U.S. Embassy’s NAS Awards Three New Soccer Scholarships to Yungas Youths

The U.S. Embassy’s Narcotics Affairs Section awarded soccer scholarships to three young players from the Yungas region. As in previous years, the awardees were chosen according to their performance at a soccer championship for players under 13 years of age in the town of Coroico. The new three awardees will attend the prestigious Tahuichi Soccer Academy in Santa Cruz for ten months starting in February, 2009. The NAS-provided scholarships cover all the youths’ expenses, including tuition, education, health care, school materials, and other costs.
“We are very happy with the results we have achieved so far. We have many projects to continue helping these young players improve their soccer talents,” said NAS officer Joseph Crook.  “We are analyzing the feasibility of extending the scholarship beyond the current 10-month period, because we think their talent requires more instruction,” remarked Christopher Lambert, Deputy Chief of Mission of the U.S. Embassy. This scholarship program is part of a drug use prevention initiative sponsored by the U.S. Embassy in Bolivia, through its Narcotics Affairs Section.