Due to Covid-19 outbreaks in Thailand and up to 12 months of online learning, the football projects in south Thailand were not able to run for much of 2021 and early 2022. However, during the month of March 2022 (start of the summer holidays in Thailand) SEEDS workers were able to run a football camp for children and youth just outside of Hat Yai, in Songkhla province. This pilot project was made available for free due to our partnership with a local football stadium owner who wanted to help the children and youth in his community after a long lockdown.

The football camp was a resounding success, as we started with a small group of kids and then it ballooned to group over 30 kids each training session. The first group of kids must have enjoyed the camp so much that they invited all their friends! During the camp, the coaches were able to implement value-based coaching as we sought to improve physical fitness and skills, but also develop the character of the children and youth we worked with. Many of the children and youth who joined in the camp were from low income families and at-risk communities, so it was a privilege to invest in the lives of these kids during the camp. One highlight was to see how well the children played and behaved, during a series of friendlies matches toward the end of the camp. SEEDS workers are currently surveying areas and planning with local partners to identify the most needy areas to launch further football projects in. We hope to begin a few projects by September 2022 and to expand these projects step by step. Moving forward, this will be the cornerstone of our community development focus in Songkhla province.