Soccer club aids East African refugees in adapting to American schooling in Rockford

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Constance Lane Elementary School has established a soccer club called “Soka Umoja” to help a growing population of East African refugees adapt to American culture and school.

“There’s at least 150 students here that are Swahili speaking. And from the East Africa area,” Assistant Principal Mitch Wilson said. “In the classroom, they weren’t paying attention. They often wanted to play.”

The school decided to try and reach those students in the place they love to be the most: the soccer field.

Wilson recruited the help of a school social worker and African refugee Emmanuel Kuzika to establish “Soka Umoja,” — which means “soccer unity” in Swahili — a soccer club for the refugee students. They can play as long as they maintain good behavior and classroom performance.

To African students, Kuzika explained, soccer is more than just a game.

“The goal is just to create this safe and, you know, belonging environment for our kids that come from East Africa. Of course, soccer is a major thing in Africa. So we thought that soccer will create a connection and a positive environment for them, a reminder of home,” he said.

“The reason why I wanted to be on this team, because it gave me a confidence to play more soccer and do my work so I can be on the team,” one student said.

Wilson says the results have been outstanding.

“We’ve done ten weeks and just in that ten weeks we’ve seen kids just really engage in American culture and American school,” he said. “They’re doing their work. They’re following instructions, and they’re staying in class to make a big impact really quickly, especially with a population that is hard to reach. Just light a fire underneath me.”

Kuzika said he has a sense of pride helping young people go through the same experience he did, years ago.

“I’m real proud and proud to, you know, and we have a very good team here, a supportive team here. And I’ve seen, you know, personally, I think it’s it’s a good program. It’s a good program to do to help students, especially those who don’t speak English, to … feel like they’re part of the school system,” he said.

Wilson said Soka Umoja is such a hit that the school needs more volunteers to help coach the team.