Sport in Action, Wallace Group, and World Netball Unite to Expand Community Sport Hub Sites Across Africa

A powerful new chapter in sport-for-development has begun as Sport in Action, the Wallace Group, and World Netball officially announce their partnership to expand the successful Community Sport Hub Site model beyond Zambia and into new regions, starting with the Ivory Coast. The announcement was made at a reception hosted by the British High Commission.

Empowering Communities Through Sport

At the heart of this partnership is a shared mission: to empower communities through sustainable, locally-led sport development. Since 2017, the number of Community Sport Hub Sites in Zambia has grown from just 5 to an impressive 49. These hubs now support:

• 263 teams
• Over 350 trained coaches (53% of whom are women)
• More than 16,000 active participants

Each hub is run in the community, by the community, for the community—serving as a central venue for sport-specific training, competition, and youth development. The model focuses on creating inclusive pathways, especially for young women and girls, while promoting education, leadership, and social enterprise.

A Toolkit for Sustainable Growth

To support the replication of this model, the Wallace Group and Sport in Action, in collaboration with the National Sports Council and various Sports Federations, have developed a Community Sport Hub Site Toolkit. This practical guide provides step-by-step instructions for communities and leaders to establish and sustain their own hub sites.

A Global Vision with World Netball

Building on the legacy of the 2019 Netball World Cup, World Netball has joined the initiative to help scale the model internationally.

A Milestone Visit to Ivory Coast

In November 2024, Jack Preston, International Sports Development Officer for the Wallace Group and Sport in Action, joined Joan Smit, Africa Regional Development Manager for World Netball, on a pivotal visit to Ivory Coast. Their mission: to introduce the Community Sport Hub Site model to the country’s national governing body and deliver intensive training to local leaders and coaches.

The six-day orientation and capacity-building programme was a resounding success:

• 57 participants were officially awarded Orientation Completion Certificates
• Over 1,000 individuals were reached through community outreach activities
• Trainees represented 13 different regions across Ivory Coast
• The programme was endorsed by the Ministry of Sport and Lifestyle Development, highlighting its potential to transform lives—especially for young women and girls

This visit marked a significant step in the international rollout of the hub-site model, with the Ivory Coast becoming the first country outside Zambia to adopt the initiative. The enthusiasm and commitment shown by local stakeholders signal a promising future for community-led sport development across West Africa.

Joan Smit – Africa Regional Development Manager for World Netball, said: “The Netball hub-sites are a brilliant Netball Development Model which was also a part of the very successful 2019 World Cup legacy project, which saw Zambia have huge success and make large strides forwards. Because of the success and sustainability of the Hub-Sites in Zambia, we decided that the hubs would be the perfect project to rollout to the rest of Africa, beginning here in Cote d’Ivoire. Further on from that, this is the perfect development tool to grow netball across Africa.”

Gilbert Koumassi – Head of Technical Directive for Ivorian Netball remarked often about how this is the perfect project, implemented at the perfect time. “In Ivory Coast we have some netball teams and clubs but they are not taken seriously because they all are positioned so far from one another, they never have competition. How can you be a team if all you do is train? When do you play? When do you compete? These Hub-Sites are going to change all that for us and we are so grateful.”

With support from World Netball’s new Sport Development Fund, part of the 2027 World Cup legacy programme, the Hub-Site toolkit is now being used as the booklet to guide the development and grassroots strategy for Ivorian Netball, and the model has already been introduced in 11 sites across the Ivory Coast, with more countries expected to follow.

Driving Impact Across Zambia and Beyond

The expansion of these hubs has enabled Sport in Action to deliver impactful educational programs, reduce youth unemployment, and foster social inclusion. The model’s success in Zambia is now serving as a blueprint for other nations, proving that community-led sport development can be a powerful force for change.

Acting High Commissioner to Zambia Jason Tran, said: “This initiative is a shining example of how sport can unite communities, empower young people, and drive sustainable development. The expansion of the Community Sport Hub Site model beyond Zambia is a testament to the strength of local leadership and international collaboration. The British High Commission is proud to support a movement that’s changing lives across Africa. We look forward to Zambia climbing the global ranks for Netball!”

Ben O’Connell, Director of Sport Cardiff Metropolitan University and Chair of the Wallace Group Board of Directors, said: “This partnership marks a defining moment in our shared journey to harness the power of sport for sustainable community development. The expansion of the Community Sport Hub Site model into Ivory Coast is not just a milestone—it’s a testament to what’s possible when local leadership, global collaboration, and a deep commitment to equity come together. At the Wallace Group, we are proud to stand alongside Sport in Action and World Netball in championing a model that empowers young people, especially girls, to lead, grow, and thrive through sport.”