Event: Special World Cup Legends’ Dinner, September 11, 2023, Toulouse

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The evening before the WRC France vs Namibia match, a Legends dinner was organised by Karim Ben Amar and the team of his Escale Borely at Sport Beach, Marseille. It was a fund raising initiative, as 100% of the profits from the evening were to be donated to the Serge Betsen Academy.We would like to thank all our guests who attended this dinner and also the rugby initiation led, during the afternoon, by Serge Betsen himself for the young people of the Stade Marseillais Université Club (SMUC). It was a pleasure to share this moment with the legends: Yann Delaigue, Marc Andreu, Sebastien Bruno, Bakary Meïté, John Tuilakepa and Virginie La Porta, as well as all those who were present for the Legends match the next day.

Thanks to Karim BEN AMAR and his Escale Borely team for the organisation as well as to Romain Canuti, at the Sport Beach restaurant and Alain Michaud Bonnet for their welcome, to Stéphane Tollet from the SMUC, to the Association of Traders of the Escale Borély, to Oxyne, Kaporal and Château d’Astros, Ovale Beach Rugby Five Marseille, as well as TotalEnergies for their support.

 

Translation : Katy Birgé-Wilson

Event: David Ellis Jubilee Match, French Legends vs XIII Mondial

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David Ellis will be celebrating his jubilee, in a unique approach alternating the rules of XIII and XV, League and Union, in the shape of a Gala match between several generations of stars of the Oval ball.

Come along on October 12 at 5 p.m. in Prades (66) to attend this unique match between the French Legends and the XIII Mondial Rugby League Cares. The profits will be donated to two associations dear to the players’ hearts: the Serge Betsen Academy and Handi Move & Fun.

A big thank you to David Ellis, Ellis Rugby, JOP Conflent Canigou – Prades, Prades Town Hall, Rugby League Cares and French Legends for this collaboration.

Among the French Legends, you will be able to support: Julien Bonnaire, Jérémy Castex, Jean-Philippe Grandclaude, Guilhem Guirado and Thomas Lièvremont.

As for the XIII World team, to date, are already registered: Gareth Ellis, Adrian Morley, Lee Radford, Keith Senior and from Wales, Andy Bateman, Kevin Ellis and Clive Griffiths.

There will also be an auction where cult items from the world and history of Rugby will be sold and then a reception will close the party.

You can support the event by making a donation on this platform. You can get your tickets on location at the JOPCC, Jeunesse Olympique Pradéenne Conflent Canigou (price: €12, free for children under 12).

For more information on the event, please contact: Jean-Pierre Respaut JOPCC: jeanpierrerespaut@orange.fror mobile 00 33 7 85 27 65 82

 

Translation : Katy Birgé-Wilson

 

Event: Rugby on the Roof at the Boun’s in Yaoundé for the opening match of the World Cup!

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The Boun’s Hotel in Yaoundé invites you to come to its rooftop and watch France – New Zealand, the opening match of the World Cup.

An introduction-video to the match will be produced by Serge Betsen for the guests and projected on the big screen on the rooftop. So, even if at that precise time, Serge Betsen will be at the Stade de France cheering on “Les Bleus”, he will also, thanks to this video, be with all the guests in Yaoundé, sharing the moment.

H.E. Thierry Marchand, Ambassador of France to Cameroon, together with his team, will honour us with his presence. Representatives of the Serge Betsen Academy Cameroon will also be present on the rooftop introducing the association and hosting a raffle; the profits will be donated to the association. The Boun’s will also provide, at low prices for the guests, a barbecue and drinks.

So come along to the Boun’s, we’ll see you around 6 p.m. (Cameroon time) on the rooftop. We’ll enjoy the activities put on by the Hotel and our association, and of course we’ll support “Les Bleus” from 8 p.m.

Raffle tickets will be on sale from 6:30 p.m. at the entrance to the rooftop. See Douglas, coordinator of the Serge Betsen Academy to buy your tickets. The prize to be won: a Biarritz Olympique jersey signed by Serge Betsen himself!

We will draw the winner and hold the prize-giving ceremony at half-time. The signed shirt will be handed over by the Ambassador of France in Cameroon to the winner.

Here is the address of Boun’s Hotel: Downtown _Rue De Narvick- Carrefour S. H.O adjacent the Bricolux store, Yaoundé, Cameroon

A big thank you to Benjamin Pion and Betty from the Boun’s Hôtel in Yaoundé for their welcome, and also to the French Embassy in Cameroon, our wonderful representatives, Philippe Poulleau and Philippe Huart, the UFE, Yaoundé Ovalie, PLAYCE Yaoundé and Beverages from Cameroon for their support.

During the evening, we will tell you more about the Corporate Rugby Tournament that we will organise in Yaoundé on Saturday 14 October, in the morning. You will have the opportunity to register in advance for this.

 

 

Translation by Katy Birge-Wilson.

Event: Conference with Serge Betsen in La Baule, 11 October 2023.

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You are kindly invited to attend a conference given by Serge Betsen on Wednesday 11 October in La Baule-Escoublac. This will be an opportunity for Serge Betsen to narrate his exceptional journey from his birth in Kumba in Cameroon until this Rugby World Cup in 2023. Here is the practical information: Conference by Serge Betsen on the theme “From Cameroon to the Rugby World Cup”.

 

🗓 Wednesday, 11 October 2023, from 6 p.m.

📍 Salle des Floralies, Avenue des Floralies, La Baule-Escoublac

❤ Free entry

 

This event is organized by the Rotary Pornichet Saint-Nazaire Atlantique with the support of the Rotary Club La Baule and the Town Hall of La Baule-Escoublac, to which we say a massive thank you. The profits will be entirely donated to the Serge Betsen Academy.

 

Program:

  • Introduction by Franck Louvrier, Mayor of La Baule and Christine Gourraud, President of the Rotary Pornichet Saint-Nazaire Atlantique
  • Thank you message to the sponsors by Vincent Belliard of the Rotary Pornichet Saint-Nazaire Atlantique
  • Conference by Serge Betsen, “From Cameroon to the Rugby World Cup”,
  • Q&A and tombola
  • Auction
  • Cocktail offered by Maison Loïc
  • Dinner at La Barbade with the Main Sponsor.

 

Come and celebrate the Rugby World Cup! Partnership opportunities are available. You can consult the partnership offers via this document (click here).

 

RSVP: rcpornichetstnazaireatlantique@gmail.com

Info: mailys@sergebetsenacademy.org

 

 

Translation by Katy Birgé-Wilson

Event: Legends’ Dinner, September 11, 2023, Toulouse

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Serge Betsen and the entire team of the Serge Betsen Academy association are organising “a Legends Dinner” on Monday, 11 September 2023 from 7 p.m., at the Brennan’s Snug Bar in Seilh (31).

This event will be an opportunity to celebrate the values of rugby, the association’s 20th anniversary and to discuss the Rugby World Cup, with passion, with rugby legends.

Surprise guests from the world of rugby including Yannick Jauzion, Trevor Brennan, Patrick Tabacco and Omar Hasan will be joining Serge Betsen for this occasion,. We will have various speakers during the dinner and also a quiz, an introduction to our association, a Q&A and auctions.

The profits from the evening will be entirely donated to the Serge Betsen Academy (SBA) association.

We look forward to spending this evening with Toulouse-based businesses and local rugby fans who support our mission and contribute to the well-being of the SBA children and families.

The contribution for this dinner is 120 Euros / person (i.e. 40.8 or 48 Euros after taxes). You can also sponsor the event as a company and benefit from invitations and various rewards. You will find all our partnership proposals on this document (click here).

The money collected during the evening shall be used to finance the studies of our SBA students, to purchase school supplies or for the creation of a poultry farm for our women of the SBA Coop, our cooperative.

 

To register for the event and buy your tickets, please send an email to sylvie@sergebetsenacademy.org or mailys@sergebetsenacademy.org.

 

Translation by Katy Birge-Wilson

 

Event: Rugby 7s exhibition tournament on June 3 at the Bangangté municipal stadium

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The Serge Betsen Academy (SBA) association is organising a 7-a-side rugby exhibition tournament on Saturday June 3 2023 in the morning, in Bangangté. On this occasion, we will exceptionally bring together our four adult rugby teams from Cameroon at the municipal stadium of Bangangté and a women’s match will close this morning of sport.

We will have the honour to welcome H.E. Mr. Thierry Marchand, Ambassador of France to Cameroon, Mr. Yann Lorvo, the Embassy’s Counsellor for Cooperation and Cultural Action and Director of the French Institute in Cameroon, Mrs. Virginie Dago, Director of the Agence Française de Développement (AFD – French Development Agency) in Cameroon as well as two members of the AFD delegation, Mr Eric Niat, Mayor of Bangangté and Christiane Niat, Director of the Black Platinium Agency. Our President, Serge Betsen and Sylvie Ledard, our Project Manager will welcome their guests of honour and show them around our Eau Claire centre in Bangangté. At the end of this visit, the guests will attend the men’s rugby tournament and the women’s rugby match.

Thanks also to the Agence Française de Développement (AFD – French Development Agency) for its support of the association as part of the “Academies” program in collaboration with PLAY International and the Diambars Institute.

We would like to thank our distinguished guests for coming to Bangangté in order to attend this exhibition tournament organised in their honour, as well as Boissons du Cameroun, which is sponsoring the drinks, and the Town Hall of Bangangté, which is supporting us. This tournament is also possible thanks to the Agence Française de Développement (AFD – French Development Agency), which supports the SBA as part of the “Academies” program led by PLAY International and the Diambars Institute, and of which we are the lucky beneficiaries.

The objective of this morning is to give the SBA players the opportunity to meet on a rugby pitch and to develop their competitive spirit, to strengthen the players’ rugby spirit and the feeling of belonging to the same association and to assess the level of players from the Serge Betsen Academy (SBA).

Good tournament to all!

 

Translation : Katy Birgé-Wilson

 

Event: The first ever Bangangté inter-school rugby tournament! Congratulations to the winners of the four Trophies!

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Wednesday, April 26, 2023 will remain an important date for the young people of Bangangté. It was the very first time that they defended their school colours during a rugby tournament organised by the Serge Betsen Academy (SBA).

Around 216 young people, aged 6 to 14, divided into 18 teams, got together during the whole day at the Collège Saint Jean Baptiste stadium in Bangangté to take part in our Bangangté inter-school rugby tournament. There were young people from the Bamena technical high school, the Babou classical high school, the Saint Jean Baptiste college, the Eau Claire centre of the Serge Betsen Academy, the Group 1A school, the Group 1B school, the Group 2A school, the Group 2B school and the bilingual school.

Honouring us with his presence, Mayor Eric Niat kicked off the Tournament. Throughout the day, the atmosphere was incredible, and seeing the young people having so much fun on the rugby pitch, fighting for every ball, and then proudly brandishing their certificate and their trophy, we felt a lot of emotions.

Our congratulations go to each and every one of the participants for their rugby spirit during the tournament and for their combativeness on the pitch. And we would especially wish to salute the four teams for their victories during the first edition of the Bangangté inter-school rugby tournament. The big winners are:

– For the SBA Primary Girls Trophy: the bilingual school

– For the SBA Primary Boys Trophy: public school group 2B

– For the SBA Secondary school Women Trophy: Saint Jean Baptiste College

– For the SBA Secondary school Men Trophy: Saint Jean Baptiste College

 

We would like to thank the Saint Jean Baptiste College for their welcome, our guests of honour for their warm presence and their support towards the association, as well as our sponsors and partners without whom this event would not have been possible:

– Société Générale Cameroun

– Arno Group Association

– Town Hall of Bangangté, one of whose missions is to promote sports for young people in the municipal area

– Mayor Eric Niat

– The Black Platinium agency for their help in communication.

Thanks also to the Agence Française de Développement (AFD – French Development Agency) for its support of the association as part of the “Academies” program in collaboration with PLAY International and the Diambars Institute.

Last but not least, a massive thank you also to everyone involved in the organisation of the Tournament at the SBA, it was a great day of rugby, we could not have done it without you!

You can view the Tournament album here. We owe these beautiful photos and videos and also the above montage to Person Company, Baudouin Tchamegni and Rodrigue Azonfack and we thank them too.

 

Translation : Katy Birgé-Wilson

 

Event: The SBA organises the first inter-school rugby tournament in Bangangté

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Instigated by our Bangangté rugby coaches: Jacques Torresse, Idriss Tcheumkeu Ketcha and Loïc Benos Zeutsop Kenfack, the Serge Betsen Academy (SBA) is organising an inter-school rugby tournament on April 26 at the Collège Saint Jean Baptiste Stadium in Bangangté.

About 216 young competitors aged 6 to 14 will be playing to defend the colours of their own schools in a sporty and friendly atmosphere. This will be a great first for the young people and a great opportunity to celebrate the 19th anniversary of the association.

18 teams of girls and boys will participate in the Tournament. This will include 8 teams of 12 secondary school players (10 to 14 years old) and 10 teams of 12 primary school players (6 to 12 years old). Secondary school students will be accompanied by 4 supervisors and primary school students by 5 supervisors. Intensive training and non-mixted rugby matches are on the agenda. This tournament will be an occasion for the young people who are benefiting from rugby initiations, organised by our rugby coaches in Ndé schools, since 2019, to come together around the values of rugby, and to show what they can achieve. And this will allow our coaches to measure the progress of our young people.

We wish the coaches of Bangangté all the best for the onsite preparations and warmly thank our Sponsors, Société Générale Cameroun and ARNO Association, as well as our partners, the Town Hall of Bangangté, Mr. Eric Niat and the Black Platinum Agency for their support.

Do you want to come and support our young people? Then see you all at the Collège Saint Jean Baptiste stadium at 9 a.m., on April 26. The young competitors will be there from 7:30 a.m. and will be eagerly looking forward to seeing you all and to entertain you with their rugby skills.

Do enjoy the Games !

 

Translation : Katy Birgé-Wilson

Partnership: Serge Betsen travels to La Baule (France) to meet the young people from the Cité Scolaire Grand Air

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On Friday January 20, 2023, Serge Betsen travelled to La Baule to meet the pupils in Year 7 and 8 (US equivalent: 6thand 7thgrade) who are preparing for their 23 May cross-country charity race in support of the Serge Betsen Academy. Serge Betsen was invited by the Cité scolaire Grand Air of la Baule as part of their recent partnership and he had the pleasure of meeting the students and introducing the association, its missions and its actions to them, and of course he thanked them for their invaluable support.

The students listened to Serge Betsen with great interest and are now excited about the idea of running for the association. It was a great moment of exchanges, and the collaboration was launched! Children from the association were able to encourage the students for their races through a video made in Cameroon, and also to thank them.

 

 

Serge Betsen and Mr. Philippe Paul, head-teacher of the Cité Scolaire Grand Air of la Baule, then signed the agreement between the Serge Betsen Academy and the school, which decided to support us following the initiative of Olivier Le Corre, teacher of History-Geography & Civic Education who had met Serge a few years prior. An interview with Serge Betsen carried out by the Y10 (US Grade 9) followed, as then there was a conversation with Jean-Yves Le Jeune, journalist from Ouest France present for the occasion. At the end of this afternoon rich in encounters at Grand Air, Serge Betsen and a delegation from the school met with Mr. Franck Louvrier, Mayor of the City of La Baule-Escoublac. It was an opportunity to talk in detail about this collaboration and the actions of the association!

 

We would like to warmly thank the Cité scolaire Grand Air this great partnership as well as the students involved in this project. Serge Betsen, Our President was very touched by their warm welcome, as well as the commitment of Olivier Le Corre in organising this visit.

A huge thank you to Mr. Philippe Paul, head-teacher of the Cité Scolaire Grand Air of La Baule, Mrs. Perrai and Mr. Delacroix, deputy head-teachers of the college, Olivier Le Corre, History-Geography & Civic Education teacher who is leading the project, Pauline Basulto, Education Assistant, Fanny Morisson and Anne-Sophie Perraudin, History-Geography & Civic Education Teachers, Martine Chateau, Jean-Pierre Angelvy, Stéphane Aoustin, Physical Education and Sports Teachers, Frédéric Merlet and the Ulis section, and the entire teaching team involved in the organisation of this solidarity race.

Many thanks also to Mr. Franck Louvrier, Mayor of the City of La Baule-Escoublac and Vice-President of the Pays-de-Loire Region, Mr. Mathieu, Deputy Mayor in charge of sports affairs and associations, Mrs. Challier, municipal councillor and the elected representatives of the Municipal Youth Council for which she is responsible, who support this project.
Last but not least, thank you to the parents of Olivier Morato, Treasurer of the Serge Betsen Academy in the United Kingdom, for having made the trip to attend this special meeting between Serge Betsen and the students of Grand Air.
Philippe Grivaux kindly made a video of the encounter between Serge Betsen and the students and we are happy to share it with you:

Bring on the 23 of May!! And until then, good luck to all the young people in their quest for sponsorships!

 

 

Please read this beautiful article written by Jean-Yves Le Jeune, following the 20 January meeting.

 

Translation : Katy Birgé-Wilson

Partnership: The pupils in Year 7 and 8 of the Cité Scolaire Grand Air of La Baule, in support of the Serge Betsen Academy!

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It is with great pleasure that we announce that the Cité scolaire Grand Air of La Baule(France) has set up a partnership with the Serge Betsen Academy (SBA). This secondary school, which welcomes 514 students for the Years 7 to 10 (US equivalent: 6th– 9thgrade) and 625 students for the Years 11 to 13 (grade 10th-12th), wanted to make the SBA the main beneficiary of their cross-country race raising money for charity to be held on 14 April 2023.

The story begins with the meeting of Olivier Le Corre, a rugby fan and History-Geography & Civic Education teacher, with Serge Betsen. Olivier Le Corre came across Serge Betsen on the Rialto Bridge in Venice while he was on a school trip with his students. He then discovered with enthusiasm the mission of the association, discussed it internally back-home and contacted us to discuss the set-up of this partnership.

For the last 14 years, on the initiative of the History-Geography and PE teachers of the school, the pupils in Years 7 and 8 (about 240 in total), including the ULIS Section (students with disabilities) participate in the school’s charity race on the beach of La Baule-Escoublac and the embankment of La Baule. Ahead of time, the students look for sponsors within their entourage who agree to pay an amount per lap, this amount being then donated to a partner association. From 2015 to 2019, the Inde et Vous (“India and You”) association was the beneficiary of the race.

Here are some photos of past editions sent-in by Stéphane Aoustin:

This time, the Serge Betsen Academy will be the lucky beneficiary of the 2023 edition. We would like to thank the students participating in this sporting and solidarity challenge and encourage them to surpass themselves. Serge Betsen had the pleasure to meet the students in January and to present to them the actions and the mission of the Serge Betsen Academy. The money collected during the race will be used for the education component of our association, namely to pay the tutoring teachers, to rent premises and pay the centres’ electricity, water and internet bills. This support is very precious, it enables our disadvantaged children in Cameroon and Mali to study in good conditions, thus maximising their chances of getting a job and improving their standard of living. In the next years, it will then be possible to get dedicated support for our two other components, health and rugby, as well as support for the implementation of specific projects.

We would like to thank Mr. Philippe Paul, head-teacher of the Cité Scolaire, Mrs. Perrai and Mr. Delacroix, deputy head-teachers of the college, Olivier Le Corre, History-Geography & Civic Education teacher who is leading the project, Pauline Basulto, Education Assistant, Fanny Morisson and Anne-Sophie Perraudin, History-Geography & Civic Education Teachers, Martine Chateau, Jean-Pierre Angelvy, Stéphane Aoustin, Physical Education and Sports Teachers, Frédéric Merlet and the Ulis section, and the entire teaching team involved in the organisation of this solidarity race.

We wish a good sponsor quest to all pupils in Y7 and Y8 and good training for the race!

You will find all the practical details in the note published by the establishment:

And finally, for those who want to know more about the civic and solidarity commitment of the school, you can read the following article, published in the Ouest-France:

Article sur Grand Air dans Ouest France

 

 

Translation : Katy Birgé-Wilson