The Math Attack programme is a specific response to poor local education standards and alarming declines in understanding of mathematics among school-age children. Academic pass rates in mathematics have been on the decline for well over a decade. Around 50% of male school students in Saint Lucia fails mathematics and around 20% of children who repeat a grade in school have some identifiable learning disability. Currently, fewer than 15% of school leavers in the region move on to further education. School dropout rates are closely associated with adverse health outcomes. Children who fail in school are more likely to engage in subsequent health-impairing behaviours as adolescents. Failing students are also more likely to drop out of school.
Project content
The Math Attack programme will provide a child-friendly, safe and welcoming environment for after-school academic enrichment and support for at-risk youth between the ages of 11 and 15, using sport as a tool to enhance the development of life skills, foster positive social behaviours and improve academic performance.
Children are born wanting to move. The options for sport and play will be fun and modified where necessary to encourage team building and leadership development.
To motivate the participants, Sacred Sports Foundation ties small rewards to children’s efforts and progress so they can experience the short-term, ongoing pay-off of their sweat.
Children of all ages get excited about reaching personal achievements and contributing to team goals. Group and individual feedback loops are built into all activities.
Objectives
To use sport as a tool to enhance the development of life skills, foster positive social behaviours and improve academic performance.
To provide a child-friendly, safe and welcoming environment for after-school academic enrichment and support for at-risk youth between the ages of 11 and 15.
For 120 participants to attend a well-structured after-school programme three days per week, and receive high-quality assistance in three core programme areas:
mathematics and academic tutoring,
extracurricular sporting activities, and
life skills.
Project activities
Mathematics homework support/tutoring three days a week (60 minutes per day), covering topics including academic enrichment, technology skills development and self-discipline.
Sport support three days per week (60 minutes per day), including defined mathematics skills coaching and improved understanding of nutrition, health and well-being.
Life skills support three days per week (30 minutes per day), including a conflict resolution programme and positive behaviour reinforcement to enhance learning and negotiation skills.
Expected results
It is anticipated that over 85% of the participating students will report that their marks increase by at least one grade level annually as a result of attending the programme. Key stakeholders are expected to see noticeable signs of improvement in participants’ learning attitude – for example, a more positive view of school, better study habits and an increase in the completion of homework.
The programme will lead to:
improved academic performance and better grades in mathematics,
better physical health and understanding of nutrition,
a greater ability to find a peaceful solution to disagreements,
improved social and emotional well-being of most of the participants,
CategoriesAccess to Sport - Children with disabilities - Personal development
Context
There is huge concern about the abandonment of children in Russia, most of whom are children with disabilities. More than half of people with Down’s syndrome in Russia grow up in orphanages and nearly 30% of Russian children with any type of disability live in orphanages.
The village of Belskoye Ustye is 20km from the nearest town and orphanage residents are restricted in their interactions almost exclusively to their peer group and carers. The region including the surrounding villages and the nearby town of Porkhov is economically depressed, suffers from large outward migration and has few opportunities for young people.
During the summer of 2018, the huge positive impact of football on the children was discovered after some training sessions with professional coaches were organised, enabling tthe joy of playing football together. It was then decided to create a football programme that will provide a rare source of recreation to both children from the orphanage and children from the local community, giving them an opportunity to socialise and to learn important skills.
Project content
The football project of the Step Up Orphan Opportunity Centre, funded by the UEFA Foundation for Children, aims to include orphans and disabled children in society, outside the orphanage. The project will help the children from the orphanage to go some way towards overcoming their severe isolation, facilitating their integration with locals and helping them to develop key communication skills. Moreover, the project will seek to involve children growing up in the village of Belskoye Ustye, the surrounding villages and the nearby town of Porkhov.
To achieve that aim, a football field will be built, and a methodology for football workshops for children with disabilities will be created so that volunteer coaches can run the activities.
Objectives
To give children from the orphanage and the rural community access to sport education (guided by professional coaches and trainers).
For children from the orphanage to socialise with children from the surrounding rural areas.
To improve the health and psychological conditions of the children from the region.
For teachers from the orphanage to gain skills as football coaches.
For teachers from the orphanage to improve their ability to support the personal development of the children and to integrate specific skills into the football training sessions.
To develop a specific methodology for football workshops for children with disabilities.
To build a football pitch.
Expected results
Football pitch built.
Football training sessions provided for the teachers at the orphanage.
Football activities provided for the children of the orphanage.
Football events run for the children from the orphanage and the children from the local community.
The issue of female genital mutilation (FGM) involves complex social, cultural and gender-specific factors. Since that practice contributes to the risk of contracting HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases, eliminating FGM is also an essential step on the road to achieving other sustainable development goals (SDGs), including targets relating to health and well-being, high-quality education, safe motherhood and economic growth, all of which are underpinned by work that empowers women and girls. It is clear, moreover, that the struggle against HIV/AIDS requires a far greater focus on women, since the reasons for women’s particular vulnerability to HIV are complex and varied. Indeed, social obligations and the lack of dialogue between men and women remain persistent barriers to the containment of both FGM and HIV.
With all of that in mind, this project focuses on female empowerment, education and the life skills of marginalised young people (both male and female).
Project content
This project offers low-threshold access to safe spaces where girls and young women can open up, build trust and acquire the knowledge they need to lead healthy, autonomous lives, ultimately acting as an important vehicle for change. We use football as a way of engaging in a sustainable manner with an extremely hard-to-reach target group: vulnerable children between the ages of 10 and who are living in areas that are particularly affected by HIV/AIDS and FGM. That target group will be given comprehensive information relating to sexual health, personal rights, and the risks and realities of both HIV/AIDS and FGM via a fun, innovative and educational football-based programme. The project will seek to engage with young people and other members of the community through training sessions, football festivals, discussions and workshops, and these activities will be delivered with the support of local multipliers. Educators and coaches will be trained to deliver HIV/AIDS and FGM-related football activities in their own local communities, and they will be given extensive support in this regard. Activities will be implemented in cooperation with health facilities, community centres, sports clubs and other local organisations with a view to providing information, testing and appropriate counselling to a wide audience.
Objectives
The UEFA Foundation for Children, streetfootballworld and the various local partners are aiming to achieve the following objectives:
Local partners acquire competence and expertise in a controlled organisational environment and systematically anchor the Football4Good method within their respective organisations. Those partners take responsibility for implementing project activities for disadvantaged children and adolescents and develop the skills needed to teach the Football4Good method at local/regional/national level.
3,000 participating children and young people learn to protect themselves and others against health risks such as HIV/AIDS and the practice of FGM.
40 volunteer multipliers establish civic structures and independent training courses where health messages are conveyed. In addition, 20 young programme alumni between the ages of 18 and 35 serve as mentors for a new generation of volunteers, further improving their own knowledge and skills, which they can then pass on.
Parents, siblings, teachers of participating children and adolescents, and decision-makers from the worlds of politics, religion and civil society gain knowledge about innovative approaches to health education as regards FGM, the prevention of HIV/AIDS and sexual/reproductive health/rights. As part of this, knowledge transfer will take place through target groups’ participation in community festivals.
The concept of ‘quality management’ is developed and implemented in project operations, laying the foundations for its future use outside West Africa.
Project activities
Thus far, 3,000 children between the ages of 10 and 18 (30% of whom are girls) have participated in at least 60% of all weekly training sessions in project locations in West Africa.
70% of those 3,000 children have gained knowledge about FGM, the prevention of HIV and sexual/reproductive health/rights through their participation in such training sessions.
Participants have access to a sheltered forum where they can engage in open discussions about sexual/reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, FGM and health education in general.
At least 70% of the 40 volunteer multipliers have successfully completed their training and received their certificates.
At least 70% of those 40 multipliers are running weekly local education and football training sessions, providing simple and effective health messages to more than 3,000 young people.
Five high-impact festivals have been successfully implemented with a view to engaging with communities, families and local stakeholders as regards health education (FGM, prevention of HIV/AIDS, sexual/reproductive health/rights, etc.), gender equality, football and life skills.
80% of local partners have reported an increase in their competence and expertise as regards the implementation and assessment of Football4Good
In cooperation with local stakeholders, a sustainability strategy for safe spaces (community pitches) is being developed and put in place in Dano, Burkina Faso, to ensure that usage remains in line with the project’s developmental objectives in the longer term.
Expected results
Health education: Reduction in new HIV infections and a decline in the incidence of FGM in Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast through (i) the delivery of football-based life skills training sessions which improve knowledge and encourage positive behavioural change, and (ii) the training/education of multipliers, who communicate the project’s values, activities and methods to children and peers in their own communities.
Establishment of safe spaces: Building of football pitches, which creates a safe space for young people and the broader community, underlining football’s ability to foster behavioural and social change.
Quality assurance: Establishment of a quality management process that supports the implementation of programmes in the West African region and serves as a basis for the design and implementation of Football4Good projects in general.
The bombing in Afrin and Ghouta in Syria, and the escalating violence in parts of Afghanistan is driving people to flee. According to the UNHCR, 21,887 people have crossed the Mediterranean since the beginning of the year, one-third of whom have arrived on Greek islands. The number of new arrivals was 33% higher in the first four months of 2018 than during the same period in 2017. The emergency reception centres for refugees and migrants are overcrowded. At the same time, national organisations and NGOs are forced to close shelters and programmes for the youngest of those affected by war, conflict, migration and displacement because of administrative bottlenecks. Homelessness among asylum seekers has become an issue because of inadequate procedures which do not guarantee pre-registration.
In 2017, Terre des Hommes provided safe accommodation for 361 vulnerable families and young people. It currently manages 19 apartments in Ioannina. As part of the same protection package, Terre des Hommes has provided legal counselling and representation to over 1,250 refugees and migrants, and mental health and psychological services to more than 1,500. In addition, access to medical services has been ensured in 70% of all cases.
Project content
Terre des Hommes will continue its mission of supporting Greek authorities and civil society by assisting with the emergency reception of refugees and migrants, supporting their effective integration and helping to build integrated and sustainable child protection systems.
The accommodation programme run for nine months, from April to December 2018, and will be implemented in Thessaloníki and Ioannina.
Objectives
To expand the existing accommodation programme.
To provide the bare minimum of accommodation and cash.
To guarantee a range of protection services, including daily social work, protection activities, legal counselling and interpreting.
To ensure children have access to adequate child protection services.
Project activities
The project aims to increase access to safe accommodation and social care in Ioannina and Thessaloníki by expanding its existing arrangements to make 400 beds available in northern Greece. The beneficiaries in Ioannina will have access to a large community centre, which will be the venue for cooking events, language classes, Greek film nights, discussion groups, arts and craft events and child-friendly spaces.
In this way, Terre des Hommes will be supporting vulnerable children with caregivers by providing them with accommodation, and giving older unaccompanied minors (males aged 16–17) somewhere where they can live independently.
Furthermore, the project will focus on psychological support for refugee children, young people and their parents by using games, structured creative work, informal learning, theatre, sport, music, reading and any other activities that will improve self-esteem, trust, cooperation, well-being, safety and life skills.
Expected results
Terre des Hommes is the only remaining international child-focused NGO in northern Greece. The housing programme is essential to ensure urgent action to protect migrant children, prevent child exploitation and provide humanitarian aid to children and their families.
The Football Foundation of South Africa, which is subsidiary of the Grootbos Green Future Foundation, was founded in 2008. Its aim is to build a network to reach large numbers of beneficiaries through local schools and the community in South Africa (in the area between Stanford and Gansbaai in the Western Cape). Most South Africans attend schools that are overcrowded and under-resourced. Few qualify for university and very few can afford tertiary education. The aim of the project is to empower South African girls by giving them improved opportunities in football, other sports and life skills, along with a better, sustainable future, improving their position in society. Young girls are particularly vulnerable and disempowered in low-income communities. The town of Gansbaai is situated in a rural area with an exceptionally high rate of unemployment and characterised by an influx of migrant workers from neighbouring Eastern Cape. Unemployment and a lack of parental guidelines often result in young girls having to take on parenting roles in spite of their young age.
Project content
Educational initiatives include the grassroots soccer HIV/Aids programme, female empowerment programme, Dibanisa environmental education, food for sport and various life-orientation curriculums that are developed using football and other sports terminology to illustrate and consolidate life skills and learning. Programmes are tailored to girls and boys in two age groups. For children up to 6 years, there is a programme that develops gross motor skills; for children from 6 to 19 years there is a programme for afterschool training and opportunities in football, hockey, athletics, rugby, netball and canoeing in Gansbaai, Stanford and Hermanus.
Additional guidance programmes are provided for over 1,300 high school students a year to help them with subject choices and career guidance.
The female empowerment programme is essential in reaching out to young girls who are, in the organiser’s opinion, increasingly difficult to reach through sport once they become teenagers.
Objectives
To empower vulnerable young girls and teenagers by giving them access to sport, educational programmes, environmental awareness and health programmes.
Project activities
Female empowerment
Excursion
Self-defense course
Inclusive integration camp
Grassrooths soccer HIV testing
Multiple sports trainings, camps and tournaments
Expected results
Increase attendance among girls from age five and into their teenage years
Increase the number of girls who attend the female empowerment programme from 20 in 2018 to 60 in 2019
Increase the number of girls who attend Rock the Boat canoeing from 11 in 2018 to 20 in 2019
Increase the number of girls who take part in football, rugby, hockey, netball, track and field, cross country from 2,286 in 2018 to 2,500 in 2019
Increase the number of girls attending swimming from 77 in 2018 to 100 in 2019
Organise a girl power tournament to coincide with International Women’s Day
Sport for Development is a critical component of the Oceania Football Confederation’s approach to helping to build stronger Pacific Island communities.
With obesity and diabetes on the rise, research indicates that only 29% of children in the Cook Islands, Fiji, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu attend regular physical education classes,[1] with less than 25% of children in these countries practising 60 minutes or more of sport a day.[2] More than 50% of children choose soft drinks instead of water, which is a major contributor to weight gain. More than 27% of children are overweight and obese as early as age 13.[3]
Children with disabilities experience discrimination, exclusion and barriers to being widely accepted, while all girls are marginalized and face inequalities in education, decision-making processes and access to health services.
Evidence shows that poverty, hunger and lack of access to services remain major challenges for children in the targeted countries. One in four children live below the poverty line[4]. Children in general are exposed to high levels of violence at home and at school, and more than 50% of children aged 13–15 years report being bullied[5], 26% have attempted suicide[6], 12% report having no close friends[7], and 80% of children experience some form of direct violence or abuse[8].
With low levels of literacy and up to 30% of young people aged 15–24 actually illiterate, employment opportunities are limited, resulting in high unemployment rates among young people in the Pacific region.[9]
Between 2009 and 2017, the Pacific region was affected by 44 natural disasters. Vanuatu and Fiji were hit by category 5 tropical cyclones in 2015 and 2016 that affected nearly 1 million people, including 450,000 children. Fiji, the Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu suffered 30 of the 44 natural disasters that struck the region,[10] with children on average constituting between a third and a half of those most severely affected.[11]
Through the provision of structured Sport for Development interventions, UNICEF Pacific seeks to reduce the risks associated with non-communicable diseases, child protection, gender and social inequality. These efforts were extended to humanitarian response with the success of the Just Play emergency programme.
Working with key partners such as the OFC, UNICEF Pacific seeks to build confidence in children and young people and create access to quality sports activities, educational platforms, advocacy campaigns and public dialogue through active participation.
[1] World Health Organization, Global School-Health Based Survey Country Fact Sheets for Cook Islands (2015), Fiji (2016), Samoa (2011), Solomon Islands (2011), Tonga (2017) and Vanuatu (2011).
[2] Secretariat of the Pacific Community and UNICEF Pacific, The State of Pacific Youth: Opportunities and obstacles, Bluebird Printery, Fiji, 2011.
[3] World Health Organization, Global School-Health Based Survey Country Fact Sheets for Cook Islands (2011), Fiji (2010), Samoa (2011), Solomon Islands (2011), Tonga (2010) and Vanuatu (2011).
[5] World Health Organization, Global School-Health Based Survey Country Fact Sheets for Cook Islands (2011), Fiji (2010), Nauru (2011), Niue (2010), Samoa (2011), Solomon Islands (2011), Tonga (2010), Tuvalu (2013) and Vanuatu (2011).
[6] Secretariat of the Pacific Community and UNICEF Pacific, The State of Pacific Youth: Opportunities and obstacles, Bluebird Printery, Fiji, 2011.
[7] World Health Organization, Global School-Health Based Survey Country Fact Sheets for Cook Islands (2011), Fiji (2010), Samoa (2011), Solomon Islands (2011), Tonga (2010) and Vanuatu (2011).
[11] UNICEF, ‘Child-Centred Risk Assessment: Regional Synthesis of UNICEF Assessments in Asia’, UNICEF, Nepal, 2014.
Project Content
Just Play is a community-engagement Sport for Development programme developed by the OFC to improve the lives of children and teenagers aged 6–16 by means of football.
The programme engages children in a series of interactive sessions that include social messages aligned to the four key programming pillars: health and wellness, gender equality, social inclusion and child protection. Through active participation, Just Play helps children to develop healthy lifestyle habits and become confident in their abilities; encourages gender equality; promotes social inclusion; and emphasises that sport is for everyone.
The programme aims to reduce the risks associated with, and vulnerability to, endemic social issues, such as the prevalence of violence against women and children, gender inequality and social exclusion, by integrating social messages into the sessions – for example, the importance of reporting bullying and other types of violence. In doing so, the programme promotes an understanding of the importance of regular participation in physical exercise and its impact on issues such as bullying, violence and social inclusion to enable positive social and behaviour change.
Just Play also facilitates the development of critical life skills applicable both on and off the field of play, including the acceptance of rules, teamwork, respect, decision-making and fair play.
The 16-week school-based programme is delivered in primary schools during class time with the support of teachers, while the 48-week community-based programme is delivered outside school with the support of community stakeholders.
The Just Play emergency programme is now a full-scale emergency response programme that uses football to communicate critical messages about safe water, personal safety and preparedness.
Just Play supports programming activities by working with local stakeholders in areas most likely to be affected by natural disasters.
By focusing on vulnerability, the programme leverages existing content to support coping in the wake of a natural disaster, and specifically the emotional recovery of children within an emergency context.
Objectives
Just Play is run with the support of trained coaches and equipment packs containing footballs, cones, bibs, activity manuals and other resources that enable children to learn healthy lifestyle habits and social skills that focus on:
Health and wellness, by reducing the risk factors associated with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) through healthier lifestyle decisions and choices;
Gender equality, by changing perceptions towards women and girls, and creating pathways to empower women and girls to realize their human rights;
Social inclusion, by changing perceptions towards those disadvantaged on the basis of their identity or ability, and creating equal opportunity for their full inclusion in society;
Child protection, by increasing understanding of child protection issues, and the availability of safe/protective environments, including in sports contexts, through tailored advocacy campaigns, e.g. #ENDViolence and REDcard;
Education, by facilitating the development of important life skills applicable both on and off the field of play, including the acceptance of rules, decision-making, teamwork, overcoming adversity, showing respect, and expressive play;
Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), by supporting the development of positive WASH behaviours and practices in schools and communities, and in times of emergencies;
Emergency, by building reliance and supporting the emotional recovery of children and adolescents in the wake of natural disasters and conflict.
Just Play supports the upskilling of teachers and community volunteers to deliver programme activities that facilitate capacity-building, ownership and accountability in social change through a community based, child-centred approach.
284,929: The number of children and adolescents who have taken part in the Just Play programme throughout the Pacific region since 2009;
5,102: The number of teachers and community volunteers trained to help deliver the Just Play programme in the Pacific region since 2009;
17,083: Number of children and teenagers who have taken part in Just Play emergency programme festivals in the wake of a natural disaster in the Pacific region.
Image: OFC - Just Play
Expected Results
Just Play is positively impacting children and teenagers through a sport-based curriculum that helps them to develop the life skills necessary to make consistent, long-term healthy lifestyle choices that promote health and wellness, gender equality, social inclusion and child protection, even in post-emergency contexts.
After the programme:
81% of children choose to drink water instead of soda
72% of boys report they enjoy playing football with girls
85% of children report they acknowledge and celebrate differences
59% of children report they feel safe following a natural disaster
CategoriesAccess to Sport - Children with disabilities - Personal development
Context
The UEFA Foundation for Children’ support will help develop the sporting dimension of the project, which aims to combat the gender stereotype, that women are inferior to men, in Malawi. As a consequence, girls and young women feel vulnerable and are often the target of sexual and gender-based violence.
Project content
The Centre for Alternatives for Victimised Women and Children (CAVWOC) organises sports activities, such as football and karate, to bring vulnerable girls and boys together in a setting of greater equality.
The goal is for the children to learn mutual respect, develop self-esteem and start a process of resilience. Combining sports training with information on sexual and reproductive health rights will help girls and boys protect themselves.
If the girls play football with boys, the masculinity related to the game will disappear. This will give an enormous boost to their self-esteem and will be one step towards breaking the gender stereotype. Sport will help the girls to work in a team and develop their objective-setting skills. Working with coaches, trainers, and teammates to win games and meet objectives is great practice for success later in life. Sport will also make them better able to accept defeat and emerge stronger from it. Being a team player will make it easier for them to work with others and resolve issues, whether on the field or in their personal lives.
CAVWOC will set up 12 girls’ football teams and organise a football tournament, inviting successful national female players to take part. This experience will boost the girls’ feeling of empowerment.
CAVWOC has run a pilot programme to teach the girls karate, and it has increased their self-esteem and confidence and even the boys are more understanding and treat the girls equally. In addition, the karate training helps them to defend themselves.
In addition to the sports activities, boys and girls will take part in the information campaign about sexual and reproductive rights. We aim to reduce the inequalities and power imbalance between boys and girls. We believe that men and boys are not only part of the problem in gender imbalance, but also part of the solution. This is one way to increase solidarity with girls. Male champions can influence their peers about how boys and men can support girls.
Beneficiaries:
1,000 vulnerable children aged between 16 and 18 living in rural areas
More than 76% are girls
Around 5% are disabled children
5% are orphans
25% live in difficult social contexts
Objectives
The overall objective is to reduce the number of women and children that encounter rights violations in Malawi. The project provides infrastructure and support to enable communities to acknowledge and value the laws that protect and allow all women and children to live healthy lives and sustain themselves financially.
A society in which women and children feel safe and protected from gender-based abuse and are economically strengthened.
Project activities
Educate 30 boys and girls on sexual rights and health (SRH) and a gender-transformative approach (GTA).
Support girls’ football
Raise awareness of teen pregnancies and gender equality
Teach girls karate
Train girls in leadership
Communication with international female football stars
Expected results
15 girls and 15 boys trained in SRH and GTA
8,000 youngsters taught awareness of teen pregnancies and gender equality
12 girls’ football teams set up
30 girls taught karate
30 girls trained in leadership skills
Nationwide campaign on female empowerment with the support of international female football players
Kampala has an estimated population of over 1.5 million according to the 2014 national census. It has 62 informal settlements that are home to 560,000 families, most of which do not meet minimum humanitarian standards for access to water, shelter and sanitation facilities. The impact of poor sanitation, coupled with the lack of hygiene knowledge and bad practices, is evident in Kampala, especially among low-income households.
According to a Right To Play assessment report, Kamwokya is one of the most poorly planned and congested settlements in Kampala. The quality of public sanitation is still poor and there is a serious lack of sewer systems. It is estimated that fewer than 10% of the residents make use of these systems, while the rest use on-site or collective sanitation facilities with a few well-maintained public toilets. Kamwokya has both public and private health service providers, public and private education services at primary and secondary level, and no public tertiary education institution. The teacher-to-pupil ratio remains as high as 1:110, reducing access to effective and quality teaching that caters for children’s needs, especially girls and vulnerable children, contributing to the high youth unemployment rate in the city.
Based on studies carried out by the Uganda Youth Development Link and other organisations, the key challenges in Kamwokya include child prostitution, high school drop-out rates, high teenage pregnancies, child labour, drug abuse, youth unemployment, absolute poverty, poor health services, child abuse and limited education opportunities for most children and teenagers. These challenges also negatively affect overall community development.
Project content
The Tusobola (Improving Quality Education through Sport and Play) project aims to enhance the quality of children’s education in Kamwokya. In a series of training courses, school teachers and community coaches from youth associations will be equipped with the tools to run regular, good-quality sport and play-activities. These activities will enhance the life skills of the child beneficiaries, and address issues of child protection, gender equality and health. The project will take a proactive approach towards engaging community stakeholders (parents, caregivers, education authorities, community-based organisation, local leadership) to address barriers to education and positive youth development in Kamwokya.
Objectives
Right To Play uses sport and play as a way to develop life skills and increase knowledge in children and teenagers, so that they are well equipped to rise above their challenges. The Right To Play methodology comprises several manuals of football for development, positive child and youth development and play-based learning. This approach ensures that:
children and teenagers learn football skills through age- and developmentally appropriate activities while gaining important life skills;
they learn how to make better life choices;
positive attitudes, values, and behaviours are promoted;
children have access to good quality education in a supportive environment, using play-based learning.
Project activities
The project will comprise the following key activities:
Train 40 teachers in gender-responsive play-based methodologies. Teachers will attend a series of courses, be monitored continuously, and take part in themed workshops to meet specific needs. This professional development approach contributes to the project’s sustainability;
Train young people to become football coaches in partnership with the Ugandan Football Federation (FUFA);
Build networks of teachers so they can exchange information about good practices;
Raise parents’ awareness of the benefits of play-based learning;
Teach girls about menstrual health and reusable sanitary pads;
Organise regular sports and play activities in schools and communities to give children the opportunity to learn life skills, such as self-confidence, communication and leadership outside the classroom;
Organise stakeholder and community review meetings to share best practices and project progress;
Advocate for healthy and positive learning environments by ensuring that environment-related health risks are minimised or avoided altogether.
Expected results
Children and teenagers engage in regular sport and play-based learning activities
Teachers and coaches are trained in child-friendly and participatory play-based learning, gender equality and creating a positive learning environment
Improved school attendance rates among children and teenagers
Partner schools have an established safe and positive learning environment
The programme is expected to benefit 3,500 youngsters aged 6 to 18, 40 teachers and 20 coaches, as well as parents, caregivers, and other community members in Kamwokya.
Using football to end child marriage and FGM in Tanzania
Location and general information
Closed
LocationTanzania
Start date
02/01/2017
End date
01/31/2020
Cost of the project€824,000
Foundation funding€39,186
Project identifierAFR-2018571
PartnersPlan International UK
CategoriesAccess to Sport - Personal development
Context
Tanzania has one of the highest rates of child marriage globally, with over 37% of girls married before their 18th birthday. Early marriage not only has a significant impact on girls’ health, well-being and personal development, but every year more than 8,000 girls in Tanzania drop out of school due to child marriage and pregnancy. Moreover, the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) is closely tied to marriage in Tanzania. Complex social pressures can force girls into having the procedure, but it can be extremely dangerous. To give girls a future beyond an early marriage, and to enable them to say no to FGM, they need help in claiming their rights and changing the minds and attitudes of their communities. In this context, Plan International UK has set up a project to work specifically in the regions of Geita and Mara. In Mara 40% of girls are subjected to FGM; significantly above the national average of 15%.
Project content
We are seeking to create real change in people’s attitudes towards girls and young women, to enable these individuals to exercise their rights and to have the potential to be more than just a wife or mother. To do this, we will engage the support of decision-makers and seek to change the minds of those in charge.
Additionally, in order to include the most at risk and most marginalised girls, namely those who have dropped out of school, the project is working with village leaders to identify girls living in remote areas with disabilities and without parental care. Girls are at the heart of this project. We will be working directly and extensively with them to give them the skills, knowledge, attitudes and power they need to make their own choices.
Objectives
With the support of the UEFA Foundation for Children, and by engaging young people through football, the objective is to help girls raise their voices against the traditions which affect their rights. Reaching young people through peer support and young women through vocational training, we will work to create lasting change in several communities by engaging with men, women, leaders and government officials. The ultimate goal is to use football to end child marriage and FGM in Tanzania, as well as to empower girls and young women.
Project activities
Build a support network for girls by setting-up 49 girls’ clubs in 31 schools with the aim of creating a safe and supportive space for girls who are likely to face the challenge of traditional harmful practices.
Encourage girls to raise their voices by delivering training in life skills to members of girls’ clubs during sessions, helping them to build self-esteem and self-worth.
Bring issues onto the football pitch and into the open. 40 coaches (30% female) will be trained to deliver football drills for 1,470 girls and 620 boys. The events will use football to spark discussions and boost knowledge about early marriage and FGM. Generally speaking, football will be used to attract support.
Turn influential women into champions of change. We aim to secure the support of female decision-makers and empower them to raise their voices against harmful practices.
Give vulnerable girls the chance to earn a living. In parallel with working alongside influential women, 160 of the most marginalised girls and women aged 15-24 will take part in a livelihoods development scheme. They will be trained in starting their own businesses and with their own independent income they will be better-equipped to negotiate the pressures of early marriage.
Help communities support young people to reject FGM and early marriage. We are seeking to create real change in people’s attitudes towards girls and young women, so that these individuals can exercise their rights and have the potential to be more than just a wife or mother. To do this, we will engage the support of decision-makers and endeavour to change the minds of those in charge.
Effectively engage with communities and gain government support. To achieve real and lasting change, it is vital that local leaders work with the project. We will meet with the key decision-makers at district, ward and village level to introduce the project and ensure their support. We will make everyone aware of the relevant policies and laws about children’s rights and examine the impact of early marriage and FGM on girls and their communities.
Strengthen and support local systems for protecting girls. This will be achieved through establishing and supporting child protection teams at government level, collaborating with these teams to maximise their effectiveness, and influencing the government’s decisions by working closely with national and district authorities.
Expected results
In total, 1,470 girls will be helped to raise their voices against the traditions which affect their rights. Through peer support networks we will reach a further 2,100 young people, and 160 young women will be provided with vocational training.
Overall, the objective is to create lasting change in 31 communities by engaging with leaders and government officials. The project has been developed with local partners and has a clear definition of the roles and responsibilities, thus ensuring sustainability of the aims and achievements. The expected results will be to spread awareness, knowledge and support among young people, and girls and women will be empowered to make informed decisions about child marriage and FGM.
School dropout rates are increasing in Mumbai’s slums. Underprivileged children are being sent to work to help meet their families’ needs. Entering the labour market at such a young age and working long days in dangerous conditions is disastrous for their mental and physical development. They are exposed to a higher risk of addiction to alcohol and drugs.
Of the children who fail to complete their education, 67% are girls. The main reason for this is child marriage, which parents think will give their daughters economic security. However, cutting short girls’ education and pushing them into repeated early pregnancies limits their opportunities. The cycle of poverty therefore self-perpetuates.
Project content
The project in Mumbai comprises football and education programmes that rely on the power of football to bring about social change. The game is used as a hook to engage young people in a variety of activities, but also to teach them about key social topics such as teamwork, respect and fair play. The life skills learned through football help empower individuals and enhance their psychosocial well-being, increasing their resilience, self-esteem and motivation. Activities aimed at less privileged children and young people can help reduce the number of boys and girls who are forced to drop out of education.
New digital learning centres will be set up in four targeted communities, creating an essential link between on- and off-field activities. Twice a week throughout the year, more than 800 children will have the opportunity to boost their self-esteem, confidence, teamwork skills and football ability by participating in football and life skills sessions.
Objectives
Gender equality and women’s empowerment: there is a clear correlation between higher levels of female education and lower fertility rates. Population growth and climate change are also directly linked, so investing in girls’ education and promoting girls’ reproductive rights can play a powerful role in combating climate change. Through our football programmes, girls improve their confidence and self-esteem, and are given the chance to become leaders and challenge female stereotypes in their community.
Sanitation and hygiene: the urban population is increasing rapidly, putting enormous pressure on water and sanitation services. One of the main goals of the football and life skills programme is to tackle the taboos related to sanitation and hygiene, promote behaviour change amongst children and raise awareness of the importance of sanitation and hygiene.
Waste management: the inherent link between a clean environment and participation in sport is part of what makes football a powerful tool for communicating environmental messages to groups of young people and encouraging them to take action to clean up their own environment.
Project activities
Sessions will be held in local open spaces. During each session, issues such as dropping out of school, child marriage, child labour or health and hygiene will be discussed. If players identify as being at risk of dropping out of school, they will be invited to attend informal education and computer classes at one of the four education hubs in Mumbai, improving their chances of passing exams and providing a platform for future employment opportunities.
Expected results
Reduce the dropout rate in years 1 to 7 from 13% to 10%, with 90% of children participating in our programmes.
Reduce the dropout rate in years 5 to 7 from 16% to 10%, with 90% of children participating in our programmes.
Increase by 20% the number of year 7 children participating in our programmes who successfully make the transition to year 8.
Over the last few years we have become aware that the various health challenges facing young people in Lesotho are interconnected and that there is a need for a holistic approach to health education.
These challenges include the following:
HIV is prevalent in Lesotho and young people are vulnerable to infection due to a culture of multi-partner relationships, pressure to have sex at a young age, a lack of access to HIV testing and counselling, stigma and discrimination.
Drug and alcohol abuse are another key driver of new HIV infections.
Both poverty and food insecurity contribute to the propagation of diseases such as cancer, diabetes and respiratory illnesses.
Poor standards of hygiene lead to the spread of preventable communicable diseases such as tuberculosis.
Road accidents kill or injure more than 1,500 people every year in Maseru, the capital of Lesotho.
The young people taking part in the programme come from a range of underprivileged and vulnerable backgrounds including:
Street children
HIV+ youth
Orphans
Teenage mothers
Children and teenagers living in poverty
At-risk children and vulnerable girls
Children engaged in child labour
Project content
The project includes the development and delivery of a holistic and integrated health and well-being programme for 3,000 children and teenagers in the Maseru district of Lesotho, using football to engage, educate and motivate positive behaviour change.
The programme will focus on key health challenges faced by vulnerable girls and boys, including:
Communicable and noncommunicable diseases
HIV/AIDS
Nutrition
Sanitation and hygiene
Road safety
Mental health
Access to health services
Environmental protection
There will also be a strong gender-equality and life-skills component, with personal development critical to ensuring that acquired knowledge leads to sustainable changes in attitude and behaviour.
Objectives
The project will conduct a mapping exercise to identify partners in other districts of Lesotho that can be trained to deliver the programme going forward. This will ensure effective future scalability of the initiative to reach many more vulnerable young people in Lesotho. The programme will also be developed with a high level of flexibility so that it can be adapted to a variety of health challenges, offering potential for delivery by other organizations beyond Lesotho and for the most pressing health challenges in any given community.
Project activities
The programme includes the following sessions:
Welcome to Good Health & Well-being through Football: A focus on building self-esteem and gaining the confidence to be active members of the programme. It considers the importance of making your own choices, building a support structure and setting goals.
Tackling HIV: Covers the basics of the HIV virus and encourages healthy behaviours that prevent infection.
Goal Protection: Promotes the importance of protection and prevention when it comes to sexual health.
Be Fair (gender equality): Focuses on promoting gender equality, challenges stereotypes about the role of women in society.
Only Girl Goals: Reinforces the importance of gender equality and valuing the contribution of women and girls in all areas of society.
Nutrition & HIV: Explores how good nutrition and regular meals can boost the immune system of someone living with HIV, and how diet can support the effectiveness of medication.
Healthy versus Unhealthy: Empowers participants by giving them the knowledge to judge what is healthy, and what is not.
Be Healthy and Be Clean: Focuses on healthy eating and exercise and how developing healthy behaviours can reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. The session also covers the importance of basic hygiene and sanitation in preventing illnesses such as diarrhoea and food poisoning.
Balanced Football: Focuses on eating healthily and the importance of a balanced diet in maintaining good health.
Planet Football: Focuses on the importance of protecting the environment, including topics such as recycling, single-use plastic and rubbish collections. The session includes a group discussion about how they can make a difference to the environment in their own communities.
Crossbar Soap of Challenge: Reinforces the importance of cleanliness and promotes safe practices regarding hygiene and sanitation.
Be Safe on the Road: Focuses on road safety, avoiding risky behaviours and encouraging safe practices when crossing roads.
Traffic Football: Reinforces the importance of avoiding risky behaviours for pedestrians and the importance of crossing roads safely.
Balanced Future: Brings together everything learned in the programme. Each participant is helped to develop an individual plan and goals to improve their health in the longer term.
The programme will be delivered by our experienced and inspirational coaches through local partnerships, as well as reaching out-of-school youth through an extensive network of community-based organizations and community mobilisers.
Expected results
3000 children and young people complete the programme, demonstrating improved knowledge and attitude related to health
3000 children and young people have improved health and well-being
15 young people trained as programme coaches
300 young people have improved access to health services through referrals to external health provision
1000 children and young people linked to further development opportunities with Kick4Life
The project will include a robust approach to monitoring and evaluation that will assess changes in knowledge, attitude and behaviour, in line with the specific targets of SDG 3.
CategoriesAccess to Sport - Children with disabilities - Personal development
Context
As Cambodia continues to recover from the impact of the Khmer Rouge’s destructive reign, corruption and inequality remain prevalent and extreme poverty continues to affect young people, who make up almost 60% of the population. The pressure on young people to find employment is very high and school dropout rates, especially in rural areas reflect this. Children as young as five work to help financially support their families and are often taken out of school to make ends meet. The poverty they experience not only denies them the chance of education, but also strips them of their right to be children and to play.
Across the country, particularly in rural areas, 19% of girls marry before their 18th birthday. Sporting opportunities for girls are very limited, and most are excluded from participating in sport and the social engagement that comes with it. In this way, disadvantaged and marginalised children and young people miss out on interaction with their peers and the vital life skills that are not taught in the classroom but are learned through sport, play and socialisation.
Project content
This programme will work directly with 500 disadvantaged children and 200 young people and adults who live in communities where poverty, social exclusion and lack of opportunity regularly lead to harmful behaviour. It will provide opportunities for children to access their right to play and right to education, promoting healthy life choices, equality and diversity.
Objectives
The Indochina Starfish Foundation (ISF) believes every child has the right to education, healthcare and play. Therefore, the project aims to:
provide children, including girls, with access to sport and play;
improve children’s health and well-being;
provide a safe space for children to explore social issues such as children’s rights and child abuse, gender equality and disability inclusion, HIV, alcohol and drugs, and gambling;
develop children’s confidence, leadership, teamwork, problem-solving and resilience;
empower girls and women and change local perceptions through sport;
promote and encourage young people, especially girls, to remain in school.
Project activities
The pilot outreach project is about empowering coaches in rural areas to provide access to sport and learning to socially disadvantaged children in Cambodia. ISF will start running three coach development courses in 2019.
Two hundred coaches and aspiring coaches from schools, community organisations and NGOs around the country will participate in five intensive days of training focusing on football for social impact. The training, developed in partnership with Coaches Across Continents (CAC), will teach participants to deliver social impact football training using fun games and activities, engaging children in locally relevant social issues such as gender equality, disability and social inclusion, drug and alcohol abuse, gambling, education and health.
Participants will be trained to deliver a bespoke 12-month ISF/CAC social impact curriculum while developing children’s football skills, confidence, leadership, teamwork and decision-making skills in a fun and safe environment.
Expected results
Throughout the course of the pilot project, we expect the 20 ISF-supported coaches to run 480 outreach sessions, reaching approximately 500 socially deprived children, and three coach development courses focusing on social impact through football. In addition to the 700 direct beneficiaries of this project, the objective is to have 3,000 indirect beneficiaries.
Young people in the six target communities are growing up in risk environments that influence their likelihood of becoming victims or perpetrators of violence. The root causes of youth violence tackled in this programme are:
gang activity in the community
difficult family life due to absent parents, harsh physical discipline, or neglect
poverty and lack of opportunities to escape poverty
lack of pro-social and personal development recreational activities
high unemployment
low educational attainment
limited access to psycho-social support
Project content
Fight for Peace (FFP) combines boxing and martial arts with education and personal development to help young people realise their potential despite living in communities affected by crime, violence and social exclusion. Fight for Peace coordinates the Safer Communities Programme (SCP) in Jamaica, which brings together over 30 entities – government agencies, sports federations, youth development and violence-prevention organisations – to work in communities with high levels of violence. The Unity and Peace project uses holistic programmes covering five pillars (sport, education, employment, youth leadership and psycho-social support) using the collective impact framework.
The project has been launched in six communities in Kingston with high levels of violence: Hannah Town, Denham Town, Trench Town, Tivoli Gardens, Fletchers Land and Parade Gardens.
Fight for Peace also works informally with the Jamaica Wrestling Federation and the Jamaica Rugby League Association. Funding from the UEFA Foundation for Children will enable the Jamaica Football Federation to be included by integrating school and community football teams.
Beneficiaries:
More than 1,670 young people living in urban areas
Average age from 10 to 12 years and 95% under 18
56% male and 46% female
Objectives
FFP has developed an integrated and holistic five-pillar methodology that it applies to all its projects and activities. The objective is to give young people all the support they need to become champions in life.
Boxing and martial arts: to promote respect, discipline, self-control, feelings of belonging and self-esteem, and encourage young people to join the programme
Education: to offer support and educational courses for young people who are outside formal learning environments or who have learning difficulties
Employability: to help young people access the job market through training, vocational courses and referrals to job opportunities through a network of partners in the private sector
Support services: a multidisciplinary social-support team provides services, including individual mentoring, social, medical and legal referrals, home visits and community outreach
Youth leadership: through youth councils who represent the organisation externally and liaise with staff on strategy and programme development
Project activities
Sports sessions (boxing, martial arts and football) delivered at community centres and schools by coaches trained to integrate personal development skills into sessions (50 sessions per week)
Personal development sessions led by trained facilitators from youth development and violence prevention NGOs and/or psychologists and social workers from FFP (12 sessions per month for the six communities)
Cross-community recreational activities and tournaments (two tournaments in the first six months)
Eight places branded as sport for development sites and safe spaces for children
Psychological first aid and sport for development training for all participating coaches, allowing for long-term integration of personal development into sport in schools and the community
Training of coaching assistants to provide qualified coaches for disadvantaged communities
Partnership with the GC Foster College of Sport and Physical Education to provide coaching courses and certification for all participating coaches
Integration with the sport and behaviour change programme of the ministry of education, information and youth/social development commission to allow for policy development and future programming within schools and communities
Expected results
Young people who take part in regular free sports and personal development will report sustained improvements to health and well-being.
1,800 young people practising sport
1,450 sports sessions
72 personal development sessions
4 tournaments
70% improving their health and fitness
4 coach training courses
60% improve the quality of their relationships with friends, family and other adults
60% of those who may have negative behaviour report a positive change, e.g. reduced involvement in crime, respect for authority
LocationLas Sabanas, San José de Cusmapa, Ocotal, Esteli, Nicaragua
Start date
02/01/2019
End date
12/31/2019
Cost of the project€70,498
Foundation funding€55,000
Project identifierAME-2018408
PartnersFabretto Children’s Foundation
CategoriesAccess to Sport
Context
In the northern Nicaraguan municipalities of Las Sabanas, San José de Cusmapa, Ocotal and Esteli, many children are vulnerable, at risk of poverty and boredom, drop out of school early and lack access to high-quality education and recreational activities. The project aims to empower these children and their families to reach their full potential and improve their livelihoods.
Project content
By reaching out to around 600 of these communities’ most vulnerable children aged between 11 and 15 through education and sport, the project hopes to promote the children’s fundamental rights to education, play, development and recreational activities. Through after-school activities, the children will also learn to develop their social, personal and intrapersonal skills.
UEFA Foundation for Children funding will reinforce the sporting aspect of the project and finance sports equipment, training of our educators in sports coaching, as well as the organisation of local leagues and competitions.
Objectives
Educational enrichment for primary school pupils. The project will enrich the children’s education by providing classes aimed at developing their reading, writing and maths skills, as well as promoting play through sport, art and dance.
Sports activities for primary school students, increasing the use of sports and recreational activities to support learning; reduction of gender and social inequality through the integration of girls and children at risk of social exclusion.
Project activities
Educational enrichment
Educational enrichment classes from February to November, four days a week for two to three hours per day, implementing the aforementioned objectives and activities.
Training workshops for educators and coaches with a focus on innovative and learning-by-doing methodologies.
Supply of proper learning materials such as textbooks, pencils and art supplies for the classroom.
Three workshops for parents in each community to help them understand their role and impact on their children’s development.
Sports activities
Acquisition of equipment and materials, and provision of safe environments for sport.
Training of educators as sports/football coaches, in sports supervision and engagement of young people in physical activities.
Creation of 32 sports teams across the four municipalities and a weekly football practice session in each school or education centre.
A biannual football tournament between the teams in each community to promote continuous learning, positive values, healthy habits, gender equality and non-discrimination.
Expected results
The Fabretto Children’s Foundation will provide 600 children with educational and recreational activities.
The project aims to promote gender equality by increasing the participation of girls in sport and combating traditional gender role assumptions and stereotypes.
Teachers and sports coaches will be trained to play the important role of leading activities and guiding the pupils through the learning process.
A parents’ workshop will raise awareness of the importance of education and physical activities.
Children will be better educated and become more confident, integrated members of society, with a greater chance of a positive socio-economic future.
Due to its central geographic location and as a strong economic partner in Southeast Asia, Thailand is a regional hub for migrants as a place of origin, transit and destination. Tens of thousands of migrant children currently live in construction site camps in Thailand (Baan Dek and UNICEF, 2018). As their parents have come to Thailand to work, these children live in precarious temporary shelters with limited access to education, health or security. They are exposed to various forms of abuse, violence and neglect. None of them have the opportunity to escape from the slums and socialise with others, so they are forced to stay and play in unsafe surroundings with little stimulation or interaction with others. Their vulnerable situation means that they are at risk of being deprived of their basic rights. Moreover, the limited opportunities for socialisation and play mean that these children have no opportunity to just be children.
Project content
Baan Dek Foundation believes that football is a necessary component of childhood development, a fertile ground for learning essential skills such as teamwork, self-esteem, confidence, good sportsmanship and discipline. The Football4Good programme encourages positive peer relationships among children from different ethnic backgrounds through coaching, physical activity, the provision of quality sports equipment and by training the foundation’s staff in sports development. The programme also aims to promote gender equality by empowering marginalised girls and young women.
This year Baan Dek Foundation wants to go a step further by emphasising the development of community leadership through its new programme, Football4Good and youth empowerment. The idea is to train and empower youth peer educators to deliver regular football training sessions in the communities where they live. With an increased understanding of social issues and how to better promote values such as equality and tolerance, the youth peer educators will be able to act as role models for marginalised children and young people living in urban slums and construction site camps.
The youth peer educators will also have direct involvement in improvements to their living environment. They will work with Baan Dek Foundation staff to design and implement new football pitches, more child-safe spaces and other improvements to their communities’ physical infrastructure. This will give children living in their community the opportunities to benefit from safe areas in which to play football outside of training sessions.
In addition to providing football sessions for the community and during children’s school holidays, the foundation aims to inspire children to pursue sports and to create awareness of the benefits of sports for development by inviting local professional footballers to come and present their career at a local school.
Objectives
Football is a crucial multipurpose tool for social workers and can positively influence children in need of support at a very fundamental level. The Football4Good and youth empowerment programme aims to help connect marginalised communities through regular football sessions, as well as providing sports equipment for targeted vulnerable communities. Children and teenagers will develop motor skills, improve their levels of physical activity, have the chance to socialise with their peers and build new social relationships within communities where violence between various ethnic groups may sometimes be a daily occurrence. Furthermore, football teaches these children to become team players, to integrate into and socialise in a diverse group and to practice good sportsmanship. All of these benefits, in addition to simply providing a fun activity for the children, make football and sports education in general a primary focus for the foundation’s community programmes.
Project Activities
Football is a crucial multipurpose tool for social workers and can positively influence children in need of support at a very fundamental level. The Football4Good and youth empowerment programme aims to help connect marginalised communities through regular football sessions, as well as providing sports equipment for targeted vulnerable communities. Children and teenagers will develop motor skills, improve their levels of physical activity, have the chance to socialise with their peers and build new social relationships within communities where violence between various ethnic groups may sometimes be a daily occurrence. Furthermore, football teaches these children to become team players, to integrate into and socialise in a diverse group and to practice good sportsmanship. All of these benefits, in addition to simply providing a fun activity for the children, make football and sports education in general a primary focus for the foundation’s community programmes.
Expected results
More than 100 football sessions a year held as part of Smile Holiday programmes and in marginalised communities.
More than 400 children a year attending Smile Holidays and community Football4Good sessions.
More than 3,500 attendees of Smile Holidays and community football sessions cumulatively.
150 girls and young women attending Smile Holidays and community football sessions.
Seven communities where football, sports facilities and child-safe environments are improved and made accessible to children.
50 balls provided to communities and youth peer educators.
40 youth peer educators a year trained on the value of football.
According to UNICEF 3.5 million Afghan children aged between 5 and 17 are missing out on school. Approximately 2.1 million 6 to 14-year-olds are involved in some form of child labour, often in jobs that are hazardous to their health and safety. They face a high risk of injury or death from road accidents, suicide bombings and explosions; they are often victims of verbal, physical and sexual abuse; they are exposed to concentrated air and noise pollution, and generally endure difficult living conditions. Many of these children are their families’ only breadwinners and their parents, most of whom are illiterate, feel they have no other choice but to put their children to work. As a result, these children have no opportunity to attend formal schools.
Street children back to school
Afghanistan is a country characterised by many ethnic divisions, which are often the root causes of violence. In this difficult context, sporting events such as football and cricket have proven to be successful ways in which to bring the population together and break down ethnic barriers. Sport, and football in particular, is an important channel for motivating children to create social change.
Project content
The UEFA Foundation for Children is supporting Action for Development (AfD) in Afghanistan for the second year in a row. The Street children back to school project was established in 2016 and invests in the social and educational development of these children, as well as ways to improve their overall level of health, to ensure they will become productive members of society. Thanks to its unique structure, the school allows these children to combine studies with their work.
The project also invests resources in empowering girls, who, until 2007, were banned from playing football in Afghanistan. Today, Kabul alone has 17 women's teams, although there is no training centre and female players still face resistance.
Project set-up
In October 2016 AfD founded its first school in one of the most populous districts in Kabul. In September 2018 new schools were opened in two other locations, one in the city centre and one in Khwaja Bughra district to the north, in the same building as the AfD health centre. A dry, secure football pitch has been rented, where children are taken twice a week to play football safely. The schools have seven women taking care of the teaching, cooking and coordinating and one male football coach.
Back-to-school activities
The Schools for Street Working Children project aims to reintegrate children into the formal school system. These children have lower-than-expected levels of skills and confidence for children of their age, which makes attending a formal school very difficult.
Awareness campaigns
One hundred families with children at the school will be involved in awareness-raising activities. Mothers will be taught about the importance of education, children’s hygiene, disease prevention and the dangers of drugs and prostitution. A special emphasis is placed on issues affecting young girls as they are often the most vulnerable of street children. Awareness campaigns will also reach out to the community elders and leaders of mosques.
Local development
Over 200 children have already been enrolled in the project but there is scope to increase this number. The children need to commit to attending the training sessions. Priority is given to orphans and children who have a disabled parent and 50% of the participants must be girls.
Regular health check-ups are to be carried out with the support of the AfD health centre personnel and regular support is provided by a local psychologist.
The Schools for Street Working Children project offers street children the opportunity to play football and sport in general. Currently over 40 children play football. We are working with families who, for cultural reasons, believe their daughters should not play football as it is typically a male sport, to educate them on the importance of sport, and football in particular, in building self-esteem, team building capability and strength overall. Groups are formed according to age and where necessary by gender, and each group has two sessions each week. The school’s tutoring activities are held before or after the sports activities.
Objectives
The aim of the project is to improve the prospects of Kabul’s street working children, assisting them in their social, educational and physical development, and investing in them to ensure they will become productive members of the society.
The non-formal education approach allows the children to learn through games and activities and enables them to continue with their current activities. By playing football they take back their right to be children.
The objectives of the project are to:
continue to increase the number of children attending the schools for street children;
provide educational support for street children using innovative tools;
provide basic nutritional support and health services, physical and psychological, for children in need;
promote children’s physical development and offer opportunities to learn physical skills through football training and sport in general;
train educators to use a creative teaching method and train the football coach to engage children, their families and the community by building enthusiasm for football;
in the longer term, reduce the number of illiterate street children through a sustainable approach to education and training;
create awareness of the value of education among families and the local community;
build synergies with national schools to make it easier for some of these boys and girls to be reintegrated into the formal system.
Project activities
Expected results
Street children are able to read, write and do calculations; they also learn to draw.
They are aware of their rights and duties and of the concepts of peace and human rights.
Street children are in better health and do not have nutritional deficiencies.
More children are enrolled in football training.
Trainers are trained to be able to teach street children.
More children are enrolled in the formal school system, and barriers, such as children’s lack of confidence and readiness, are broken down.
Academically stronger children are given financial support to continue their studies.
Access to Sport - 
Personal development
Children with disabilities - 
