Breaking Barriers, Building Bridges: Game Connect summit addresses strong mental health case for refugees, host communities through sport

Following six engaging years of play and possibility, Uganda witnessed the highly interactive Game Connect Summit at Hotel Africana in Kampala.

The day-long summit was dwelt along the theme-line of “Breaking Barriers, Building Bridges”.

The Game Connect project was officially started in Uganda purposely to support the mental health of young refugees and host communities through sports related activities.

This project operates in various locations including Kampala, Adjumani, Pagirinya, Rwamwanja and Kyangwali where cases of mental health have drastically reduced over the years.

Over the years, this game connect project has impacted close to 30,000 youth who now report zero depression and anxiety and are proud of adequate psychosocial well being and a sense of belonging.

In Uganda, Game Connect was introduced by William Blick who was part of a discussion panel at the summit and spoke values like respect, friendship and excellence on which Olympic sport is built.

Olympic sport is built on timeless values: Respect, Friendship, and Excellence. Sport teaches us to compete with integrity, strive for greatness, and honor one another, even in defeat. When I looked at ways to make a meaningful difference in Uganda, sport stood out as the most powerful tool. Game Connect was born from that conviction to use sport to bridge divides, unite communities, and transform lives. What this initiative has achieved goes beyond the playing field; it has brought people together across cultural and community lines through sport, education, and shared experience. Sport has a unique ability to rehabilitate, restore dignity, and create the conditions for communities to coexist and thrive. It also has the power to shine a light on issues that often go unspoken mental health, for example, is a silent challenge that affects us all, and sport gives us a platform to address it openly and collectively. I am proud of what Game Connect has accomplished, and I remain committed to ensuring its success. Sport does not work in isolation it has the power to partner with every sector of society, from health to education to peacebuilding. In Uganda and beyond, I believe sport can continue to be that unifying force that changes lives and strengthens communities.

William Blick, IOC Member

Since 2020, Game Connect has shown that sport is a powerful catalyst for healing, resilience, and community. By creating safe spaces for young refugees and host community youth to play and connect, we have witnessed friendships formed across cultures and young people discovering their potential. As we mark this journey at the Game Connect Summit, our commitment remains: strengthen partnerships and invest in youth-led solutions so every young person can play, connect, and thrive. Thank you to every partner, coach, and young person who has made this possible.

 Lydia Murungi Consortium Manager

22.9% of young people face Mental Health issues and may not even know their condition. Majority of these disorders are caused by self-inflicted stigma worsened by trauma and poverty, which should be watched. There is need to open up and seek assistance from a provider.

Dr Hafsa Lukwata, Commissioner for Mental Health & Substance Abuse at Uganda’s Ministry of Health.

Since 2020, the Olympic Refuge Foundation’s Game Connect initiative, led by AVSI Foundation in partnership with Right To Play, UNHCR, and others, has reached over 28,000 young people from refugee and host communities. Through sport integrated with life skills and psychosocial support, young people are rebuilding confidence, forming connections, and finding belonging. Our commitment remains: to keep building spaces where every young person is empowered to thrive.

John Makhoha,  AVSI Foundation in Uganda, Country Representative

In 2020, I joined Game Connect as a grieving, stressed young man who had just lost his father. A friend introduced me to the programme, and what I thought was just football turned out to be life-changing. Through the life skills sessions, I found confidence, a sense of belonging, and a passion for leadership. I grew from participant to peer leader to coach — landing my first paying job in the process. Game Connect then opened doors I never imagined. I represented Uganda at Festival 24 in France and the Homeless World Cup in South Korea, experiencing firsthand the Olympic values of Respect, Friendship, and Excellence on a global stage. The journey didn’t stop there. With the support of the Olympic Refuge Foundation, I successfully applied for the IOC Young Leaders Programme. That experience inspired me to found PlayPure — a project using sport to address mental health and drug abuse among young people in Uganda. Game Connect didn’t just give me sport. It gave me purpose, opportunity, and a future.

Otim Ambrose, IOC Young Leader, Game Connect Participant.

Sport includes any physical activity; every time we move our bodies and assert ourselves, we’re participating in sport. This activity releases happy hormones like oxytocin and dopamine. When these hormones are balanced, they make you feel good. That’s why sport can be transformative. Remember, consistency is key in all sports. Sports can be solo or group; you gain more benefits with others, it’s better together. Any sport works as long as you move your body in different directions.

Dr. Rita Larok, Graduation Approach Global Focal Point & Chief of Programs – AVSI Foundation in Uganda

Game connect is spearheaded by the AVSI foundation in collaboration with the Olympic Refuge Foundation, UNHCR, Uganda Olympic Committee, Right to play and Youth Sport Uganda.

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