OUR MISSION
Serge Betsen Academy (SBA) was born from the return of Serge to his native country: Cameroon.
After 18 years in France, Serge returned to his homeland and discovered to his amazement that they play rugby there too!
The Charity was subsequently created in 2004, based on 3 objectives:
1
Support the children’s education and access to basic healthcare
Access to infirmary is offered, where young boys and girls are provided with treatments.
2
Introduce rugby to underprivileged children in Cameroon
Weekly training sessions are run by experienced coaches and educators.
3
Use rugby to teach values and standards to these children
After school and during weekends, tutoring sessions are held in well-equipped classrooms run by SBA staff, teachers and volunteers.
CIRCUMSTANCES IN CAMEROON
In 2018, 25 million people were living in Cameroon. Although the country is home to many natural resources, it was only ranked 151st out of 188 in the Human Development Index (HDI) 2018. Over a third of the population lives below the poverty threshold. Children are most affected by poverty. Children born in the poorest households are twice as likely to die before the age of five, twice as likely not to finish primary school and four times as likely to suffer from stunted growth. Causes like malnutrition, a weak health system, high food prices, insufficient vaccination and difficult access to drinking water all contribute high poverty levels. Even more so in rural areas.
According to UNESCO, in 2018, 17.4% of men and 28.4% of women living in Cameroon could not read and write. Access to education is one of SBA’s priorities, with access for girls as a particular focus. We see that the children we support can go to school by funding their costs (such as school uniforms and stationery). Our objective is to prepare them for a better future, to offer them ways to get out of poverty, which starts at the youngest ages.
CIRCUMSTANCES IN MALI
UNESCO reports that 53.8% of men and 73.4% of women in Mali are illiterate. According to UNICEF, 52% of women marry before they are 18 and 17% before they are 15. Marriage at such young ages is “a widely accepted norm because of the social and financial advantages it brings”. For a majority of girls, it means dropping out of school. In some Malian regions, only 12%of girls complete primary school. Early marriage also leads to child labour and teenage pregnancies, as well as female genital mutilation which 89% of Malian girls suffer. In the face of such an alarming situation, we have decided to focus on girl education, by supporting 25 young students in the first instance. At SBA, gender stereotypes have no place and we wish to encourage these girls to see their school education through.
THE STORY
At the turn of the millennium, Serge Betsen discovered to his amazement that Rugby was being played in Cameroon. This was the perfect opportunity for Serge to give back something to his native country, through rugby. He liaised with his cousin Ahmed Atiback, who was still living in Cameroon, and they created the charity on 4th March 2004.
The charity began its work under the name of Les Enfants de Biemassy, as a project to increase the popularity of rugby for disadvantaged children in Cameroon. The organisation was subsequently renamed the Serge Betsen Academy, as its scope widened. The Charity now uses the game as a method for social integration, offering access to education as well as basic healthcare for hundreds of underprivileged children, in urban and rural Cameroon.
In 2020, the Charity opened a new centre in Bamako, Mali offering education, healthcare and rugby. The Serge Betsen Academy now lends a hand to disadvantaged children in Cameroon and Mali. More lives will improve thanks to rugby! A beautiful story is in the making.
Serge Betsen
Founder
Nicknamed “The Knacker from Biarritz, the Mower, the Shears“ as an international rugby player, Serge is now a consultant. He shares the values of rugby with those from large companies. He created a team and they have united around the Academy for more than 10 years.
Ahmed ATIBACK
Founder †
Former basketball player. He was the artisan who enabled the SBA to be founded in Cameroon, back in 2004.
Marguerite-Marie ETCHEVERRY
Founder
She is a French national of Cameroonian descent on her father’s side. She lives in the Basque country where she works as an orthodontist.
FRANCE
Aline Atiback
CEO
Lawyer at the Paris Bar and mediator, Aline Atiback decided to join the SBA to continue the work of her brother Ahmed Atiback, co-founder of the charity. She was seduced by the richness of the SBA project, the images of children benefiting from the support of the SBA and the enthusiasm of the team. She hopes she will help this beautiful charity to achieve its objectives.
Sébastien Lovy
Treasurer
Sébastien is a group company’s manager, who also took part to the 2011 trip with Serge Betsen and the English delegation. He has been sponsoring Serge Betsen Academy for almost 15 years, and decided to get personally involved in the charity to ensure its optimal management.
CAMEROON
Jean-Cyrille Monthé
Secretary-general
Serge Betsen AcademyDjibril Ngassam
Advisor
Serge Betsen AcademySa Majesté Keutcha Djanda Rodrigue
Advisor
Serge Betsen AcademyUK
Olivier Morato
Treasurer
Olivier, long-time friend with Serge and finance director in music publishing, after having supported the SBA on some events in London, recently decided to put his strategic and financial skills for the benefit of the association in order to make it evolve into an optimal structure where any investment will fully benefit the children of the SBA.
MALI (registration in progress)
Mailys Finel Drouault
Communication Consultant
Since January 2017, Mailys is the SBA communications consultant. With a background in communications and experience in the education field, she is proud to work for a good cause.
Sylvie Ledard
Project Manager Consultant
Sylvie lived in Africa and is particularly sensitive to the needs of the children.
Therefore she joined the Serge Betsen Academy in early 2022 and is delighted to be involved as a Project Manager consultant within this beautiful charity.
Therefore she joined the Serge Betsen Academy in early 2022 and is delighted to be involved as a Project Manager consultant within this beautiful charity.
Nelly Dellamaria
Biarritz, FRANCE
Serge Betsen Academy
Lionel Quenardel
Paris, FRANCE
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