Paris Saint Germain (PSG), the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) through its project “Visit Rwanda” and the Ministry of Sports proceeded this Saturday, November 27, 2021, to the official opening of the Rwandan Academy of Paris Saint Germain “PSG” at the international stadium of Huye.
This academy starts with 172 children aged between 7 and 14 years. Among them, 62 girls and 110 boys. They were selected from 38 schools in the Huye district, both primary and secondary. They say they generally have a great passion for football.
John Smith Nduwayezu, aged 13, is enrolled in secondary 2 at the Elena Guerra School Centre. He was selected to attend football classes. “I was overjoyed when I was admitted to the PSG Rwanda Academy,” he says. “My parents also received the news well,” he says.
Since his early childhood, John Smith has always had a passion for football. “Being part of the PSG Rwandan Academy is a chance for me to become a famous player like Nehemar,” he says.
Passion for football, one of the selection criteria
This Rwandan PSG Academy, officially launched on Saturday, has been operational for six months. As a first step, it has acquired leaders. It also proceeded to the selection of these young people.
This action was conducted jointly by PSG leaders, the Rwanda Amateur Football Federation (FERWAFA) and the Rwanda Ministry of Sports, according to Grâce Nyinawumuntu, technical director of the Rwanda PSG academy.
The criteria taken into consideration are among others the passion of these children for football, the control of the ball, the commitment to the field as well as the endurance of these young people during training and friendly matches between them.
Rationale for choosing Huye as the headquarters
According to the general manager of PSG’s international academies, Ms. Nadia Benmokhtar, the choice of Huye is motivated by several elements. “Huye has a greater number of schools and certain infrastructures, notably the Huye International Stadium,” she said.
The Rwandan PSG academy differs from the 17 others in the world. These are in the hands of private investors. All children enrolled pay. “But in Rwanda, the selected children will study for free,” says Nadia Benmokhtar. “All costs will be covered by PSG and the Government of Rwanda through RDB via its ‘Visit Rwanda’ project, to enable all talented children from different social classes to study without exception,” she explains.
Apart from this objective of training young people, the Secretary General at the Ministry of Sports, Didier Shema Maboko, adds that of developing nurseries. “The establishment of this Rwandan PSG Academy will help the Ministry of Sports in its policy to develop nurseries for young Rwandan footballers. It will limit the number of foreign players recruited at an exorbitant cost,” he said.
In early December 2019, the PSG football team forged a partnership with the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), through its Visit Rwanda program. All this, stressed the French Ambassador to Rwanda, Antoine Anfré, is the result of the renewal of good cooperation between the two countries, France and Rwanda.
Reporter from Huye
why are you concentrated in huye only?do more tours in hall country ,and if possible make a program for the hollydays to occupay the students in their grands vacances ,and if it’s possible how will be the coast?