Location and general information
Access to Sport - 
Children with disabilities - 
Gender Equality - 
Healthy lifestyle - 
Personal developmentContext
Young people in Türkmenabat have limited access to quality extracurricular activities, particularly in sport and civic education. Around 60% of schools lack adequate sports facilities, and girls’ participation in organised football remains very low (about 15%), reflecting persistent gender stereotypes and unequal access. Youth unemployment and rural-urban disparities further restrict opportunities for personal development and social inclusion. Although football is popular, public pitches are scarce, underfunded and often unsafe, especially for girls. These challenges create an urgent need for integrated initiatives that combine access to sport with life skills, gender equality and civic education – making the Smart Ball project both timely and highly relevant to the local context.
Project goals
- Increase youth participation in safe and structured sport, with a strong focus on girls
- Promote gender equality by challenging stereotypes and increasing girls’ participation in football
- Enhance young people’s life skills and employability through education in leadership, teamwork and civic engagement
- Improve access to quality sports infrastructure by renovating public football pitches for long-term community use
Project content
The 12-month football and education project comprises a variety of complementary activities:
- Regular football training sessions delivered three times a week by certified local coaches, in structured groups and safe, inclusive training environments
- Weekly educational workshops that use interactive methods to engage participants in topics such as teamwork, leadership, gender equality and active citizenship
- Renovation of two public football pitches, equipped to ensure safe and consistent access for training and community use
- Inclusive community tournaments and thematic events, including activities specifically encouraging girls’ participation, bringing together young people, their families and local partners and strengthening community engagement around the programme
Partner
