Play Together, Rise Together

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Colombo, Batticaloa, Galle, Kandy, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu and Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka
Start date 03/01/2026
End date 02/28/2027
Cost of the project €38,599
Foundation funding €19,241
Project identifier 2025000750
Partners Child Action Lanka
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development - Strengthening partnerships

Context

Children in Sri Lanka are growing up in environments shaped by the 30-year civil war, the 2014 Sinhala–Muslim riots, the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks and the recent economic crisis. This has weakened social cohesion and reduced opportunities for children to play and develop in safe and supportive environments.

Sport is one of the few activities in which children from different ethnic and religious backgrounds can meet, build trust and learn to live together. However, most families cannot afford sports equipment, training sessions or safe play areas.

Project goals

  • Provide regular, safe access to sport for more than 2,200 underprivileged children in nine Child Action Lanka centres
  • Strengthen social cohesion by bringing together children from different ethnic and religious backgrounds
  • Support the physical and emotional well-being of children
  • Ensure that disabled children are fully included in sports activities
  • Promote equal opportunities for girls and boys
  • Build children’s confidence, teamwork, discipline and leadership skills
  • Organise an inter-centre football tournament
  • Hold a Child Congress
  • Identify children with strong sporting potential and create pathways for long-term development in football or related fields
  • Strengthen partnerships between communities, coaches, teachers, local leaders and child protection services

 

Project content

  • Weekly football and multi-sport training sessions at each Child Action Lanka centre, focusing on teamwork, confidence and physical well-being
  • Adapted sports activities for disabled children, supported by trained staff to ensure safe and meaningful participation
  • Regular friendly matches and practice sessions to help children build skills and prepare for inter-centre events
  • Provision of essential sports equipment and safe play areas to make activities accessible to all children, including girls and disabled children
  • A large inter-centre football tournament in Colombo, bringing together children from different regions to promote unity, respect and social cohesion
  • Mixed-team formations during the tournament to encourage interaction and respect across ethnic, religious and linguistic boundaries
  • A Child Congress in Colombo, giving children a platform to speak about children’s rights, peacebuilding, gender equality, mental health and resilience
  • Joint activities with local leaders, sports professionals, teachers and child protection services to strengthen collaboration and community support
  • Healthy snacks provided during training sessions to support children’s nutrition and overall well-being

Partner

Fitba Players Fund

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Towns and cities in all regions of Scotland
Start date 03/01/2026
End date 03/01/2027
Cost of the project €124,237
Foundation funding €88,741
Project identifier 2025000527
Partners The Scottish Football Partnership Trust
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Conflict victims - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development

Context

Children and families in deprived Scottish communities continue to face increasing financial pressure. The ongoing impact of inflation and cost-of-living challenges has further widened inequality. As a result, more children than ever are unable to afford football participation costs. Without intervention, hundreds of children face becoming excluded from regular training, club activities and matches, severely impacting their physical and mental well-being.

Project goals

  • Support the participation of up to 500 disadvantaged children in grassroots football throughout the year
  • Prevent vulnerable children from dropping out of organised sport
  • Strengthen long-term engagement and participation in football at grassroots level
  • Promote inclusion and equal access to sport regardless of financial background
  • Support children's mental health, physical well-being and personal development
  • Strengthen the football community by ensuring equal opportunities for all young players

Project content

  • Launch a nationwide bursary scheme and deliver application support through local grassroots clubs
  • Collaborate with strategic partners such as the Scottish FA, the Scottish Youth Football Association, Scottish Women’s Football and Scottish Para-Football
  • Monitor impact through club reports, family feedback and participation data
  • Deliver over 73,500 hours of football activity across Scotland

Partners

Sport EurHope

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, Poland and Romania
Start date 03/01/2026
End date 02/28/2028
Cost of the project €229,656
Foundation funding €100,000
Project identifier 2025001197
Partners Fondazione Inter EF - ETS
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development - Strengthening partnerships

Context

  • Bosna and Herzegovina: Cultural and religious divisions continue between Serbian Orthodox, Croatian Catholic and Bosnian Muslim communities since the Bosnian War, affecting education (with different groups separated under the ‘two schools under one roof’ policy), politics and everyday life.
  • Hungary: The Roma population, Hungary’s largest ethnic minority, faces entrenched discrimination in education, housing and employment. Increasing anti-migrant rhetoric has led to heightened nationalism. In addition, disadvantaged young people in rural areas often lack access to structured extracurricular activities, and the LGBTQI+ community is also ostracised.
  • Poland: Migrants and refugees, particularly from Ukraine, Belarus and the Middle East, face social exclusion, lack of support with integration and rising xenophobia.
  • Romania: Roma communities face poverty, limited civic participation and systemic exclusion, including being separated from others in schools. In addition, disparities between urban and rural areas leave many young people without access to quality extracurricular opportunities, and emerging migrant populations and increasing multiculturalism require new integration strategies. Finally, girls’ participation in football activities is very limited.

Project goals

SPORT EURHOPE aims to build a more inclusive society through sport, by reducing discrimination, prejudice and stereotypes, and building a specific methodology that could be used again or be replicated by third parties.

Four main areas of action have been identified:

  • Inclusion of girls, to promote gender equality
  • Inclusion of minorities, to bridge the social gap between migrants, Roma communities and others
  • Football for all abilities, to reduce barriers to enable everyone to participate
  • Inclusion of people from all religions, ethnicities and cultures, taking into account cultural traditions and freedom of belief

The project is expected to produce results at individual, local and international levels.

Project content

  • Analysis, to confirm the needs assessment and tailor the intervention and targets, based on a one-year pilot in each country
  • Implementation, of an on-pitch activity every week for two years, in collaboration with local partners and schools
  • Development and dissemination, of an inclusive-football methodology to foster sustainable societies, open-minded generations and respectful people and to provide project beneficiaries with skills in problem-solving and creative thinking, plus emotional tools to recognise and manage their feelings, accept people who are different from them, face wins and defeats, and increase their mediation and listening skills.

Partners

Girls and football

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Niamey, Dosso and Tillabéri, Niger
Start date 02/01/2026
End date 12/31/2027
Cost of the project €97,065
Foundation funding €91,943
Project identifier 2025001732
Partners New Challenges
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Employability - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Infrastructure and equipment - Personal development

Context

Young people in Niger, especially in the Niamey, Dosso and Tillabéri regions, face numerous challenges: school dropout, early marriage, social disengagement and limited access to sports facilities. These are exacerbated by poverty, insecurity and restrictive sociocultural norms. For example, football is largely considered a boys’ sport, limiting girls' access to the personal development opportunities it offers.

Project goals

Use football as a tool to empower 90 vulnerable 12 to 18-year-olds.

  • Specific goals
  • Foster inclusivity and the participants' psychosocial development through regular sports activities
  • Develop participants’ leadership skills and independence and encourage them to engage with their community
  • Boost participants’ motivation at school and raise awareness among the community of girls' potential and the importance of letting them play sport

Project content

Girls’ football clubs

Two clubs per region (15 girls per club) offering regular training and educational sessions on topics such as:

  • Girls’ rights and gender equality
  • Sexual and reproductive health
  • Female leadership
  • Peace and social cohesion
  • Preventing violence
  • The importance of education

Personal development workshops

One two-day workshop in each region followed by a panel discussion featuring local female sports leaders to inspire participants through lived experiences.

Interregional tournament

One club match per region, followed by a semi-final in Niamey and a final the following day. The aim of the tournament is to promote social cohesion and solidarity between communities.

Academic support

Supporting 90 participants in their studies for the duration of the project by paying their school fees, providing school supplies and offering individual and group tutoring.

Community awareness-raising

A large-scale community forum in each of the three regions and four radio debates per region on the importance of sport for girls, gender equality and social cohesion.

Partners

Football for peace, resilience and the prevention of violent extremism

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Al-Shirqat (Saladin governorate) and Mosul (Nineveh governorate), Iraq
Start date 02/01/2026
End date 12/31/2027
Cost of the project €100,000
Foundation funding €100,000
Project identifier 2025002131
Partners Triangle Génération Humanitaire
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Conflict victims - Employability - Environmental protection - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development

Context

More than six million displaced people and returnees in Iraq are grappling with the long-term consequences of conflict, displacement, economic hardship and climate disasters. Children and adolescents are particularly vulnerable, not only living in poverty and being exposed to violence but also having their education disrupted and being forced to relocate frequently. They often have no identity papers and many are subjected to child labour, early marriage, domestic violence, sexual exploitation, recruitment by armed groups and violent extremism. Children from families that support the Islamic State and children living in detention centres are among the most vulnerable.

Project goals

The overarching aim of the project is to protect and empower vulnerable children and adolescents affected by conflict and the negative consequences of climate change in the Al-Shirqat and Mosul areas.

Specific goals:

  • Improve access to inclusive sports activities in youth centres, detention centres and schools
  • Promote psychosocial well-being, social integration and peace
  • Reinforce the education and protection of children, whether they attend school or not
  • Foster youth community engagement, climate action, decision-making and resilience

Project content

The project combines structured learning, safe play and community support and focuses in particular on girls, disabled children and those who have stopped going to school, been displaced or detained or whose families support the Islamic State.

  • Renovating football pitches
  • Organising tournaments and outdoor sports camps
  • Supporting youth-led structures, initiatives and awareness-raising campaigns relating to child protection, education, climate change and sport
  • Training teachers, coaches and staff at detention centres on child protection, children’s rights and sports-based psychosocial support
  • Providing a safe space where vulnerable children and adolescents can develop their life skills and civic values
  • Offering informal education opportunities
  • Running an innovation lab

Partners

Life Saving for Vulnerable Undocumented Migrants’ Children

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Taipei City, Taiwan
Start date 01/01/2026
End date 12/31/2026
Cost of the project €168,045
Foundation funding €47,544
Project identifier 2025001447
Partners Harmony Home Taiwan
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Conflict victims - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development

Context

Most undocumented children in Taiwan are the children of migrant workers. These families face numerous difficulties. Migrant women who fall pregnant usually skip antenatal check-ups because they are afraid of being reported to the authorities. Moreover, since these mothers are undocumented, their children are not covered by the health insurance system, Delayed treatment can exacerbate medical conditions and can even lead to death.

Project goals

  • Save 140 undocumented children from danger and death.
  • Provide 30 children with developmental support to help them catch up with their peers.
  • Help 50 undocumented children between the ages of three and seven to access sport.
  • Helping undocumented mothers and their children return safely to their countries of origin.

Project content

  • Provide undocumented mothers with shelter and 24-hour care for their children.
  • Ensure that undocumented children receive the necessary vaccines, health check-ups and early intervention (weekly occupational therapy or physiotherapy) in the case of delayed development, which affects around 50% of these children.
  • Weekly football training sessions for ten children between the ages of five and seven, and friendly matches.
  • Yoga sessions delivered by a volunteer yoga studio at Harmony House twice a month for ten children.

Partners

Powerchair Football for Kids United

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Groningen, the Netherlands
Start date 01/01/2026
End date 01/01/2031
Cost of the project €46,500
Foundation funding €27,500
Project identifier 2025001169
Partners Kids United
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Healthy lifestyle - Infrastructure and equipment - Personal development - Strengthening partnerships

Context

In the northern Netherlands, disabled children and young adults who are fully dependent on electric wheelchairs have very limited access to structured sport. Powerchair football is not currently available in the region, which means that they are required to travel long distances to participate.

Kids United is a non-profit foundation based in Groningen that has been offering inclusive, free-of-charge football opportunities to children and young adults with physical and intellectual disabilities since 2003. While the organisation supports more than 150 children through weekly training sessions and inclusive sports activities, there remains a clear gap for opportunities for electric wheelchairs users.

 

Project goals

  • Offer powerchair football activities for disabled children and young adults in the northern Netherlands
  • Promote social inclusion, self-confidence and well-being through structured team sport
  • Establish a sustainable powerchair football programme within Kids United
  • Train coaches and volunteers in inclusive sport and safeguarding practices
  • Strengthen partnerships with sports organisations and local stakeholders to ensure long-term impact

Project content

The project focuses on creating a sustainable, inclusive powerchair football programme within Kids United. Activities include acquiring specialised powerchair football equipment, organising weekly training sessions and delivering courses for coaches and volunteers.

Participants will train in a safe and adapted environment under professional supervision. The project will be carried out in collaboration with the Royal Netherlands Football Association and other partners to ensure quality, continuity and alignment with national powerchair football structures.

Partners

kids 2 sterren conv 1

GoalNation: Build. Play. Belong.

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Chișinău, Moldova
Start date 01/01/2026
End date 01/01/2027
Cost of the project €60,000
Foundation funding €48,000
Project identifier 2025001165
Partners CSF SPORTING CHIȘINĂU
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Conflict victims - Employability - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Infrastructure and equipment - Personal development - Strengthening partnerships

Context

Most refugee children from Ukraine lack access to safe, inclusive and well-equipped football facilities in Moldova. The pitches that do exist are limited in number, poorly maintained or far from the refugee settlements. Clubs and NGOs are overwhelmed and underfunded. This project fills a critical gap by creating child-friendly, accessible and sustainable football spaces that foster integration, well-being and personal development through sport.

Project goals

  • Develop eco-sustainable sports facilities in underserved areas
  • Promote the social inclusion and well-being of young Ukrainian refugees and Moldovan children through football
  • Foster teamwork, resilience, cross-cultural understanding and environmental awareness
  • Support grassroots football and equal access to sport
  • Empower young people through physical activity, education and safe play environments

Project content

GoalNation builds eco-certified football facilities for Ukrainian refugees and Moldovan youngsters, including a new 20m × 32m mini-pitch in Chișinău. Using FIFA-standard turf and local labour, the project will support more than 160 children from ten teams.

Partners

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