human dignity and improve their self-reliance,” Amu Baba said.
The International Medical Corps team and Amu Baba will bring youth and children of Iraq together to engage in sports, including football, known as soccer in the United States. Through these activities, a forum for discussions on health, social issues and education will take place. The first “camp” is slated to be held this summer in Baghdad and will be replicated in other areas in Iraq where International Medical Corps works. It is a program that will go beyond the individuals involved, but aims to create a movement with youth and children, the Government of Iraq, and international organizations working as a team to make a difference. Furthermore, the partnership will include youth and children with special needs with an aim to eliminate stereotyping and social stigma.
Amu Baba is a much loved and respected figure in Iraq and synonymous with Iraqi pride, not to mention his success on the football pitch. He remains a unifier in a country that has suffered through tyranny and war, hardship and suffering. International Medical Corps is honored to team with this sports legend and proud to help him serve as a voice for youth across Iraq.