Exploring Therapeutic Power of Football in Rehabilitation Process among Wounded Children and Youth in Rwanda

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to explore the transformative power of football in addressing psychological trauma and promoting holistic healing among disadvantaged children and youth in Rwanda. Drawing from Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory, the research assesses how football intersects with multiple environmental systems such as microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem and chronosystem to support physical, psychological, emotional, social and cognitive development. Methodology: Using a qualitative approach, data were collected through questionnaires, focus group discussion and interviews from 110 respondents with at least three years of football involvement considering the age interval ranged between 12 and 22. Findings: Findings reveal that football significantly contributes to emotional recovery, self-esteem, resilience, identity reconstruction and social reintegration for children and youth affected by various traumatic backgrounds. The study disclosed an average improvement of 89.2% of Physical development, 80.2% of psychological development, 72.5% of emotional development, 74.2% of social development and 76.1% of cognitive development. Despite positive outcomes, significant challenges remain, especially for individuals from socioeconomically marginalized backgrounds. Their holistic development is often hindered by limited access to resources, unresolved trauma, emotional vulnerability and experiences of social exclusion within team dynamics. The study concludes that football is more than a game; it is a therapeutic space that fosters healing, nurtures life skills and rebuilds the lives of traumatized children and youth. The research offers evidence-based insights for educators, policymakers, NGOs and practitioners seeking holistic, culturally relevant approaches to healing and youth development. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The study recommends the adoption of football as a therapeutic intervention, given its demonstrated effectiveness in supporting trauma recovery. It further advocates for inclusive, community-based football initiatives as essential mechanisms for psychosocial healing, capable of addressing both individual trauma and broader systemic inequalities.