Accompanying Castillo is OFC Just Play Technical Coordinator Emmie Sope and UNICEF Pacific consultant Melissa Palombi.
Palombi’s role at UNICEF Pacific is to work closely with OFC to help integrate key messages, from UNICEF Pacific’s main programmatic focal areas, into the Just Play programming format.
Palombi’s work has seen her travel from her home country of Canada, to Zambia, South Africa, Namibia, and now to the Pacific where she is making her first visit to Papua New Guinea.
The seminar got underway on Tuesday at Ela Beach Hotel with Castillo presenting on the success and achievements of the Just Play Program me to representatives from UNICEF PNG, AusAid, Health Department, National Capital District Education, National Capital District Commission, Brown Kapi Foundation and World Vision.
PNGFA Just Play Project Manager Margaret Aka said the aim of the seminar is to market the Just Play programme in Papua New Guinea to potential sponsors.
Aka said that to have Castillo and his team alongside the local instructors will serve to lift the profile of the award-winning programme in the country.
“It is envisaged that it will impact on potential partners and stakeholders to build confidence in them to support and strengthen the program,” she explained.
“While at the same time it brings confidence to the coordinators in each province to work harder to further develop the programme,” she said.
There are nine coordinators from seven provinces attending the seminar and with their help in their respective MAs the aim is to roll-out the programme to all the provinces in PNG over the next three years.
The nine coordinators are from Port Moresby, Simbu, Goroka, Kimbe, Madang, Bougainville and Wabag.
Just Play is designed and monitored by the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) Social Responsibility department, in partnership with the Australian Government through the Australian Sports Commission, Football Federation Australia, UEFA and UNICEF.

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