Developing therapeutic physical activity programmes in hospitals for children affected by cancer

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Paris and Toulouse, France
Start date 01/01/2026
End date 08/31/2026
Cost of the project €187,529
Foundation funding €20,000
Project identifier 2025000849
Partners CAMI Sport & Cancer
Categories Access to Sport - Healthy lifestyle

Context

Cancer affects an average of 2,500 children for the first time each year in France. It is the second leading cause of death in children and adolescents. During treatment, children with cancer are often confined to tiny, sterile bedrooms. Being stuck in a hospital bed has many consequences, physical and psychological, including loss of muscle mass, physical deconditioning, loss of flexibility, reduced independence, sleep disturbance, fatigue, anxiety, stress, isolation and pain. Scientific studies carried out over many years have shown that regular sports participation can improve all these parameters.

Project goals

Support 180 to 190 children each year to:

  • Reduce the side effects of cancer treatment
  • Prevent the loss of muscle mass that results from being bed-ridden
  • Improve quality of life
  • Relieve the stress of being stuck in a traditional hospital environment
  • Combat social withdrawal and isolation through inclusion
  • Improve confidence and self-esteem

Project content

The project offers fun activities such as ball games, scooters and physical play for children in hospital. For teenagers and young adults, it provides physical activities adapted to the patient’s level of fatigue (gentle muscle strengthening, flexibility training). Practitioners visit the hospital departments for children, teenagers and young adults, offering one-to-one sessions lasting 45 minutes to an hour to any patients who would like them.

Partner

Bridging Footsteps

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Sofia (Bulgaria), Prizren (Kosovo), Odobesti (Romania)
Start date 05/01/2026
End date 07/31/2027
Cost of the project €100,000
Foundation funding €100,000
Project identifier 2025001536
Partners CONCORDIA Bulgaria Foundation
Categories Access to Sport - Gender Equality - Strengthening partnerships

Context

According to Eurochild, 33.9% of children in Bulgaria and 41.5% of children in Romania live in poverty or are at risk of social exclusion – those figures equate to around 400,000 and 1.5 million children respectively. The figures are equally alarming in Kosovo, which has the youngest population in Europe: UNICEF found that 23% of children there grow up in poverty and 7% live in extreme poverty. These circumstances not only affect their day-to-day quality of life but also reduce their chances of getting a good education and therefore their career prospects and likelihood of a healthy adult life. Marginalised communities suffer education inequality and high school-dropout rates, limited access to public services and leisure activities, health challenges owing to poor nutrition, hygiene and a lack of exercise as well as stereotypes and systemic discrimination, which perpetuate poverty.

Project goals

  • Provide equal access to sports opportunities for marginalised children from Roma, poverty-stricken and rural communities
  • Help participants to develop soft skills such as teamwork, discipline and communication to prepare them for further education or training and improve their long-term employability
  • Enhance local capacities, combat gender and cultural stereotypes and build knowledge and strategies to increase girls’ participation in sport
  • Encourage consistent and continued school attendance among project participants
  • Promote proper nutrition, hygiene and fitness and facilitate access to regular nursing and psychological care

Project content

  • Visit to youth football projects and a professional football academy in Vienna for seven social practitioners from CONCORDIA Bulgaria, Romania and Kosovo, enabling them to gain expertise in age-specific and gender-inclusive coaching
  • A half-day training course for those practitioners on inclusive football practices for disadvantaged children and youth and the project’s experience in Bulgaria
  • Weekly football training for 30 children in Romania, 30 in Kosovo and 50 in Bulgaria, in cooperation with local schools to promote regular school attendance
  • Construction of a football fence near CONCORDIA’s Tranzit Centre in Prizren, Kosovo, serving the local community
  • Community sports festivals and other outreach activities to overcome stereotypes and other concerns that might prevent children, especially girls, to play football
  • Team-building activities led by social workers, trainers or volunteers
  • An International Summer Sports Camp in Bulgaria, bringing together 45 young people from Kosovo, Romania and Bulgaria for several days of team sports and other inclusive games, fostering intercultural exchange, healthy competition and the joy of physical activity

Partner

Strike a different tone

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Start date 01/01/2026
End date 12/31/2026
Cost of the project €110,691
Foundation funding €45,000
Project identifier 2025001583
Partners Rêves Passion Montréal
Categories Access to Sport - Personal development

Context

In Montreal, one in ten children lives in a low-income family, and that figure is even higher when other vulnerability factors are taken into account. Many of these children lack access to extracurricular activities, despite the crucial role they play in inclusion and social development. Girls from low-income ethnic-minority families are particularly affected and have difficulty accessing safe, suitable sports activities.

Project goals

Our goal is to use football not only to promote physical activity and make it accessible to all, but also as a true vehicle for social inclusion and gender equality. We want to change people’s attitudes to girls’ place in sport and society. In partnership with local community stakeholders, we therefore encourage girls to voice their opinions and develop their self-confidence while, at the same time, educating boys about tolerance and inclusion in mixed-gender sport and daily life:

  • Enabling girls to become more confident, speak up and exercise leadership
  • Fostering long-term change in young people’s attitudes to equality and inclusion on and off the pitch
  • Using football as a lever for engagement, communication and social integration
  • Encouraging children to remain in school and continue playing sport, and aiding their transition into adulthood by providing a framework based on engagement, independence and personal development

Project content

A structured programme of football training and other activities, including workshops on mental strength and self-expression, to build confidence.

The project creates the ideal setting for young people to find their voice, grow and take part in activities from which they are usually excluded.

Partner

Kicking Boundaries

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Limpopo province, South Africa
Start date 01/15/2027
End date 01/15/2027
Cost of the project €85,000
Foundation funding €45,000
Project identifier 2025000428
Partners Uplift Foundation
Categories Access to Sport - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development - Strengthening partnerships

Context

South Africa continues to face alarming levels of gender-based violence and homicide. Girls in rural areas are particularly vulnerable to abuse, exploitation and crime. Many are marginalised, lack information about their rights, have little exposure to positive role models and are rarely given safe spaces to express themselves, build confidence or seek support. Girls with disabilities face an additional layer of exclusion, as infrastructure, programmes and attitudes often ignore their needs.

Limpopo is one of the country’s poorest and most rural provinces. Deeply rooted gender norms mean that sport, especially football, is still treated as the preserve of men, while girls are expected to prioritise domestic work and caregiving, missing out on the physical, emotional and social benefits of playing sport.

Project goals

  • Provide regular, structured football activities in rural areas for at least 600 girls aged 11–18, including a minimum of 30% disabled girls
  • Use football as a platform to challenge harmful gender norms and promote gender equality, respect and non-violence in families, schools and communities
  • Reduce girls’ vulnerability to crime and gender-based violence
  • Strengthen leadership, communication, teamwork and resilience among girls
  • Build supportive environments for girls
  • Lay the foundations for the integration of football for girls into existing community structures

Project content

  • Regular mobile football clinics in rural communities, bringing structured football sessions directly to villages with little or no sports infrastructure. Sessions will focus on basic football skills, physical fitness, teamwork and enjoyment. Coaches will ensure that girls of different abilities, including those with disabilities, can participate safely and meaningfully.
  • Local and inter-community football tournaments and events to reinforce commitment, build pride and strengthen social networks among girls from different villages.
  • Gender equality and rights workshops that will deliver age-appropriate information on gender equality, girls’ rights, respect and non-discrimination, using football-based examples and discussions.
  • Anti-crime, safety and self-defence workshops, covering personal safety, basic self-defence techniques, how to recognise risky situations, and where to seek help in cases of violence or abuse. These sessions will be linked to football activities to reinforce messages about standing strong, supporting team-mates and reporting incidents.
  • Leadership development through sport: Football drills and small-sided games will incorporate leadership roles. Girls will practise communication, decision-making and problem-solving on the pitch, and then reflect on how to apply these skills in school, at home and in the community.
  • Inclusion of girls with disabilities: The project will intentionally recruit disabled girls and adapt activities where necessary so that they can participate fully. Coaches will receive basic training in inclusive coaching approaches, and awareness will be raised to reduce stigma and promote acceptance.
  • Community mobilisation and partnerships: The project team will collaborate with schools, local clubs, community-based organisations and the authorities to support recruitment, access to facilities and joint events. Regular meetings and feedback sessions will encourage local buy-in.

Partner

Girls Play for Change: Using sport as a transformative tool for protection, inclusion and empowerment

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Bossaso, Puntland State, Somalia
Start date 01/01/2026
End date 12/31/2026
Cost of the project €53,794
Foundation funding €43,000
Project identifier 2025000458
Partners Hawa Feminist Coalition
Categories Access to Sport - Conflict victims - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development

Context

Bossaso, a rapidly growing city in the state of Puntland, Somalia, hosts over 250,000 internally displaced people (IDP). They have fled conflict, humanitarian crises and the worsening effects of climate change. Most of them live in poor, overcrowded camps with limited access to services. Women and girls face some of the most severe and alarming forms of gender-based violence, including rape, sexual harassment, domestic violence, child abuse, early and forced marriage, and female genital mutilation or cutting.

Somali girls, particularly those from the marginalised IDP community in Bossaso, face significant barriers to participating in sport, which is still widely seen as the preserve of men. This exclusion deprives girls of the benefits that sport offers and reinforces harmful societal norms that silence their voices, limit their visibility and perpetuate gender inequality. The lack of inclusive, girl-centred programmes and safe, supportive opportunities further compounds their marginalisation, stifling their potential and curbing their development.

Project goals

  • Create safe and inclusive access to football for displaced and marginalised girls
  • Strengthen girls’ physical, emotional and mental well-being
  • Promote girls’ confidence, leadership, teamwork and active participation in sport
  • Train and empower 12 young women as community-based sport coaches and peer mentors and establish safe play areas
  • Raise awareness of girls’ rights, menstrual health, prevention of gender-based violence and inclusion of displaced and marginalised girls in sport

Project content

  • Safe, structured football and mentorship sessions for 300 displaced girls across six IDP settlements in Bossaso led by trained female coaches, integrating physical activity with psychosocial support, mental health promotion and rights-based education
  • Training for 12 young women from IDP communities to become football coaches and peer mentors, including modules on gender inclusion, children’s rights and safeguarding
  • Six inclusive, safe play areas within selected IDP camps
  • Four quarterly awareness-raising sessions, in person and online, each reaching 100 participants – including parents, elders and girls – to discuss gender-based violence, child protection, menstrual health and girls’ participation in sport and foster supportive community environments
  • Annual Girls Play for Change festival, bringing together over 150 girls, families and stakeholders to showcase and celebrate girls’ talents, build solidarity and advocate for inclusive sport and the protection of all girls

Partner

Play to Excel

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Kayonza district, Rwanda
Start date 01/01/2026
End date 06/30/2027
Cost of the project €88,044
Foundation funding €88,044
Project identifier 2025002245
Partners Right to Play
Categories Access to Sport - Infrastructure and equipment - Personal development - Strengthening partnerships

Context

In rural Rwanda, many children lack opportunities to play sport. Although part of the school curriculum and essential for developing motor skills, building confidence and interacting with others, physical education is limited by a lack of trained coaches and safe play areas. Without supportive environments, children miss out on the benefits of sport and play.

Project goals

Improve access to sports activities in schools and increase children's participation in physical education by:

  • ensuring children in rural settings have access to safe, child-friendly play areas;
  • providing schools in rural settings with age-appropriate sports equipment;
  • training primary school sports facilitators on effective coaching techniques and supporting them so they can organise regular sports activities and use sport to help develop life skills, social cohesion and the inclusive participation of girls in sport;
  • increasing girls’ participation in sports and play, with a target of at least 50% of girls in the target area participating in sports and play-based activities;
  • leveraging Right to Play's existing programmes and relationships with schools and the government in the Kayonza district to establish new sport-for-development partnerships, including with the Rwanda Schools Sports Federation and the Rwanda Football Federation.

Project content

The Play to Excel project will be implemented in five primary schools in Kayonza, a rural district in Rwanda.

Activities include:

  • renovating play areas and football pitches and giving the entire student population aged 6–12 across the five schools improved access to safe, inclusive sports areas and higher-quality, more frequent sports sessions;
  • giving ten sports coaches and teachers in-depth, practical training on inclusive, child-centred and life skills-oriented coaching;
  • distributing age-appropriate and inclusive sports equipment and training materials;
  • organising tournaments.

Partner

Kicking Barriers

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Corona, California, USA
Start date 02/20/2027
End date 02/20/2026
Cost of the project €86,600
Foundation funding €59,100
Project identifier 2025001630
Partners Arise Organization
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Personal development

Context

Many children in Corona, California are disabled, including 12% of students in the Corona-Norco unified school district. Despite this, there are no structured, year‑round inclusive sports programmes, and unified sport opportunities are rare. As a result, many children are deprived access to the developmental, social and emotional benefits of sport.

Disabled children are often excluded from team play, watching from the sidelines rather than participating. Many families report that their child is never chosen or always left out, which leads to social isolation, low confidence and poor mental health.

The barriers to sport are multidimensional:

  • Physical: No adapted equipment or inclusive football programmes.
  • Social: Low awareness, stigma and exclusion.
  • Emotional: Fear, anxiety and repeated experiences of rejection.
  • Structural: Transport issues, limited funding, inaccessible facilities.

Project goals

Kicking Barriers aims to change this by creating a culture where every child belongs on the field.

  • Expand access to inclusive football
  • Train local coaches in inclusive practices
  • Build children’s confidence, empathy and teamwork skills
  • Strengthen community awareness
  • Create a replicable inclusive sport and social-emotional learning model

Project content

Deliver a one‑year integrated programme combining inclusive football training, social-emotional learning, coach development and community advocacy.

Inclusive football sessions

  • Run 36 adapted football sessions for mixed-ability teams using inclusive rules and equipment
  • Complete safeguarding and risk assessments and track attendance

Coach training and mentoring

  • Develop and deliver three inclusive coaching training sessions
  • Train ten local coaches and provide ongoing mentoring and practical support

Ability Avengers programme

  • Organise 36 sessions that combine social-emotional learning with football as part of the Ability Avengers programme, educating children about disabilities
  • Carry out baseline and endline assessments to measure growth in empathy, confidence and teamwork skills

Community engagement

  • Host three inclusive community matches
  • Reach 300 parents, caregivers and teachers through events and outreach activities
  • Collect feedback and document shifts in attitudes

Documentation and replication

  • Produce a detailed inclusive sport and social-emotional learning methodology and develop guidance materials
  • Document the success stories of three children who have previously experienced exclusion
  • Package the model for use by schools, clubs and community organisations

Partner

Football for children and teenagers from low-income communities

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Parque Ecodeportivo Santo Domingo Oeste, Manoguayabo, Dominican Republic
Start date 02/01/2026
End date 12/31/2026
Cost of the project €56,034
Foundation funding €28,017
Project identifier 2025002480
Partners Fundacíon Café con Leche
Categories Access to Sport - Employability - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development

Context

In low-income, structurally disadvantaged communities, the education system is often overstretched and many families lack the economic and social resources they would need to enrol their children in structured extracurricular activities. As a result, young people have limited access to healthy leisure and safe spaces that promote positive social interactions, personal growth and academic motivation, increasing their vulnerability to social exclusion and risky behaviour.

Football is a popular leisure activity in Santo Domingo but most youngsters play informally, rarely as part of a structured programme, limiting the educational potential. Projects that intentionally link sport with educational support and personal development are scarce.

 

Project goals

Create a safe, structured and supportive environment that:

  • promotes the holistic development and empowerment of children and teenagers growing up in vulnerable communities in Santo Domingo;
  • strengthens participants’ physical and mental well-being, fosters self-esteem and social inclusion, and supports academic success;
  • equips young people with essential life skills, positive role models and the motivation necessary to pursue educational and personal goals despite structural disadvantages.

Project content

  • 11 weekly 90-minute football training sessions for children and teenagers
  • 10 weekly one-hour educational sessions for children and teenagers
  • Friendly football matches and tournaments at least once a month
  • 10 educational trips and talks for children and teenagers
  • 12 one-hour workshops and talks with a psychologist offering psycho-emotional support

Partner

Play and Debate

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Aley and Beirut (Achrafieh district), Lebanon
Start date 01/01/2026
End date 12/31/2026
Cost of the project €35,572
Foundation funding €15,240
Project identifier 2025001131
Partners Baroudeurs de l'Espoir
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Conflict victims - Employability - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development

Context

Lebanon is facing a serious multisectoral crisis, exacerbated by the current war and regional conflicts, which are having a profound effect on young people. Persistent instability, electricity and fuel shortages and the breakdown of essential services are restricting children’s access to education, healthcare and protection. War also increases the risk of domestic violence, child labour, family separation and psychosocial distress.

Project goals

Use sport to support the psychosocial development of children and teenagers in Lebanon, offering them opportunities to relax in a safe environment, teaching them about peace and social harmony, and enabling them to grow, exercise, excel and develop team spirit.

Project content

Two-hour socio-educational sports sessions, offering children and teenagers a precious opportunity to move, play, learn and develop a sense of teamwork.

The first hour is divided into three 20-minute sections in which the children learn a new game, receive a presentation on a particular topic (e.g. conflict management or peace) and then discuss the topic and how to apply it to their everyday lives. A nutritious snack is provided – a valuable support for families experiencing financial hardship – before the second half of the session, which comprises a mini sports tournament.

 

Partner

Play for Protection: Child-centred sport for safety and belonging

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh
Start date 01/01/2026
End date 12/31/2026
Cost of the project €140,232
Foundation funding €100,000
Project identifier 2025001001
Partners ActionAid Switzerland
Categories Access to Sport - Conflict victims - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development

Context

Approximately 1,140,000 Rohingya live in overcrowded camps in Cox’s Bazar and on the island of Bhasan Char, half of them children and teenagers with limited protection and access to safe play. Girls and disabled children in particular are marginalised as a result of patriarchal norms, stigma and safety concerns. Inclusive, structured sports are needed to foster well-being, social inclusion and development – in a safe, dignified environment.

Project goals

  • Psychosocial well-being: Improve the mental health and resilience of 300 Rohingya aged 13 to 24
  • Child protection: Reduce children and teenagers’ vulnerability to exploitation and abuse by integrating sports clubs into existing community-based protection frameworks
  • Gender equality and inclusion: Challenge social stigma and patriarchal norms by ensuring equitable participation for girls (35% target) and disabled children (5% target) in all sports activities
  • Social cohesion: Build a sense of belonging and community by organising inclusive sports events that bring young people, their parents and community leaders together across the refugee camps
  • Youth empowerment and leadership: Train young refugees to be coaches and mentors, equipping them with life skills and vocational leadership experience

Project content

Regular access to inclusive, structured physical activity and safe recreational spaces in the Camp 4 Extension, Camp 26 and Nayapara refugee settlements, with a focus on girls, disabled children and at-risk adolescents, encouraging them to participate in sports activities while promoting social cohesion, life skills and protection.

  • Participant engagement and community consultation: engaging young people, their families and their communities to ensure inclusion and ownership of project activities
  • Structured sports and life-skills sessions: providing safe and inclusive opportunities for children and young adults to participate in sports activities and develop life skills
  • Inclusive sports clubs: establishing and supporting sports clubs that promote gender equality, inclusion and community participation
  • Capacity building for coaches: training young refugees and community members to deliver inclusive and safe sports activities
  • Facility management: ensuring sports facilities are accessible, safe and properly maintained
  • Psychosocial support: incorporation of play-based psychosocial support to strengthen participants’ well-being and resilience
  • Monitoring, evaluation and reporting: tracking project progress and documenting outcomes to ensure accountability and support learning

Partner

Fútbol en Señas: Deaf kids on the field

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Argentina
Start date 03/01/2026
End date 10/30/2027
Cost of the project €99,000
Foundation funding €73,040
Project identifier 2025001810
Partners Canales Asociación Civil
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development

Context

Over 2,600 deaf athletes are registered with the Confederación Argentina Deportiva de Sordos, the national governing body for deaf sports in Argentina. Nonetheless, deaf children are often excluded from football and other sports because they lack accessible spaces and coaches trained in Argentine Sign Language. This exclusion limits their social interactions, personal growth and self-esteem. There are few deaf role models in sport and many families don’t have the resources to support their children’s participation in football.

Project goals

Main goal: Promote deaf children’s social inclusion through sport, particularly football, the most popular sport in Argentina

Other objectives:

  • Turn deaf coaches into role models
  • Encourage interaction between deaf and hearing peers
  • Support families to help their children thrive in sport
  • Build self-confidence, teamwork and discipline
  • Expand to new regions, ensuring long-term sustainability and wider impact

 

Project content

  • Training for deaf football coaches in Argentine Sign Language and inclusive strategies
  • Weekly football sessions in institutions for deaf people in Buenos Aires
  • Awareness workshops and support sessions for families
  • Production and distribution of football training materials that use or are adapted for use with sign language
  • Inclusive tournaments involving deaf and hearing children

Partner

Field of Hope

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Bujumbura, Burundi
Start date 02/01/2026
End date 01/31/2027
Cost of the project €61,000
Foundation funding €48,800
Project identifier 2025000021
Partners Bafashebige
Categories Access to Sport - Conflict victims - Infrastructure and equipment - Personal development

Context

Many children in Burundi live in poverty. Some are displaced or disabled, and many have nowhere safe to play. Girls are especially disadvantaged and the lack of inclusive sports activities makes them even more isolated.

Project goals

  • Offer vulnerable children safe, inclusive access to sport
  • Foster children’s personal development and well-being
  • Promote gender equality and inclusion of disabled children
  • Raise community awareness
  • Help children feel valued, protected and supported, whatever their background

Project content

  • Creation of inclusive sports clubs in 12 rural schools
  • Organisation of mixed community tournaments
  • Training of 30 local educators in sport, gender and inclusion
  • Distribution of suitable equipment
  • Organisation of awareness-raising workshops for families
  • Production of radio programmes in collaboration with local radio stations to promote children’s rights and change people’s attitudes to disability and gender

Partner

She Should Play

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Bangui, Central African Republic
Start date 02/15/2026
End date 02/26/2027
Cost of the project €56,176
Foundation funding €44,940
Project identifier 2025002247
Partners iACT
Categories Access to Sport - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development - Strengthening partnerships

Context

One third of the Central African Republic’s population is displaced due to ongoing conflict. Girls in particular, face deep gender inequities that limit their freedom and opportunities. Cultural norms discourage their participation in sport, football especially, and they have few safe spaces to play, grow or lead. This lack of access undermines their confidence, leadership and sense of belonging.

Project goals

  • Increase the number of girls playing football
  • Support girls’ social and emotional development
  • Change attitudes towards girls playing football
  • Provide safe space for girls to play and have fun

Project content

  • Conduct outreach activities targeting girls, parents, schools and teachers
  • Host after-school football camps three days a week for three schools and in two slums
  • Provide hygiene kits and training on menstruation
  • Conduct workshops for parents and teachers and gender-equality awareness sessions
  • Raise awareness about girls in football through radio talks

Partner

Healing through Football

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Tulkarm Governorate, West Bank, Palestine
Start date 02/01/2026
End date 10/31/2026
Cost of the project €40,000
Foundation funding €40,000
Project identifier 2025001557
Partners Sports for Life
Categories Access to Sport - Conflict victims - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development

Context

Ongoing violence and demolition of homes have left families in a state of constant fear and precarity and taken a huge psychological toll on children, who lack access to safe spaces, education and psychosocial support.

Project goals

  • Provide psychosocial support to displaced children and orphans through structured sports and educational activities
  • Promote emotional healing, resilience and well-being through football and play-based learning
  • Create safe spaces where children, especially girls, feel protected, empowered and heard
  • Provide educational kits and a football for displaced children
  • Enhance children's education, life skills, teamwork and self-confidence
  • Support community cohesion through inclusive engagement

Project content

This project builds on a successful initiative to extend structured, inclusive activities to displaced children in the refugee camps of Tulkarm and Nur Shams in the northern part of the West Bank. Launched in April 2025, the initiative uses sport for development to educate and promote mental well-being, gender equality and empowerment, particularly for girls, giving them tools to develop their emotional expression, confidence and leadership skills.

Partner

Andahuaylas Sinkumunchis School

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Districts of San Jerónimo and Pacucha, Andahuaylas province, Apurímac, Peru
Start date 02/02/2026
End date 12/31/2026
Cost of the project €70,250
Foundation funding €32,850
Project identifier 2025001856
Partners Sinkumunchis Soccer Peru Foundation Inc.
Categories Access to Sport - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development

Context

Rural and semi-rural communities in the province of Andahuaylas, located in the high-Andean region of southern Peru, have limited access to structured sports programmes, recreational spaces and complementary educational opportunities for children and teenagers. Many families face economic constraints, geographic isolation and reduced access to public services, particularly in the districts of San Jerónimo and Pacucha. Children and young people have few safe and organised spaces to play a sport regularly, develop healthy habits and strengthen social and emotional skills.

Project goals

  • Provide regular and safe access to organised football activities for children and teenagers in rural Andahuaylas
  • Promote a healthy lifestyle, discipline and positive social behaviour through sport
  • Foster socioemotional skills such as teamwork, respect, perseverance and self-confidence
  • Encourage gender equality by promoting the participation of girls in football activities
  • Train and support community-based coaches

Project content

The Andahuaylas Sinkumunchis School offers year-round football training sessions that are adapted to different age groups and levels. Children train weekly with trained local coaches, following a methodology that combines technical development with a values-based education.

In addition to training sessions, there are local leagues, friendly matches and competitive events that allow participants to experience football in a positive and structured environment. Selected participants may also represent their communities in interschool and interregional tournaments, broadening their horizons and strengthening their sense of belonging.

The project leaders work closely with families, community leaders and local authorities to ensure sustainability and strong community buy-in. Attendance and participation are continually monitored to adapt activities to local needs and ensure people remain engaged.

Partner

Kicking off rights: Sport as a gateway to legal identity and other children’s rights

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Santa Cruz, Bolivia
Start date 01/01/2026
End date 06/30/2027
Cost of the project €143,286
Foundation funding €71,643
Project identifier 2025000291
Partners Toybox Charity
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Employability - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development - Strengthening partnerships

Context

A growing number of children and young adults in Santa Cruz live on the streets with no identity documents because their births were unregistered or they have lost their papers. Without a legal identity, they are denied access to healthcare, social services, education and employment. They are confronted with systemic discrimination, generational poverty and extreme vulnerability. Despite the urgency, no government policies address their needs; these children remain invisible and at risk.

Sport can be used to get these street children into the system and give them a legal identity, opening the door to long-denied rights while building trust and resilience, confidence and life skills.

Project goals

By June 2027:

  • Get 50 street/high-risk children to attend weekly sports practice or play, through which they can access identity documents, education and healthcare
  • Secure legal identity documents for 720 children
  • Enrol 120 children in education
  • Educate 30 health workers to actively support street/high-risk children

Project content

  • Birth registrations, IDs and disability cards
  • Outreach: Street work, child contact and first aid
  • Sports activities: Football and Zumba
  • Education: Preschool play, literacy, numeracy and crafts
  • School support: Enrolment and education campaigns
  • Health: Check-ups, disability evaluations and follow-up

Partner