Sports for Resilience and Empowerment

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Masindi District, Uganda
Start date 01/04/2026
End date 12/31/2026
Cost of the project €300,000
Foundation funding €150,000
Project identifier 2025000850
Partners The Aliguma Foundation
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Conflict victims - Employability - Environmental protection - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Infrastructure and equipment - Personal development

Context

In rural areas of Masindi district, as in other rural areas in Uganda, access to quality education is severely limited. Many children attend overcrowded and under-resourced schools, which presents a significant barrier to learning and development, leaving many children without the skills and knowledge they need for a better future.

The primary challenges include inadequate infrastructure, a shortage of trained teachers and limited access to educational materials. These issues contribute to high dropout rates and poor academic performance. Additionally, the socio-economic conditions in the area often force children to prioritise labour over education, further hindering their opportunities for growth.

Project goals

  • Create opportunities for all children, including those from disadvantaged families or with physical or intellectual disabilities, to receive an education and participate fully in their
  • Enhance the academic performance and overall development of students.
  • Promote physical health, teamwork and life skills.
  • Address factors contributing to high dropout rates by creating a supportive and engaging school environment.
  • Ensure that girls have equal access to education and opportunities, contributing to gender equality and empowerment.
  • Develop strategies for the ongoing sustainability of the school, including through partnerships and community engagement.

Project content

The Aliguma Foundation has already built a well-equipped, safe and modern nursery and primary school, and is now providing educational materials for students as well as training and resources for teachers to help them provide quality instruction and support student learning. The foundation adopts a hands‑on, skill‑based and talent-driven approach to education, with sport and other extracurricular activities integrated into the curriculum. In addition, the local community is engaged in the school’s development and maintenance, which helps to foster a sense of ownership of the facilities and responsibility for the education of younger generations.

Partners

Support for children and young people living in extreme poverty

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Toliara, Atsimo-Andrefana, Madagascar
Start date 01/05/2026
End date 12/31/2026
Cost of the project €41,000
Foundation funding €26,900
Project identifier 2025001021
Partners Eau de Coco association
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Infrastructure and equipment - Personal development

Context

Thousands of young people in disadvantaged neighbourhoods of Toliara in south-west Madagascar are left to fend for themselves and struggle to survive. Many have stopped attending school, because they have no civil status (their birth was never officially registered), their family has no money or they lack motivation. Unwanted pregnancies are common among girls.

Project goals

Main goal: Promote lifelong learning through sport and ensure a high-quality education for all (SDG 4)

Specific objectives

  • Encourage vulnerable children to participate in sports activities, respecting fundamental freedoms and without discrimination
  • Provide outdoor sports equipment for supervised sports activities aimed at all children and teenagers living in the disadvantaged neighbourhoods of Toliara
  • Give children and teenagers the chance to play sport and have fun outside school
  • Encourage as many street children as possible to return to school

Project content

The project consists of two main activities:

  • Recreational team sport including football, basketball, handball, volleyball and tchoukball
  • Discussion of issues such as gender, racism, rights and obligations, and human rights

Partners

Karanja Inclusive Multisport Safe Space – Kibera

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Kibera, Nairobi, Kenya
Start date 03/01/2026
End date 03/01/2027
Cost of the project €70,000
Foundation funding €70,000
Project identifier 2025001764
Partners Gifted Community Center
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Employability - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Infrastructure and equipment - Personal development - Strengthening partnerships

Context

Children growing up in Kibera, Nairobi, one of Africa's largest urban slums and among the most densely populated informal settlements in Kenya, face multiple social and economic challenges, including poverty, limited access to safe play spaces and inadequate educational and health services. Due to high levels of ignorance and stigma, disabled children are excluded from society and do not have access to safe, inclusive sports spaces. Among the Nubian community in particular, disabled children are hidden at home, which denies them social interaction with non-disabled children, play and education opportunities. This reinforces negative attitudes and discrimination.

There are very few safe and inclusive recreational spaces where all children can participate together. Existing sports facilities are often inaccessible, not adapted for disabled children and lack structured programmes.

Project goals

  • Create a fully accessible, sustainable and inclusive sports hub for disabled and non-disabled children
  • Reduce stigma and discrimination against children to promote social inclusion
  • Increase access to safe, inclusive recreational sports opportunities and developmental activities for disabled children
  • Build local capacity in inclusive sports coaching
  • Improve the physical, emotional and social well-being of children
  • Strengthen community engagement and partnerships that promote inclusion and child development and support caregivers' well-being and awareness

Project content

  • Renovate an existing court to make it accessible for disabled children, construct a wheelchair-accessible multi-use basketball and tennis court and provide inclusive sports equipment
  • Train a minimum of ten coaches in inclusive methodologies
  • Organise three inclusive tournaments (football, wheelchair basketball, deaf-friendly games)
  • Hold regular sports sessions for over 30 children, at least half of whom are disabled
  • Organise caregiver forums and mental health support for a minimum of 50 parents
  • Set up inclusive football and tennis programmes adapted for different disabilities
  • Use sports-based therapy to support disabled children
  • Hold sessions focusing on confidence building, coordination, communication skills and mental health
  • Strengthen community and caregiver engagement to support children's development
  • Run community sports days, inclusive tournaments and awareness-raising sessions and collaborate with local schools, disability organisations and health partners to combat stigma
  • Implement strong child safeguarding measures and regularly monitor and evaluate participation, participant well-being and social impact

Partners

Equal Play

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Jakarta, Indonesia
Start date 03/01/2026
End date 08/31/2026
Cost of the project €126,088
Foundation funding €58,048
Project identifier 2025002161
Partners Yayasan Plan International Indonesia
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Personal development

Context

In Indonesia, disabled children continue to face significant marginalisation and systemic barriers that limit their opportunities to thrive. Social stigma, physical inaccessibility and a lack of inclusive practices in schools and communities contribute to their exclusion from education, play and broader social life.

Many of them are isolated, lack peer interaction and have limited access to recreational activities that support their physical and emotional development. They are entitled by law to have access to essential services, but 50 to 75% of them still face significant barriers to such services, particularly when it comes to education. Furthermore, disabled girls face compounded discrimination due to both gender and disability, which further restricts their participation and visibility in public life. These challenges are intensified by limited physical infrastructure, undertrained educators and prevailing negative perceptions of disability.

Project goals

Promote inclusion and equal opportunities for all children through sport, by increasing awareness, enabling disabled children to participate, empowering teachers and parents to support inclusive and adaptive sporting practices, and engaging the wider community through high-visibility events.

Project content

  • Run for Equality: An inclusive running event that unites children and adults – disabled or not – on the same track and serves as a major campaign to amplify the message of equality and encourage broad public participation and awareness.
  • Learning through sport: Capacity-building for educators and caregivers, equipping them with the tools and techniques to facilitate inclusive, child-friendly sports activities and enable access to sport for disabled children, including those who are isolated from formal education, e.g. home-schooled children.
  • Fun sports day: A celebratory, small-scale event where children of diverse backgrounds play together without barriers, applying inclusive practices learned during training, with the aim of creating meaningful stories and raising awareness among parents, caregivers and the general public of what it means to bring all children together regardless of their abilities.

Partners

We live together, learn and play

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Madrid, Spain
Start date 01/01/2026
End date 12/31/2026
Cost of the project €213,113
Foundation funding €20,000
Project identifier 2025001114
Partners Asociación Alacrán 1997
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development

Context

The main critical issues detected are the vulnerability of children and adolescents regarding their mental and physical health. Anxiety, stress and unwanted isolation have been identified, along with unhealthy habits related to nutrition, sleep and excessive smartphone use. There is also an increased risk of tobacco, alcohol and other drug consumption.

Project goals

  • Support the personal and social development of vulnerable children, helping them to acquire life skills and develop key values.
  • Create a community environment that provides a protective, caring space for children and adolescents, and guarantees their rights.
  • Support the active engagement of children and adolescents, and serve as a model for other projects and initiatives in the community and society at large.

Project content

The project, with football at its core, promotes the holistic development of 130 vulnerable children and adolescents aged between 6 and 17. We believe that sport and civic activities are powerful tools for supporting children’s physical and mental health, strengthening their social and personal skills and instilling key values like equality, respect and teamwork. The project aims to use those tools to create safe, inclusive spaces where children can grow, be empowered, and become agents of change in their communities.

To achieve these objectives, the project delivers activities and programmes in the following areas:

  • Football activities, including running a football school, training youth coaches, organising community sports events and campaigning for equality in sport.
  • Comprehensive social, emotional and educational support both individually and in groups, including additional schooling, training workshops and a mental well-being group.
  • Educational leisure activities and training for youth monitors.
  • Setting up councils of children and adolescents to promote active engagement in decision-making.

Partner

Green Goals for All

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Shkodër and Elbasan, Albania
Start date 02/01/2026
End date 02/01/2027
Cost of the project €115,000
Foundation funding €70,000
Project identifier 2025002471
Partners Qendra Marrëdhënie (The Relationship Center)
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Environmental protection - Infrastructure and equipment

Context

Football is Albania’s most popular sport and a source of national pride and community. However, access to spaces for sport and play remains poor, with girls, Roma children and disabled children in particular often excluded from team sport.

Project goals

  • Transform school playgrounds in two Albanian cities with high Roma populations into green playgrounds: shaded and welcoming community-centred spaces that are inclusive and climate-responsive
  • Provide quality sports pitches and safe places for neighbourhood residents of all ages and backgrounds to exercise, play and learn
  • Offer equitable, low-barrier access to sport and nature, fostering health, confidence and community among marginalised young people

Project content

  • Organise school selection workshops and introductory sessions with each municipality to align objectives and expectations within the relevant city departments
  • Run training sessions and on-site exchanges with expert green playground designers and engagement professionals
  • Engage with the community through playground parties, neighbourhood meetings and baseline opinion surveys
  • Involve students – particularly girls, Roma children and disabled children – in the design process to ensure the spaces reflect their diverse needs
  • Lead the technical design process in close coordination with municipal departments, oversee the construction process and quality control during implementation
  • Use environmental measurements, observational surveys and perception surveys to assess outcomes such as reduced surface temperatures, increased shade coverage, increased use outside of school hours and improved inclusion
  • Provide hands-on training to municipal maintenance staff and sport and science teachers, who can potentially use the playgrounds for outdoor learning opportunities

Partner

Smart Ball

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Türkmenabat city, Lebap region, Turkmenistan
Start date 01/05/2026
End date 12/18/2026
Cost of the project €69,020
Foundation funding €32,000
Project identifier 2025001508
Partners Taze Zaman NGO
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development

Context

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

Logo Smart Ball

Inclusive Sport for All

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Tokmok, Chuy region, Kyrgyzstan
Start date 03/01/2026
End date 02/28/2027
Cost of the project €33,810
Foundation funding €26,610
Project identifier 2025000796
Partners UPLIFT PF
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Healthy lifestyle - Strengthening partnerships

Context

Children with disabilities in rural Kyrgyzstan have very limited access to inclusive forms of sport and physical activity. Their non-disabled siblings also often lack opportunities for healthy development and social interaction, especially if their families are living on a low income. This leads to isolation and reduced mobility, and places children and families under emotional strain.

Project goals

To provide inclusive, community-based opportunities for children with disabilities in Kyrgyzstan (and their families) to take part in sport, thus promoting good health, inclusion and equality of opportunity.

Project content

  • Weekly inclusive sport sessions held at Uplift Centre
  • Weekly sessions with local partners (NGOs, schools and clubs)
  • Group movement/exercise activities for the participants’ parents
  • Inclusive family sports days and tournaments
  • Volunteer-led training on how to make sport more inclusive
  • Free access to local clubs for participants’ siblings

Partner

Play for Change: Building respectful communities through sport

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Gaborone and Kweneng districts, Botswana
Start date 01/05/2026
End date 06/30/2026
Cost of the project €136,000
Foundation funding €100,000
Project identifier 2025001231
Partners HOPE Worldwide Botswana
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development - Strengthening partnerships

Context

Gender-based violence is a significant challenge in Botswana, experienced by 67% of women. Young teens lack positive role models and structured opportunities to develop healthy relationship skills. Moreover, traditional gender-based violence prevention focuses on the women and girls, without giving men or women adequate support to challenge harmful gender norms and develop respectful attitudes towards gender equality and children's rights.

Project goals

  • Reduce acceptance of gender-based violence by 30% among 1,100 teenagers aged 10 to 15 (660 boys, 440 girls)
  • Promote gender equality, healthy relationships and positive forms of masculinity and femininity, fostering respect, leadership and protection of children’s rights
  • Build sustainable community-based prevention programmes
  • Strengthen protection of children's rights through bystander intervention training for all participants
  • Create lasting inclusive community partnerships for comprehensive, sustainable youth development

Project content

  • Training 15 coaches to deliver a dual-track sports-based programme that is adapted to the local cultural context and combines sport with gender-specific curricula and child protection: Coaching Boys Into Men and Changing the Game for Girls
  • Weekly two-hour sessions by 15 trained coaches in 20 schools, 2 disability institutions and 10 community clubs for 1,100 teens aged 10 to 15, including children with disabilities
  • Baseline, midway and end-of-programme assessments with all 1,100 participants
  • Joint community showcases, stakeholder engagement events and community dialogue on changing norms and human rights, including children’s rights, women’s rights and disability rights

Partner

Sport and support – Equal goals!

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Berane, Nikšić, Podgorica and Zeta (Montenegro)
Start date 01/15/2026
End date 06/15/2026
Cost of the project €92,636
Foundation funding €73,162
Project identifier 2025000548
Partners Parents NGO
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Conflict victims - Gender Equality - Personal development

Context

UNICEF has reported that more than 30% of children in Montenegro are at risk of poverty, and more than 40% of children under five years old in low and middle-income countries such as Montenegro are at risk of not reaching their full developmental potential. Early childhood poverty increases the risk of developmental delays, lower academic achievement, mental and physical health issues, and future unemployment. The COVID-19 pandemic, inflation and political instability have further worsened conditions for children and families. At the same time, growing inequality between rich and poor is deepening disparities among children.

Project goals

  • Reduce inequalities among children by providing equal opportunities.
  • Reduce dropout rates in primary and secondary education.
  • Increase the children’s self-confidence, with a special focus on girls.
  • Increase opportunities for socialisation and peer connections.
  • Improve the children’s self-esteem and ability to direct their own learning.

In collaboration with coaches and school staff, the project aims to send a clear message: the children are valued, strong and supported, and together, we can overcome anything!

Project content

The project runs sports and psychological workshops in ten schools across Montenegro, with a focus on Roma children and those from low-income families, helping them to become champions of equality. It provides free football programmes for 720 children, 76% of whom are taking part in sport for the first time, as well as psychological empowerment sessions for 150 girls and continuous psychological support for 150 girls.

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

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

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

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

Move Forward

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Budapest, Hungary
Start date 01/01/2026
End date 12/31/2026
Cost of the project €72,840
Foundation funding €50,000
Project identifier 2025001801
Partners Second Chance Sports Association
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Conflict victims - Employability - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development

Context

In Hungary, disadvantaged children and refugees face serious challenges such as poverty, social exclusion and restricted access to education and support services. Organisations working with them operate under significant pressure and cannot rely on stable domestic funding. These conditions make targeted projects essential to maintain support for marginalised communities and respond to their needs.

Project goals

  • Strengthen social cohesion and a sense of belonging among disadvantaged children and refugees
  • Develop participants’ personal and social skills, including teamwork, communication, self-confidence and problem-solving, in order to support successful social integration
  • Raise awareness of key values, including equality, women's empowerment and fairness
  • Foster intercultural exchange and skill development
  • Support participants' well-being
  • Strengthen the capacity of staff and volunteers delivering sports-based educational programmes and adapt innovative methodologies to different community needs

Project content

  • Organise regular football and basketball training sessions that create an inclusive environment, develop essential personal and social competencies and promote teamwork and mutual respect among participants
  • Provide individualised support through mentoring, social work, job-seeking assistance and other tailored services
  • Run fair play football roadshows that combine sport with awareness-raising, promoting values such as equality, non-discrimination and active citizenship
  • Hold workshops on topics such as anti-racism, digital literacy, employability, women's empowerment, adolescent pregnancy prevention and financial skills
  • Through our Social Coach training, we build the capacity of staff and volunteers to work more effectively with marginalized groups using sport-based methodologies.
  • In addition, we aim to pilot and further develop a football-based educational and skill-building methodology.

Partner

Amputee Football Junior Camps: Empowering children and youngsters through sport

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location San Juan de los Lagos, Mexico and Kigali, Rwanda
Start date 01/01/2026
End date 12/31/2027
Cost of the project €151,802
Foundation funding €104,561
Project identifier 2025001278
Partners European Amputee Football Federation
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Conflict victims - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development

Context

In Mexico and Rwanda, underdeveloped infrastructure, low public awareness and economic hardship create major obstacles for disabled children, from mobility barriers to social stigma. Those from poor or rural backgrounds are especially marginalised. Their exclusion runs deep and their potential remains untapped for lack of inclusive programmes and support. Sport, especially football – and in our context amputee football – can offer hope, create opportunity and deliver meaningful change.

Project goals

  • Create inclusive football opportunities for disabled children from poor backgrounds
  • Improve physical, social and emotional well-being
  • Build confidence, resilience and identity
  • Develop social skills through team activities
  • Facilitate peer exchange
  • Promote inclusion, especially for disabled girls
  • Train and support local coaches and educators
  • Engage parents and families

Project content

  • Online introductory sessions to present the learning model and support implementation in each country
  • Online pre-camp workshops for coaches and staff, including webinars and live Q&A sessions
  • Two camps – one in Mexico and one in Rwanda – including adapted football training, inclusive games, peer exchange, life skills workshops and parental support
  • Inclusion training for local coaches
  • Camp workshops with partners to promote cultural exchange, foster inclusion, build capacity and empower

Partner