Photo courtesy GATE Lebanon, © RET Germany

Article by Carine Harouny, Operations and Communications Officer for GATE Lebanon, RET Germany’s local implementing partner

AKKAR, LEBANON – Under a BMZ-funded project implemented by RET Germany in partnership with GATE Lebanon, sports academies across Akkar are getting a boost that will help thousands of young people play, train, and grow.

Sports academies in Akkar play a vital role in developing the skills and talents of children and youth, promoting healthy lifestyles, and fostering the values of teamwork, discipline, and leadership. But access to appropriate sports equipment is essential for creating a safe, motivating, and effective training environment; and that’s exactly the gap this initiative is closing.

As part of the project, RET Germany, in partnership with GATE Lebanon, is equipping sports academies across Akkar with essential sports supplies. The goal: strengthen the capacity of local academies, enhance the quality of their training programs, expand opportunities for children and youth to participate in sports and community activities, and create more inclusive opportunities for young people to develop their talents while leading healthy and active lives.

In total, the distribution will benefit 24 sports academies across Akkar, reaching approximately 2,600 children and youth (girls and boys) aged 6 to 18, from both Lebanese and Syrian communities. The academies offer a wide range of activities, including football, basketball, martial arts, and other sports disciplines — giving young people across the region more ways to stay active, connected, and confident.

Photos courtesy GATE Lebanon, © RET Germany

The project “Improving Food Security, Livelihoods, and the Inclusion of Women and Vulnerable Groups, and Promoting Gender Equality in North Lebanon,” funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development of the Federal Republic of Germany (BMZ) and implemented by RET Germany in partnership with GATE Lebanon.

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