The Line Up Live Up sport-based programme was inaugurated in 2022 within three Bayelsa State communities: Ayamasa, Otuan, and Ikebiri 1. Spanning two phases, the initiative embarked on a journey to empower local coaches and teachers, who in turn engaged the youth over a continuous three-month period. Focused on cultivating life skills and fostering resilience against violence among at-risk youths, by fostering a positive environment for self-awareness and empowerment, the programme has been a cradle of transformation for over 2,000 certified participants. It established a constructive outlet for self-discovery, thus deterring involvement in violent activities. Parents echoed joy in witnessing their children immersed in meaningful pursuits. Parents witnessed a positive shift as their children engaged meaningfully, avoiding violent behaviour.
To support overcoming challenges young people face, the LULU programme provides valuable insights into managing emotions, developing crucial life skills, and gaining knowledge to navigate the complexities of their daily life.
At the heart of the programme’s reach, 17-year-old Rachel from Ayamasa community exemplifies its influence, stating, “The strength gained from the programme has instilled in me the courage to pursue my goals unabashedly.”
Sport in this context is used as a platform to engage and empower young people, building their important life skills and enhance learning and instill values that can transfer and apply to their daily live.
“As a young girl, I have learnt how to hold and control myself from getting involved in negative behavior, this programme changed my lifestyle, made me think about more things that are good and have given me motivation in life’’ these were the words of a 17-year-old Racheal, who shared the impact of this programme in her life as a young girl.
Uduak, a 14-year-old participant, shared her transformative journey. She overcame feelings of insignificance stemming from academic struggles and blossomed into a confident thinker. She credits LULU, ‘’LULU programme is positive critical thinking, I did not know how to think very fast before, but with the help of this Line Up Live Up programme, I now know how to think fast, thank you”.
The ripple effects of the Line Up Live Up programme permeate far beyond individual growth — it touches communities, parents, coaches and peers alike.
Sharing her experience as a coach, Gift Joseph, said the programme has been very educative and that she never imagined working with young people as she was initially scared. According to her “With the help of the LULU programme, I can now manage children, this programme helped me to control myself, I have always been hot-tempered and cannot control myself in public, but now with the help of LULU I can control myself anywhere”.
Addressing a critical societal issue, the programme also becomes a lifeline for those lacking good parental care. Progress, a 14-year-old facing neglect and isolation, found solace in the programme. His involvement not only lifted his spirits but also led to support that helped him re-enroll in school, offering a promising future.
"Line Up Live Up" emerges as a beacon of positive change, not just in individual lives but in the fabric of the communities it touches. It encapsulates collaborative learning and a reflection of UN standards in developmental initiatives. The stories of change and evolution are monumental — signalling progress not just in individuals, but in a collective move towards a more harmonious society.
UNODC under its global initiative promotes sport as a tool for youth crime prevention and support the effective integration of sport in crime prevention strategies and programmes through different programmes including the “Line Up Live Up” life skills training curriculum, and more recently the “Score against Crime: Outreach-Resilience-Empowerment” programme, a joint initiative with the International Olympic Committee.
UNODC also implemented the Line Up Live Up in addition to Bayelsa State in five states in North Nigeria (Borno, Ekiti, Gombe, Kaduna, and Sokoto) in 2021. This was in collaboration with the At-Risk-Children’s Programme of the Office of the Vice President, a federal initiative for at risk youth.
