Location and general information
Access to Sport - 
Gender Equality - 
Personal development - 
Strengthening partnershipsContext
Mozambique remains one of the world’s poorest countries, where poverty, gender inequality, and harmful social norms continue to affect girls’ access to education, information about healthcare, and opportunities. In many communities, girls face early marriage, early pregnancy, and traditional practices that limit their agency and prospects. Social norms often prioritise boys’ access to education, leisure, and resources, while girls are burdened with household tasks from an early age.
Limited access to information about sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), combined with insufficient sanitary facilities and taboos surrounding sexuality, further restricts girls’ ability to make informed decisions about their health and well-being. In vulnerable households, alcohol abuse and domestic and sexual violence remain challenges. Girls are also less physically active than boys and have fewer opportunities to participate safely in sport.
Project goals
- Improve the quality of life of more than 46,000 girls aged 8–16 in Mozambique by advancing their education, agency and rights through the organisation of the Mutola Cup, a girls’ grassroots football league
- Empower girls with leadership skills and knowledge about their health and rights
- Promote gender equality
- Equip over 3,000 community-based coaches to deliver football training sessions that incorporate educational content and positive role modelling
Project content
The project combines football training with structured educational activities that are integrated into the school curriculum in 93 districts in all ten provinces of Mozambique.
Activities include:
- training 3,074 community-based football coaches to deliver gender-sensitive training sessions that incorporate life skills and SRHR education;
- training 1,537 team captains (girls aged 14–16) as peer educators to facilitate dialogue and peer-to-peer learning within their teams and communities;
- weekly football training sessions, team talks and educational workshops delivered to 46,110 girls in 1,537 teams, ensuring football serves as a consistent and safe platform for learning;
- organising the Mutola Cup competition in 93 districts;
- continual coordination and monitoring, including data collection and reporting throughout the project cycle.
Through this combined approach, football becomes both a sporting competition and an educational activity that supports girls in their schools and communities.
Partner
