Education and sports for vulnerable children in Afghanistan

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Afghanistan
Start date 01/01/2023
End date 12/31/2023
Cost of the project 293,915€
Foundation funding 50,000 €
Project identifier 20220474
Partners Action for Development
Categories Access to Sport - Conflict victims - Employability - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Infrastructure and equipment - Personal development

Context

Recent drought, flooding, earthquakes, COVID-19 and regime change have had a devastating impact on the most vulnerable groups in Afghanistan, including children who work on the streets and girls in particular.

Large numbers of Afghans have moved to the major cities in search of a means of survival and many children end up working on the streets in dangerous jobs to support their families. They are vulnerable to being abused, sexually exploited, subjected to forced labour, exposed to drugs and recruited by terrorist groups.

Engaging these children in education reduces these risks and helps them to reintegrate into society. Sadly, children in Afghanistan face multiple barriers to education and girls have been barred from school and university entirely.

Project goals

Action for Development's overall goal is to provide high-quality schooling to girls and disadvantaged children in Afghanistan. The aim is to improve their well-being in the short term and reduce poverty and child labour in the long term.

Project content

Education for street-working children

AfD’s schools offer 320 children two hours of high-quality schooling per day, close to where they work, in line with SDGs 1 (no poverty) and 4 (quality education). AfD is working on setting up new learning centres, as well as recruiting and training more teachers in the special needs of street children. AfD develops innovative tailormade teaching materials and is currently establishing a Montessori curriculum and harmonising the existing materials with the formal school curriculum. It is increasing synergies with local schools and continuing to organise awareness sessions promoting education and sports for girls. We also try to integrate as many children as possible into public schools to increase their chances of getting good jobs and break the cycle of poverty.

Health and well-being

All children enrolled in AfD’s education programme receive one healthy meal each day, which for many is the only meal they eat that day (SDG 2: zero hunger). Our Comprehensive Health Centre performs regular health checks, growth monitoring, vaccinations and psychological support in line with SDG 3 (good health and well-being). AfD also offers football coaching in order to entertain and educate the children and let them enjoy their childhoods in a safe environment.

Education for girls above 13 years old

AfD has recently set up a home-based education programme for secondary school aged girls who have been banned from formal government education (SDG 5: gender equality). Currently, 180 girls are enrolled and AfD is working to hire and train more female teachers, find partners to certify exams, improve the programme and identify digital platforms to give more girls access to education.

Vocational trainings

AfD has established a vocational training programme for 20 male students aged 14–16 (SDG 8: decent work and economic growth). AfD is working with local partners to further improve the learning modules it provides in in-demand skills, such as mechanics, carpentry and gem cutting. We are also working to raise awareness of the importance of providing digital learning to children in emergency situations and conflict zones.

Partners

Sports and Play for Asylum-Seeking Unaccompanied Minors

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Netherlands
Start date 12/01/2022
End date 12/01/2024
Cost of the project 108,257€
Foundation funding 38,829€
Project identifier 20220370
Partners KLABU Foundation
Categories Access to Sport - Conflict victims - Employability - Healthy lifestyle - Infrastructure and equipment - Personal development - Strengthening partnerships

Context

The initial reception, medical check and first application interview of all asylum-seekers arriving in the Netherlands takes place at the Central Reception Centre in Ter Apel. In recent months, the centre has faced challenges with a higher influx of asylum seekers and slightly prolonged process times. Unaccompanied minors (UAM) – asylum seekers under the age of 18 who are not accompanied by a parent or adult relative – are particularly vulnerable. UAM are exposed to many challenges and traumas during their journeys and need special care. UAM numbers at the centre have increased in recent months, putting pressure on social workers who already lack sufficient time and resources. The stress of the asylum-seeking process coupled with the lack of meaningful daytime activities for UAM clearly have a direct impact on their mental well-being.

Project goals

  • Improve the mental well-being of UAM by providing access to sports
  • Create a safe space for young asylum-seekers to relax and socialise
  • Offer the adult residents of the centre training through a volunteering programme
  • Create an effective activity schedule around and beyond sports with a focus on well-being and personal growth

Project content

Community volunteers organise activities for UAM including art workshops and sports coaching days. The container-based clubhouse has been transformed into a sports library that is entirely managed and run by community volunteers. Improvements will be made to the clubhouse to further encourage social interactions.

As well as day-to-day activities, the project also hosts special events to bring young people together. The first Social Sports Day consisted of indoor sports, music, dance and arts workshops, all of which were much enjoyed by the young participants. A workshop is planned to design a sports kit for the centre’s young residents.

Regular workshops are led by refugees who have previously stayed in Ter Apel. They share their experiences of settling in the Netherlands after leaving the reception centre.

Partner

Life’s A Ball

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location South Africa
Start date 01/01/2023
End date 12/31/2023
Cost of the project 48,550€
Foundation funding 48,550€
Project identifier 20220332
Partners Altus Sport
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Employability - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Infrastructure and equipment - Personal development

Context

In parts of Tshwane (Pretoria) and Johannesburg, children live in poor socio-economic conditions with inadequate educational opportunities due to a lack of teachers, resources and classroom space. With no access to online learning, these children missed out on nearly two years of schooling during the COVID-19 pandemic. Physical education is practically absent from the school system. Sports facilities are non-existent or run-down and there are few physical education teachers and coaches.

Girls find it difficult to stand up for their rights and myths about health and reproduction hold them back from reaching their full potential. The unemployment rate is very high. Many young people lack the self-confidence and skills to find employment, and positive role models are scarce.

Project goals

  • Empower unemployed young people by educating them in personal development and leadership, basic employability skills, and fitness and sports
  • Promote physical and mental activity by introducing children to various sports and brain-fitness activities
  • Increase positive behaviour and reduce violence, physical abuse, crime and substance abuse
  • Instil positive values and good citizenship through Olympism and Olympic education
  • Motivate people with disabilities to be active
  • Support educational skills such as reading and writing
  • Empower girls by educating them about hygiene and reproductive health, leadership and basic financial management
  • Promote entrepreneurship through vegetable gardens that will teach children responsibility, financial management and leadership

Project content

The goal of the project is to utilise sport to empower children to make positive changes to their lives. The project involves training young people to run sports and life skills sessions for children. At these sessions, the children will play football, cricket, touch rugby, netball and hockey and learn about positivity, resilience, hygiene, puberty and menstruation, avoiding pregnancy, healthy relationships, bullying and peer pressure, gender-based violence and financial management.

Partners

Together for the Ukrainians

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Italy
Start date 03/01/2023
End date 12/31/2023
Cost of the project 50,000€
Foundation funding 25,000€
Project identifier 20220892
Partners Comitato Regionale Emigrazione Immigrazione - CREI ACLI Sardegna
Categories Access to Sport - Conflict victims - Employability - Personal development - Strengthening partnerships

Context

The Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 triggered a forced migration of Ukrainian citizens across Europe. Although refugee flows can change rapidly, Italy has received the fourth largest number of Ukrainian refugees in Europe (220,000), after Poland, Germany and the Czech Republic.

Project goals

The project’s short-term goals are to help refugees cope with trauma and restore their mental well-being as well as overcome communication barriers that hinder social interactions.

The medium-term objectives are to promote refugees’ personal development and growth in different contexts.

The long-term goals are to prevent isolation and discrimination, nurture relationships and offer healthy opportunities for cultural exchanges.

Project content

CREI ACLI acted immediately to address the critical issues of the emergency. However, these were short-term actions, whereas the integration of refugees is a long and difficult process, requiring efforts to prevent isolation, discrimination and, ultimately, social delinquency. Our refugee integration project is based on a social inclusion model that will address these difficulties.

In addition to the services we have offered since March 2022 (psychological support, Italian classes, support for enrolment in school and university, professional and career counselling), we will carry out the following activities:

Sport, art and cultural orientation: activities to present children with the opportunities in our area. Sports-based educational activities are great tools to reduce aggression, bring people together and build good relationships between different groups.

Enrolment in sports clubs: team sports favour interactions and integration. Refugee children will play in heterogeneous teams of local children and children from various ethnic origins. Special game-based training sessions and tournaments will be held in the province of Cagliari based on the theme of solidarity.

Recreation and fun activities: together with local children and second-generation immigrants in the same age range, young refugee will take part in social games and activities in the park. There will also be art workshops and discussions on customs, traditions, current affairs, etc.

Guided tours around Cagliari and trips further afield with local and second-generation immigrant children to visit places of historical, artistic, cultural and natural interest in Sardinia.

Partners

Youth in Action

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland
Start date 12/05/2022
End date 12/04/2023
Cost of the project 130,000€
Foundation funding 85,000€
Project identifier 20220150
Partners Rio Ferdinand Foundation
Categories Access to Sport - Employability - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development - Strengthening partnerships

Context

Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland have increasingly diverse demographics, with migrants, asylum seekers and minority communities becoming more visible in society. This has caused some issues within working-class areas, with increase in hate crimes against minorities, e.g. 48% of hate crime in Northern Ireland is directed at communities who make up 2% of the population. Increasing tensions caused by Brexit and the Northern Ireland Protocol are also causing conflict, with discussions on culture and identity increasingly dominating the debate and causing discord in border counties.

Project goals

  • Build strong, ongoing relationships through football across the divides of race/ethnicity/culture and the Northern Ireland/Ireland border
  • Train young people from all communities to become leaders
  • Encourage young leaders to work together to deliver social initiatives that promote learning and common objectives to tackle racism, division and inequality
  • Oversee the cooperation of young leaders with stakeholders and decision-makers to address these issues
  • Develop a best practice model that will attract sustainable mainstream funding to deliver long-term transitional change in the target communities

Project content

Our project brings communities together through the sport of football, providing a platform to build relationships and friendships. From this platform we encourage young people to work together and achieve accreditation while delivering social action projects that address racism, division and inequality within their communities and across borders and boundaries. We will encourage young people to share the lessons they learn with decision-makers and stakeholders.

Partners

SHARE: my story

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Senegal, Palestine and Burkina Faso
Start date 01/10/2023
End date 12/31/2023
Cost of the project 88,770,00€
Foundation funding 72,140,00€
Project identifier 20220581
Partners Exodos Ljubljana
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Conflict victims - Employability - Environmental protection - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development - Strengthening partnerships

Context

We strongly believe that sport and culture should be more connected and the Share: My Story programme promotes this. Children who hope to be the best footballers in the world should learn about culture for their personal growth and to broaden their horizons. We advocate for equality for girls and boys who, although from different backgrounds, all share the same passion.

Project goals

Our project encourages social, sporting and artistic bonds, promoting the talent of young people and strengthening their physical, cultural and intellectual capital.

Specific objectives

  • Provide young people from different countries with new training and cultural skills, enabling them to express their voices through art.
  • Connect sport with cultural activities, the physical with the imagination, for the surrounding communities: families, neighbours, schoolmates.
  • Empower small clubs and NGOs in their efforts to inspire creative teamwork.

Project content

Creative camps in three countries: Senegal, Burkina Faso, Palestine

  • My story – a workshop in documentary filmmaking
  • Urban dance and movement – a workshop in urban dance

Location 1: Dakar, Senegal, 10–21 January 2023

Location 2: Jenin, Ramallah, Palestine, 1–14 July 2023

Location 3: Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, 1–11 December 2023

Creating and updating project website and social media accounts, producing PR content

1 December 2022 – 31 December 2024

Completion of the professional documentary film My Story

30 March 2024

Setting up and developing local football clubs

20 January 2023 – 31 December 2023

Partners

Blind Solidarity

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Bamako, Mali
Start date 01/01/2023
End date 12/31/2023
Cost of the project 60,000€
Foundation funding 45000€
Project identifier 20220995
Partners Libre Vue and Union Malienne des Aveugles
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Employability - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Infrastructure and equipment - Personal development

Context

The Institut des Jeunes Aveugles in Bamako is a school for 250 children with visual impairments who live and pursue their studies in very precarious conditions. Libre Vue has delivered its blind football programme to these children since 2012. The programme consists of football adapted to visually impaired players, thereby promoting access to sport and contributing to personal development, health and inclusion.

Project goals

Our goal is to offer high-quality coaching, motivate even more young people and train coaches, guides and educators. We want to create a policy that promotes access to blind football for girls and offers them significant practice sessions. We also want to set up a sports canteen. In order to better communicate and sell artistic photographs (a source of funding for Libre Vue) we need to update our promotional film and organise new exhibitions.

Project content

Organise local and international training.

Create a ‘women's’ policy with the staff and players with regards to families and the school.

Install a canteen/bar next to the pitch (renovate old changing room hut).

Create images: produce (local) videos to update our promotional film, take photographs, organise new exhibitions, provide prints for our online Solidarity Boutique and produce impactful communication materials.

Partner

Championing an Inclusive Future through Football

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location France, Turkey, England
Start date 05/01/2022
End date 06/01/2024
Cost of the project 340,000€
Foundation funding -€
Project identifier 20211111
Partners FedEx Corp
Categories Access to Sport - Conflict victims - Employability - Gender Equality - Infrastructure and equipment - Personal development

Context

FedEx was the first corporate partner to work with the foundation in 2016. This collaboration began with the funding of artificial turf community football pitches, known as a ‘Field in a Box’, in communities in Brazil, Poland, South Africa and Spain. Since then, the collaboration has matured to focus on using football as a tool to address social challenges and improve lives in a more sustainable way.

A sponsor of the UEFA Champions League for the 2021–24 cycle, FedEx’s support extends to its social responsibility programme, as it highlights the social challenges faced by the host countries of the UEFA Champions League finals: Paris in 2022, Istanbul in 2023 and London in 2024.

Project content

The Championing an Inclusive Future through Football programme runs alongside FedEx’s sponsorship of the UEFA Champions League and involves offering financial support to non-profit organisations using football as a tool to promote inclusiveness among communities in cities where the finals are held. The organisations and activities supported are described below.

Paris

The charity Sport dans la Ville (SDLV)S runs a programme called ‘L dans la Ville’ supporting the needs and career aspirations of underserved girls over the age of 10 and young women.

Istanbul

Turkey-based Bonyan Organization works with disadvantaged communities hosting a high number of refugees in Istanbul, as well as in the city of Mardin, close to the Syrian border.

London

Kick It Out’s Coach Pathway invites men and women of Black and Asian descent to take part in a mentoring programme that will support their development as coaches..

Objectives

SDLV’s programme in Paris will reach more than 2,000 girls and aims to:

  • empower them through sports practice, events and trips;
  • increase access to employment;
  • prepare them to become leaders;
  • raise awareness of gender stereotypes.

 

Bonyan Organization’s project in Istanbul and Mardin promotes well-being, social cohesion and safety among refugees and their host communities by leveraging the power of football and sports to foster peaceful coexistence. The project will target 4,000 children representing different ethnicities and regions, with an even split of Turkish and refugee children and of boys and girls. Children with special needs will also be included. The project aims to:

  • increase access to existing sports facilities for both Turkish and refugee children;
  • support Turkish schools so that they are able to host refugee students;
  • enhance the soft skills (life skills, leadership, conflict resolution, etc.) of the children and their sports coaches;
  • help physical education teachers to adopt a ‘football3’ mindset in relation to their classroom assignments with a view to launching future initiatives themselves;
  • enhance gender sensitivity and the engagement of girls in sports activities, particularly football;
  • promote the inclusion of children with special needs in sports activities, particularly football;
  • create opportunities for the integration of Turkish people and refugees through sports;
  • increase access to Turkey’s existing Child Protection Communities for both Turkish and refugee children.

 

The aim of Kick It Out is to create pathways for groups that are under-represented in football to help diversify the talent pool. The organisation calls on its many contacts in the Premier League, the English Football League, The FA, the Professional Footballers’ Association and the national squads to offer the 15 selected participants:

    • the skills they need to enhance their coaching talent;
    • access to mentors;
    • coach observation opportunities;
    • placement opportunities;
    • personal coach development.

Project activities

SDLV creates a close relationship with young girls through sports and cultural activities just for them.

  • Regular sessions open only to girls, giving them the chance them to have fun, talk to other girls in the neighbourhood and improve their playing in a safe environment
  • The Discovery programme, offering cultural and sporting outings for girls as young as six as well as visits from professional women with inspiring stories for those aged 10 to 25 to encourage them to pursue careers
  • Individual follow-up sessions for each participant and advice on how to achieve their professional objectives

 

Activities with Bonyan Organization take place across two cities.

  • Rehabilitating school football fields (two in Istanbul and two in Mardin)
  • Distributing sport kits and football3 guidelines (ten schools in Istanbul and 15 in Mardin)
  • Teacher training on football3 and sports for children (50 teachers in Mardin)
  • Training youth volunteers to play an active role in their communities (ten volunteers in Istanbul and 20 in Mardin)
  • Football3 matches (30 matches in Istanbul with 90 participants each and 50 matches in Mardin with 150 participants each)

 

Kick It Out takes up to 15 coaches on a journey of development through specially arranged opportunities with senior coaching representatives from English football.

  • Coach observation opportunities at Premier League and English Football League clubs
  • Insight into the organisation of England’s national men’s and women’s teams, with a visit to St George’s Park
  • Individual coach mentors offering personalised, one-to-one support
  • Access to coaching development courses
  • Priority invitation to Kick It Out Raise Your Game events, whose learning outcomes are uniquely focused on coach development
  • Opportunities for placements in the industry
  • Successful candidates take part in Kick It Out’s monitoring and evaluation tracking scheme

Partners

Kick for Hope

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Jordan
Start date 01/01/2022
End date 12/31/2022
Cost of the project 375,000€
Foundation funding 175,000€
Project identifier 20210680
Partners AFDP Global
Categories Access to Sport - Conflict victims - Employability - Gender Equality - Infrastructure and equipment - Personal development

Context

AFDP Global and UEFA started the Zaatari Kick for Hope project in 2012 to help Syrian refugees displaced by the conflict in Syria, particularly children in the refugee camp of Zaatari, by providing football activities, training courses, infrastructure support and life skills programmes. The UEFA Foundation for Children continued to provide financial and infrastructure support from 2015 and extended the support to Azraq camp. The Zaatari and Azraq projects were combined in 2021.

Project content

AFDP Global provides weekly sporting activities for displaced Syrian boys and girls, ensuring a fun and safe environment for training and competitive activities, including football, judo, Zumba, and table tennis. The project continues to support the Syrian coaching and management team established at the Zaatari and Azraq refugee camps. Sport is used to raise awareness of social issues and impart the life skills necessary in that context. Continuous training for skills development is also provided. The youngsters are supervised by appropriate role models.

Objectives

  • Engaging Syrian children and teenagers

Provide football and other sports activities in an appropriate, safe and supervised environment, allowing children to enjoy their childhood. In addition to playing and spending time together, the youngsters will learn football skills and the fundamental values of sport, such as respect, fair play, team spirit and solidarity. They will also be educated on specific social issues.

  • Training Syrian football coaches and referees

Provide training for Syrian refugees on how to run football coaching sessions, equipping them with the skills to manage a league and run football clubs, with specific classes on refereeing.

  • Integrating a life skills curriculum

Teach coaches how to apply the values of sport to facilitate children’s personal development and raise their awareness of certain social issues, paying particular attention to conflict resolution, early marriage, birth control and the importance of schooling, health, hygiene and well-being.

  • Maintaining established football clubs and league

Support administrators and coaches, ensuring that they have the ability to maintain the football clubs and league set up by the project in previous years.

Project activities

  • Infrastructure and training materials

    In cooperation with AFDP Global, the UEFA foundation has contributed to the construction of a sports centre. Known as the House of Sport, it is a place for social activities and a safe environment where youngsters can have fun and make friends, especially the ones who are interested in football.

    • Since the start of the project, more than 20,000 footballs, 20,000 T-shirts, caps and backpacks, 5,000 pairs of shoes and 1,000 training kits (cones, plates, bibs, stopwatches, whistles, etc.) have been distributed for sports activities.
    • 1,000 snacks and 2,000 bottles of water are distributed at each tournament.
    • The coaches have also been fully
    • The two main pitches used for tournaments have been upgraded to artificial turf and are fully equipped for football matches.
    • Eleven containers of various supplies (sportswear, balls, ) have been provided by the UEFA foundation.

     

    Football pitch

    Pursuing the aim of providing a safe environment for the beneficiaries of the project, the UEFA foundation, in cooperation with AFDP Global and the Jordanian Football Association, contributed to the conversion to artificial turf of a full-size football pitch (in 2017) and a small pitch for girls (in 2018), with the financial support of LAY’S in addition to a small pitch in Azraq Camp.

    Figures (2021)

    • Some 305 adult refugees – including 102 women and 203 men – have already benefited from the coaching education financed by the Twenty-seven of these coaches are currently working for the project and the others for other non-governmental organisations in the camp.
    • Experts appointed by the UEFA foundation and AFDP Global have already run workshops on refereeing, trauma recovery, sport as a tool for social cohesion, early marriage and conflict resolution. Some 54 referees have been trained, 21 of whom are women.
    • Around 5,600 children and young people – boys and girls – take part in the weekly sports activities and monthly football tournaments supervised by qualified male and female educators. This peaked at 7,137 young Syrians in October 2019 – 4,947 boys and 2,190 girls

    aged between 8 and 20. Numbers were expected to increase in the summer of 2020, but due to the COVID19, AFDP Global ceased all activities for children due to a government enforced lockdown in the camps. Activities were resumed in September 2021

    • Monthly football tournaments are organised in the camps for the under-13, under-15 and under-20 age groups. An average of 1,000 children and young people aged 8 to 20, including 300 girls, take part in the monthly The highest number of participants was 1,580 in March 2019.
    • Monthly events are organised for under-8s, with an average of 100 children taking part.
    • Men’s teams can use the field for two hours per
    • Apart from football, other sports and activities are organised. Some 340 boys regularly do judo (under-13 and under-15), over 180 boys and girls take part in table tennis activities (under-13 and under-15), and 300 girls take Zumba classes.

Expected results

  • Coaching and football activities to be organised for a total of 2,800 boys and 1,800 girls between the ages of 8 and 20.
  • Monthly football tournaments to be organised in the camp, with an average of 1,000 participants aged 8 to 20, including 300 girls.
  • More than 18 men’s teams to be provided with the facilities to play football daily and tournaments to be organised for
  • Other daily sports and other activities to be organised, providing the beneficiaries with a greater diversity of activities, including judo, table tennis and Zumba.
  • A team of 22 male and 22 female staff to be They will use sport, and football in particular, as a tool for social cohesion and conflict resolution, and will be responsible for managing teams for the different age groups.
  • External events to be organised, boosting social impact through awareness and increased friendship-building opportunities.

Partner

Let me play football!

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Moldavie
Start date 03/01/2022
End date 02/15/2023
Cost of the project 62,939€
Foundation funding 50,000€
Project identifier 20210884
Partners Football Association of Moldova, Scenario NGO
Categories Access to Sport - Employability - Gender Equality - Personal development

Context

Moldova is one of Europe's poorest countries and has been politically unstable since 2006. Even then, it had one of the highest numbers of orphanages in Europe, though most of the institutionalised children were not orphans but had been given up by parents who could not afford to raise them. Unemployment in Moldova is high and young adults often move abroad to find work, leaving their children behind to be looked after by the state. They believe that what they are doing is in their children’s best interests.

Project content

The project involves a number of development programmes aimed at children living in orphanages all over the country, including facilitating access to football activities.

  • National football championship between orphanages
  • Friendly match between a national ‘dream team’ comprising children from Moldovan orphanages and a team of children from orphanages abroad
  • Scenario Smart Camp, a sports and entertainment camp for 50 children from 15 orphanages who have previously demonstrated motivation for educational activities, competitions and cultural and sports programmes run by our NGO
  • In-person maths tutoring to bring struggling children up to school standard
  • In-person English classes to help orphans living in rural institutions to improve their speaking skills
  • Christmas/New Year’s Eve sports party – an opportunity for children to have fun and make friends from other orphanages
  • Remote IT school, giving children skills that are essential in the 21st century, including the use of IT tools such as MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, search engines, etc.
  • Remote good manners school to give institutionalised children the social and cultural education that is normally provided by the family

Objectives

  • Provide access to sports activities, leading to better health and personal achievements among children living in orphanages
  • Provide high-quality education, motivating the children to continue through secondary and higher education
  • Help children living in orphanages to become the best version of themselves
  • Protect the children’s rights and integrate them into society so that they are no longer vulnerable and are valued as full citizens

Project activities

  • Organise a championship among orphanages
  • Provide language courses and other tutoring for 300 institutionalised children
  • Organise a Christmas and New Year’s Eve party for all children living in 15 orphanages in Moldova
  • Give children gifts
  • Provide all orphanages with supplies
  • Provide participating children with free football equipment

Expected results

For children:

  • Improved academic performance
  • Access to sport
  • Increased aspirations and self-confidence
  • Improved communication and interpersonal relationships based on respect and tolerance
  • Enriched cultural development

For retired persons and teachers:

  • Opportunities for additional earnings
  • Expansion of their social environment
  • Satisfaction of playing an important social role
  • Opportunity to put their experience to good use

Partners

Health 360: football for a protected community

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Lusaka, Zambia
Start date 01/31/2022
End date 07/31/2023
Cost of the project 136,300€
Foundation funding 63,300€
Project identifier 20210991
Partners Red Deporte, City of Hope
Categories Access to Sport - Employability - Gender Equality - Infrastructure and equipment - Personal development

Context

Red Deporte has been working in Zambia since 1999, in schools and sports spaces, as they are the meeting points for children and teenagers. Health 360 makes use of the popularity of football as a platform to promote health among the most vulnerable population in Zambia, one of the countries with the worst health and inequality indices in Africa. For example, the HIV/AIDS infection rate among women is 16%, double that among men (UNAIDS, 2019). The target group for this project is children and teenagers, with a special focus on empowering young women. The project also promotes support actions in Spain, such as recruiting health volunteers and educators, and generating support for sustainability among football entities.

Project content

Health 360 aims to open a community sports centre that promotes and coordinates the football for health programme among 16 community schools in Lusaka and Mansa. Health promotion is viewed in three dimensions, each with its corresponding curriculum:

  1. Basic hygiene and prevention of infectious diseases such as COVID-19, HIV/AIDS and malaria
  2. Prevention of abuse of substances such as alcohol and drugs
  3. Life skills: raise awareness of the importance of good health for school success and future working life

Objectives

Overall goal: Guarantee the right to health of children and young teenagers in vulnerable situations

Specific objective: Create a football programme to promote community health that empowers, provides healthcare, reduces the risk of disease and prevents harmful habits in 4,500 children and young people.

Project activities

  • Construction of the sports centre
  • In Zambia, training of monitors and trainers; in Spain, recruiting and training volunteer health personnel to work in Zambia
  • Weekly programme of sport and educational activities and regular festivals; coordination with 16 educational centres in the network.
  • Healthcare in community health centres and medical check-ups in schools
  • Dissemination of results of football for development among public-private entities

Expected results

  • Strengthened self-efficacy against infectious diseases such as COVID-19, HIV/AIDS and malaria, basic hygiene and prevention of substance abuse
  • Consolidated network of 30 educator-coaches and 24 school teachers who work in educational and youth centres in Lusaka and Mansa with football as a health promotion tool
  • Increased coordination, participation, content and organisation of the football programme for community health in the 16 educational centres
  • Improved health care for 800 children and young people in four community health centres

Partner

Life’s a ball

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location South Africa, Tshwane et Johannesburg
Start date 01/01/2022
End date 12/31/2022
Cost of the project 272,499€
Foundation funding 41,823€
Project identifier 20210212
Partners Altus Sport
Categories Access to Sport - Employability - Gender Equality - Personal development

Context

In some areas of Tshwane (Pretoria) and Johannesburg, children live in poor socio-economic conditions with inadequate educational opportunities due to a lack of teachers, resources and classroom space. With no access to online learning, these children missed out on nearly two years of schooling during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Physical education is practically absent from the school system. Sports facilities are non-existent or run-down and there are few physical education teachers and coaches.

Girls find it difficult to stand up for their rights and myths about health and reproduction hold them back from reaching their full potential.

The unemployment rate is very high. Many young people lack the self-confidence and skills to find employment, and positive role models are scarce.

Project content

The goal of the project is to utilise sport to empower children to make positive changes in their lives. The project involves training young people to run sports and life skills sessions for children. At these sessions, the children will play football, cricket, touch rugby, netball and hockey and learn about positivity, resilience, hygiene, puberty and menstruation, avoiding pregnancy, healthy relationships, bullying and peer pressure, gender-based violence and financial management.

Objectives

  • Empower unemployed young people by educating them in personal development and leadership, basic employability skills, and fitness and sports
  • Promote physical and mental activity by introducing children to various sports and brain fitness activities
  • Increase positive behaviour and reduce violence, abuse, crime and drug use
  • Instil positive values and good citizenship through Olympism and Olympic education
  • Motivate people with disabilities to be active
  • Support educational skills such as reading and writing
  • Empower girls by educating them about hygiene and reproductive health, leadership and basic financial managementPromote entrepreneurship through vegetable gardens that will teach children responsibility, financial management and leadership

Project activities

Youth sport leaders (YSLs) will attend monthly sessions to learn how to facilitate and lead sports and life skills training sessions and develop their coaching, leadership, personal development and financial management skills. Each YSL will identify suitable schools and other venues in their local area to hold sports sessions for children. They will work four days per week teaching a different group of 25–30 children each day. Each session will last two hours and consist of a warm-up, sport skills training, life skills training (through games, role play and discussion) and a cool-down.

Additional events for the children will include holiday sessions and tournaments, Olympic Day and Peace Day events, reading corners and chess sessions. Vegetable gardens where the children will plant, tend to and sell vegetables will teach them how to budget, plan, be responsible and manage their time as well as boost their self-worth.

Expected results

  • Male and female youth sport leaders aged 18–35 will have a broader skill set that will improve their employability.
  • Male and female participants aged 11–17 will have a broader sports skill set and a better understanding of what constitutes a healthy lifestyle.
  • Female participants aged 12–17 will have a better understanding of their rights, reproductive health issues and gender-based violence, and will be able to locate and access community resources when needed.
  • Male and female participants aged 11–17 will demonstrate leadership qualities, increased self-confidence and positivity at school, home and when playing sports and a financially savvy attitude to money.

Partner

Spirit of Soccer: MINE/ COVID-19 Risk Education

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Cambodia
Start date 01/01/2022
End date 12/31/2022
Cost of the project 129,520€
Foundation funding 129,520€
Project identifier 20210613
Partners Mine Risk Education
Categories Access to Sport - Employability - Gender Equality - Infrastructure and equipment - Personal development

Context

For over 30 years, Cambodia has suffered from landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERW). Children are the most vulnerable and account for over 50% of the casualties.

Survivors are left maimed and traumatised, often removed from school, depriving them of an education, then further stigmatised as a burden to both their family and the broader community.

Since the Spirit of Soccer programme started in Cambodia in 2006, the land mine casualty rate has dropped from 875 to 65 per year in 2020. In simple terms, without our intervention, these and similar tragedies would continue unchecked.

 

Project content

Our mission is to use soccer to educate children living in conflict and post-conflict regions about the dangers of landmines, ERW and COVID-19.

We educate, train and employ local coaches and teachers to use our curriculum. The easy-to-understand football-related lessons teach children how to identify and avoid specific risks and unexploded ordnance. The culturally sensitive, fun and inclusive, approach creates a safe environment that provides healthy physical activity, hope and happiness.

Objectives

  • 14,000 youngsters (60% Male/40% Female) involved in professionally delivered football activities
  • 40,000 indirect beneficiaries of education and coaching workshops, local tournaments, peer-to-peer and multimedia campaigns, kits and outreach materials (posters and notebooks)
  • 60 local coaches trained in COVID-19 and ERW risk education, youth coaching at D licence level
  • Candidates for the workshops will include 25 Khmer United Nations peacekeeping deminers at the request of the ministry of defence

Project activities

  • Running coaching clinics through local schools in mine-impacted communities for 14,000 at-risk children
  • Expansion of field educational materials for ERW accidents and COVID-19 prevention measures to indirectly reach 40,000 youngsters
  • Ongoing liaison with the national Mine Action working group
  • Organising three football tournaments involving 150 players each (60% boys, 40% girls), delivering football coaching, ERW accident and COVID-19 risk reduction education
  • Preparedness training and education materials for players
  • Door-to-door training in the event of school closures

Expected results

  • Distribute 400 footballs and 14,000 ERW notebooks through coaching clinics and tournaments
  • Reach a target of 14,000 direct and 40,000 indirect participants, within a wide demographic of coaches and leaders, local youngsters, adults, educators, ministry officials and ERW working groups

Partner

Empowering children from La Matanza through sport, culture and education

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Argentine, Buenos Aires
Start date 02/28/2022
End date 02/28/2023
Cost of the project 47,645€
Foundation funding 10,000€
Project identifier 20210704
Partners United Through Sport Argentina
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Employability - Gender Equality - Infrastructure and equipment - Personal development

Context

La Matanza, 25km south-west of Buenos Aires, is a severely disadvantaged area where poverty levels are higher than the 60% national average. There are also high rates of drug use and related violence, poor infrastructure (access to water, electricity and rubbish disposal), malnutrition and little access to healthcare services.

Project content

The mass participation programme consists of a combination of sports coaching and life-skill lessons. It is currently run daily in four public schools in the city of Buenos Aires. We aim to expand into schools in La Matanza to increase the reach and impact of our work. The programme consists of structured sports coaching, e.g. football, rugby and field hockey, in combination with life-skill sessions on cultural exchange, sustainability, individual and community well-being and gender issues. The sessions will be led by local staff and supported by international volunteers.

Objectives

  • Use our combined sports and life-skill coaching model to improve physical and mental well-being and to develop and sustain life skills (teamwork, leadership, decision-making and communication).
  • Use sport to improve educational engagement and provide pathways to success for talented and dedicated individuals.
  • Develop and establish our sport and life-skill model and methodology for further expansion.

Specific objectives:

  • Partner with at least three more schools to add another 2,000 children and teenagers to the programme
  • Provide workshops for 2,000 children and teenagers and achieve an average academic improvement of 15% per child, as in our programmes in Buenos Aires, and also achieve a 5% improvement in academic attendance per child
  • Use sport to address critical issues, such as crime and drug awareness, in a fun and interactive manner on the sports field

Project activities

January–February 2022 Contact new schools and local authorities to explain and develop the programme

February–March 2022 Purchase private mini-bus

March-April 2022 Hire new staff to work alongside PE teacher in local schools

March–April 2022 Design and coordinate sports and teaching curriculum after consultations with local staff

April 2022 Submit deliverables (curriculum)

May 2022 Programme starts

July 2022 Winter games event

August 2022 - September Interim report and assessments submitted

December 2022 Programme graduation ceremony

February 2023 Final report submitted

Expected results

  • Partnering with at least three and a target of four schools in La Matanza
  • Enrol at least 1,500 and a target of 2,500 youngsters
  • Achieve an average increase of at least 15%, target 25%, in participants’ academic grades
  • Achieve an average increase of at least 5%, target 10%, in participants’ academic attendance

Partner

Learning to change

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Ghana
Start date 03/01/2022
End date 02/28/2023
Cost of the project 57,149€
Foundation funding 18,387€
Project identifier 20211184
Partners Play Soccer Ghana
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Employability - Gender Equality - Personal development

Context

The education system in Ghana is mainly theory, with little attention paid to practice. Many pupils are therefore unable to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Project content

This programme harnesses the unique appeal of football for community development by creating learning opportunities for children between the ages of 5 and 15 to improve their life skills, health and playing ability. Besides applying the football3 philosophy, the programme collects used plastic bags that are knitted into goal nets. The project will be run in 11 satellite communities in six regions for 12 months, reaching a total of 880 beneficiaries.

Objectives

Children will gain additional learning opportunities through ‘play for fun’ and ‘learn for life’ (PFFLFL) sessions to learn more about good health, develop life skills and apply the knowledge they acquire to real-world problem-solving.

The children will sort plastic bags used in their homes and schools which will then be knitted into goal nets.

The football3 philosophy will be used to teach fair play, equality and participation of girls in soccer.

Project activities

  • Coaches will be trained to use the PFFLFL curriculum to educate the children in life skills, health and football;
  • Beneficiaries will take part in weekly PFFLFL sessions;
  • Youngsters will be trained how to re-use plastic bags to produce goal nets and promote clean cities;
  • football3 matches will teach children about fair play and avoiding discrimination.

Expected results

  • 33 coaches will learn how to use football activities to promote learning;
  • 880 children in six regions throughout Ghana will benefit from PFFLFL activity sessions to improve their life skills, health and football;
  • 200 households will sort their plastic waste and plastic bags will be knitted into goal nets;
  • football3 matches will teach children about the need for inclusion, fair play and gender equality.

Partner

Social integration of street children through sport

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Ethiopia
Start date 01/01/2022
End date 12/31/2022
Cost of the project 98,320€
Foundation funding 63,000€
Project identifier 20210272
Partners Busajo NGO
Categories Access to Sport - Employability - Gender Equality - Personal development

Context

Busajo Campus is a social and educational project aimed at street children living in the Ethiopian city of Sodo and the surrounding rural areas. It is estimated that there are about 3,000 street children in Sodo.

The ultimate goal of Busajo Campus is to reintegrate street children into their families and society. The project focuses on helping the girls and boys to become more autonomous and self-sufficient by investing in their cultural, educational and professional growth – something which in turn favours the social and economic development of the wider community.

Busajo Campus promotes both vocational and psychological support as the best way to guarantee the children a better life of social integration and to fight the poverty in which they live, helping them to regain confidence in their future. Sport is also promoted as an educational activity that supports physical and emotional growth and a social activity that teaches the rules of coexistence and community.

Busajo Campus guides the children through a path of recovery that is initially physical and then psychological, emotional and attitudinal helping them become happy children now and agents of sustainable development in their country in the future. However, the current workshops are no longer sufficient for training needs and to support the economic sustainability of the Campus.

 

Project content

The support of the UEFA foundation will enable Busajo Campus to create two new workshops and enhance its professional courses to increase vocational training and job opportunities for participants.

The new workshops in tailoring/weaving and carpentry will allow the young people to learn indoors during the rainy season. Two new buildings will provide the space and machinery for them to improve their technical skills, giving them the opportunity to start their own businesses with minimal capital and to specialise in quality craftsmanship which is in high demand in Sodo.

The young people’s soft skills will be improved through educational sports activities including an ‘Olympic Games’ for children that will take place on the campus sports field.

Objectives

  • Increase the potential of the campus by expanding the workshops.
  • Enhance young people’s technical skills, in tailoring/weaving and carpentry, giving them an opportunity to start their own business and develop quality craftmanship, which is in high demand locally.
  • Increase the economic sustainability of the campus by enabling the sale of self-produced goods.
  • Increase young people’s soft skills through sports.

Project activities

  • Constructing the buildings for the new workshops.
  • Delivering four professional training courses (in bamboo carpentry, soap-making, bakery and tailoring/weaving).
  • Providing start-up support to help young people set up their own businesses upon completion of their training.
  • Holding ‘Olympic Games’ for children to promote equal opportunities and socialisation.
  • Coordination, monitoring and communication.

Expected results

  • Two new buildings which will improve the professional training offered by Busajo Campus and improve its economic sustainability.
  • Four professional training courses for 20 boys and girls aged 15–20.
  • Start-up assistance for four self-employed businesses for young people who have finished their training.
  • Informal educational sports activities for 60 young people on campus to promote equal opportunities for girls and boys and integration between children residing on the campus and the community.

Partner