On February 6th 2010, CISM –Suriname launched in Albina the “Open the gates of The Barracks and bring the children in”. Albina is a small town along the border river with French Guiana’s “département d'outre-mer”.  In the weeks before the launch, sports instructors of the army together with locals identified youngsters who met the criteria set for this CISM-Fila initiative and formed four teams, two U12’s and two teams U17 team.  The two teams under 12 were mixed, boys and girls, teams. In a playful manner the selected athletes were also learned the basics of the game.  Also flyers were distributed in which the community was invited for the opening ceremony.

A military drum band marched through the town followed by the four teams of young football players between 7 and 17 years of age. Other youth spontaneously stepped in and closed ranks with their friends, marching to the soccer field in Front of the Akontoe Velantie Kazerne were the opening ceremony took place.

The Minister of Defense, I. Fernald and the Commander of the Armed Forces, Col. E. Mercuur, stressed in their opening speeches the importance of sport in forming once character. LTC. C.W. Li Fo Sjoe, CoD CISM-Suriname elaborated in his speech on the specifics of this CISM- FiFA initiative and indicated that in February “The Open the Gates of the Barracks and Bring the Children in” project would also be launched on five other locations. He promised the soccer players that after 3 months there will be a tournament in a real soccer stadium were the winners of each location were the project is initiated will meet, while the teams that did not qualify for the final games will be there too but then as supporters.

After the opening speeches the minister handed the first of the 64 soccer boots to one of the captains of the already dressed soccer players. On two mini-soccer fields the kick off for the games which started with 4 teams of 8 soccer players under 12 were done by the Minister of Defense I. Fernald and Commander E. Mercuur.

The success of this project in Albina is such that the children from the two secondary schools in Albina asked the sports instructors of the Army to do the same but then with Volleyball. And since Albina is a border town they also asked if they could play matches against children from St. Laurent a French Guianese town on the other side of the river.