Location and general information
Access to Sport - 
Employability - 
Infrastructure and equipment - 
Personal developmentContext
The FundLife Dream Academy aims to support highly vulnerable youth living in Cebu City, Philippines. One in four children in Cebu are trapped in poverty with little chance of climbing up the social ladder. Education is one of the most important bridges to a better life.
Children in Cebu often have no access to proper education or they opt to drop out. Access to education is further exacerbated by frequent natural disasters and, recently, the COVID-19 pandemic. More girls than boys are out of school at a ratio of 2:1. Girls mainly drop out for family reasons, including early marriage and being isolated by domestic roles; boys tend to drop out due to a lack of personal interest, a need to financially support their families, and an inability to understand the relevance of education to their future.
From socio-economic growth to improved political representation, the evidence of the benefits of educating and empowering girls is clear. According to UNICEF, educating girls saves millions of lives, as they are more likely to value education and invest in the next generation. When girls and women are able to make informed choices – impacting a range of issues from child malnutrition and mortality to better democratic processes – the overall social and emotional well-being of society is improved.
Project content
FundLife’s mission is to give every child equal opportunity in football and in life. The FundLife Dream Academy (FDA) expands the successful flagship Football for Life Champions Academy project to a new location, the highly urbanised and impoverished city of Cebu. The FDA protects, educates and provides opportunities to vulnerable children via a holistic sport-for-youth empowerment approach. Its child education programme combines engagement through football, access to digital learning and a community-run safe space (including a futsal court) in which the children can develop and acquire the tools they need for a better future.
Objectives
- Reduce school dropout rates in beneficiary communities.
- Provide self-development and employment opportunities for teenagers.
- Increase the participation of girls in sports and improve their access to education, self-development and employment opportunities.
Project activities
- Two weekly play-based sessions for football development and personal growth.
- One weekly local community league game to foster a sense of belonging and commitment.
- One weekly facilitated digital self-learning session.
- Ongoing access to digital self-learning multimedia.
- Construction of a safe space for play and learning (including a futsal court) lead and run by the community.
FROM TACLOBAN TO MOSCOW
Expected results
- Two weekly play-based sessions for football development and personal growth.
- One weekly local community league game to foster a sense of belonging and commitment.
- One weekly facilitated digital self-learning session.
- Ongoing access to digital self-learning multimedia.
- Construction of a safe space for play and learning (including a futsal court) lead and run by the community.
Partner
