Location and general information
Access to Sport - 
Children with disabilities - 
Conflict victims - 
Gender Equality - 
Personal developmentContext
The Pčinja district in southern Serbia is among the country’s least developed and most socially diverse regions. Many children and young adults – particularly girls, Roma children, migrants, refugees and disabled children – face poverty, social exclusion and limited access to safe and organised sports activities.
Much of the district’s sports infrastructure is outdated or neglected, and opportunities for children from different backgrounds to meet and interact through positive, structured activities remain limited. Cooperation between schools, sports clubs and local institutions is also often insufficient, limiting the potential of sport to promote inclusion and healthy development and prevent violence.
Project goals
- Increase access to safe, inclusive sports activities for marginalised children and young adults, particularly girls, Roma children, migrants, refugees and disabled children
- Use sport as a tool to promote social inclusion, tolerance and mutual respect among children from different ethnic and social backgrounds
- Reduce gender, social and cultural barriers through activities that mix sport with learning
- Improve access to safe and functional sports infrastructure in local communities
- Promote healthy lifestyles, non-violence, teamwork and fair play among children and young adults
- Strengthen cooperation between schools, sports clubs, civil society organisations and local authorities to ensure long-term impact and sustainability
- Empower children and young adults by providing safe spaces where they can participate, develop and interact with their peers
Project content
We run a comprehensive set of sports, educational and community-based activities targeting children from marginalised backgrounds that offer safe access to sport and contribute to improving local sports facilities and strengthening partnerships at community level. By creating spaces where children can play, learn and grow together, Invisible Champions fosters tolerance, equality and social cohesion, contributing to the well-being of children and the long-term resilience of local communities.
All activities are implemented in close cooperation with schools, sports clubs, civil society organisations and local authorities, and are continuously monitored and documented to ensure quality, transparency and sustainability.
- Sports clubs are established in partner primary schools, and trained coaches and teachers lead weekly basketball, football and volleyball training sessions, adapted to ensure that marginalised children can participate
- Young volunteers work alongside local communities and partners to renovate and revitalise neglected sports fields by cleaning, painting, repairing and installing basic sports equipment and creating safer, more accessible spaces for children’s activities
- Under the Sport programme, educational workshops complement sports activities by addressing topics such as tolerance, gender equality, non-violence, child safeguarding and discrimination prevention, while encouraging dialogue, teamwork and respect
- Inclusive sports tournaments bring together mixed teams of children from different communities and engage parents, schools and local communities, fostering cooperation and fair play and strengthening social cohesion
- The digital platform My Sport, My Voice provides information on local sports opportunities, training schedules and renovated facilities, while also giving children a space to share experiences and stories
Partners
