Kouffo, July 2025

In a remarkable debut at the 2025 National School Sports Championship, Al-Bahr Middle School—part of the Direct Aid educational network—made headlines with the selection of six of its boarding students to represent the Kouffo region in three major sports disciplines: football, handball, and athletics.

Outstanding Representation Across Three Sports

  • Football: Goalkeeper Toma was selected to join the regional team following his outstanding performance—marking the school’s first representation at this competitive level.
  • Handball: Three students—Moqaddem, Ismail, and Claude—earned spots on the regional squad, showcasing the school’s growing reputation in team sports.
  • Athletics:
    • Elisée claimed first place ? in the 400m sprint at the regional qualifiers and advanced to the national championship. Though narrowly missing the finals in the individual race, he helped the Kouffo relay team win third place ?, despite being obstructed twice during the race.
    • Soural secured second place ? in the long jump at the regional level and went on to finish third ? nationally, despite an injury during his final jump. His resilience and performance earned him a place on the national junior athletics team ??.

Beyond Medals: A Victory for Character and Development

The championship brought with it a series of valuable gains for the students and the school:

  • Students were selected to join a state-sponsored training camp for elite young athletes.
  • They received coaching from professional, nationally recognized trainers.
  • The experience allowed them to compete alongside and learn from seasoned student-athletes from across the country.
  • Sports experts and officials unanimously described the school’s performance as a historic achievement, especially given the school’s recent establishment and small student body.
  • Several high-level coaches expressed direct interest in mentoring and training Al-Bahr students in future competitions.

Driven by Passion, Purpose, and Belonging

The school leadership emphasized that the most valuable outcome was the perseverance and commitment shown by the boarding students and their coaches, fueled by their belief in the mission of Direct Aid and their deep sense of belonging to the school community. This spirit motivated them to represent the institution with pride and excellence.

This milestone marks a new chapter for Al-Bahr Middle School, paving the way for future national and regional athletic success, and highlighting the power of education, discipline, and opportunity in shaping young lives.