Fotball for All

Background

The project started as an initiative developed from a meeting between Football
Association of Norway (NFF) and the Vietnamese Football Federation (VFF).
NFF placed Mr. Jostein Johannesen as project coordinator in Hanoi from 2001
till 2002 to set up the project.
The projects primary focus was to assist in the formation of clubs and develop
community football structures. The Norwegian Embassy in Hanoi and NORAD
financed the building of the Binge, and later seven small size gravel pitches in
Thua Thien Hue Province. Lack of experience, expertise and lack of
communication with VFF created many challenges and expectations in the start
of the project, and a written agreement and formal registration of FFA in
Vietnam was first done after negotiations by Mr. Per Ravn Omdal in 2003.
The project coordination was in 2003 moved to Hue City were the Embassy
supported an already existing NCA - Nordic Assistance to Vietnam (NAV).
FFA entered a cooperation with NAV and has since 2003 been hosted at the
NAV head quarter in Hue. Mr. Nguyen Hoang Phuong, former interpreter for
the FFA was hired as new project coordinator.

Purpose/objective

The Terms of References states that the main objective of the assessment is to
get an independent review to substantiate the project, and to verify if the
activities have started to yield the anticipated and desired results. The
assessment aims to examine experiences and expectations from the target
population, football clubs, leaders, coaches and instructors to find the main
benefit from the project in terms of:
- Grassroots football development for both girls and boys, children and youth
- Football as building positive attitudes, social development, empowerment
and as a tool in the fight against HIV/AIDS

Methodology

The assessment took place in February and March 2005, on request from the
Football Association of Norway. The scope of the assessment was the whole
period the project have been running, with focus on the current status and the
ability to reach the anticipated results stated in the application to NORAD for
2007.
The assessment was conducted by a team of two, Mrs. Ha Tran, Consultant
hired by the Football Association of Norway and Mr. Pelle Kvalsund, Consultant
from the Norwegian Olympic Committee and Confederation of Sport.
A number of project sites and districts were visited in both TT Hue Province
and Hanoi City to get a sufficient overview of the activities and people
involved.

Key findings

It was apparent from the start of our observation that Football for All in Vietnam
is driven by a genuine enthusiasm that is spread out and reflected in the
ownership and the commitment at all levels of the project. This is an enormous
strength, and even though football in Vietnam is not as big as in other places in
the world, it is the largest sport and recreational activity in the country, and is
played by children and adults in the cities as well as rural area and remote
areas.
The people in Vietnam seem to be very disciplined and controlled. It has
therefore been particular touching to see the enormous passion, pride and
enthusiasm amongst parents, leaders, teachers and not least the children.
Teachers on their knees of pure pride when their team win, and the concern
when someone get injured.
Another of FFA's strengths is the primary focus on football. The importance of
sport and the value of the sports activities alone seem to drive the project, and
without this there is no project.
We believe that the project has a huge potential and that, even with a
challenging start, leaving some gaps to be filled, the project already is fairly
successful in providing new opportunities for participation in football for children
in targeted primary schools.
Some of the challenges identified by the participants and stakeholders are focus,
clarity and sustainability, and are in detail described under various chapters in
the report.

Recommendations

1. Focus and clarification of roles in partnerships
2. Increase the capacity of the leaders
3. HIV/AIDS component
4. Infrastructure
5. Sustainability