Who we are, what we do and why you should volunteer as a sports coach abroad with COACH ABROAD.
COACH ABROAD connects sports enthusiasts with social sports projects in Africa, currently in South Africa, Kenya and Tanzania. The focus is not on charity, but on sustainable development: volunteers share their sports expertise with local coaches without taking over their role. COACH ABROAD was founded by Nicola Scholl, a former Bundesliga handball player with over a decade of experience in sports development in Africa.
COACH ABROAD offers three core features: All partner projects are actively reviewed and carry a multi-level seal of approval. The pricing models are transparent, and the programme fees cover the organisation and support of the volunteer placements as well as accommodation, meals and the ongoing operation of the projects on site. And instead of interchangeable mass offerings, COACH ABROAD specifically arranges community-based projects in which volunteers take on real responsibility and achieve visible results.
COACH ABROAD was founded by Nicola Scholl, a former German handball Bundesliga player who worked as a volunteer in South Africa in 2009 and founded the sports and youth development organisation PlayHandball ZA in 2013. She advises the DOSB and GIZ on sport for development and is the initiator of the first handball and education tournament series in South Africa. Ronny Fischer is a freelance designer and world traveller who believes that travel and intercultural understanding can have a positive and lasting impact on young people. Both are united by the mission of connecting sports enthusiasts with social projects that have a real impact.
The ‘Badge of Trust’ is COACH ABROAD's seal of approval for trustworthy partner projects, awarded in bronze, silver or gold. Several criteria are evaluated, including transparent and reliable communication with volunteers, positive testimonials from previous participants, and sustained efforts to ensure quality in the project. We also want to motivate our partner projects to achieve excellence.
Although sport is deeply rooted in the culture of many African countries – Kenyan runners dominate international endurance sports and West African footballers play in Europe's top leagues – many children and young people are denied access to organised training. A lack of equipment, long distances to travel, crime in the surrounding area and cultural barriers prevent them from participating. However, structured sports training has been proven to improve concentration, self-confidence and social skills. In countries such as Kenya, it can also provide access to educational support through scholarship programmes.
The 'White Saviour Complex' is the tendency of privileged people from the Global North to present themselves as saviours in development contexts. This tendency is often unconscious and despite good intentions. In the context of volunteering, this can manifest as paternalism, short-term assignments that lack depth, and an ignorance of local perspectives. COACH ABROAD openly addresses this phenomenon in the application process: volunteers are specifically prepared to act as learning partners, not as helpers from above.
Well-intentioned volunteer projects can inadvertently create dependencies if they focus on short-term solutions rather than sustainable development. COACH ABROAD therefore relies on partnership-based cooperation on an equal footing: volunteers support local coaches and project managers instead of taking over their roles. The aim is to empower people to help themselves by sharing knowledge, building local skills and providing economic support to host families. Cultural sensitivity and involving all stakeholders in decision-making processes are just as important as ensuring that the deployment period enables real progress.
