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

Football for Unity

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Dublin, Ireland
Start date 01/01/2026
End date 10/31/2026
Cost of the project €65,860
Foundation funding €30,000
Project identifier 2025002117
Partners Sport Against Racism Ireland (SARI)
Categories Access to Sport - Employability - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development - Strengthening partnerships

Context

The northeastern inner city of Dublin suffers from high levels of deprivation and poverty, with high concentrations of lone parents (up to 80% in some areas), unemployment (approximately 50% of men and 40% of women, against a national average of 4%), low educational attainment (50% of people aged 15 and over have primary education only, against a national average of 9%) and high levels of crime and substance abuse. It is also the area in Ireland with the highest percentage of ethnic minorities.

Project goals

  • Increase mutual understanding between children and young people with different backgrounds and improve the integration of migrants and third-country nationals
  • Create safe spaces for children and young people to play football
  • Promote migrants’ involvement in sport and volunteering
  • Foster youth empowerment through football
  • Create more cohesion between young people, community groups, police and local authorities
  • Educate participants in diversity and inclusion, and against racism and xenophobia

Project content

Three months of football training nights and diversity and inclusion education leading up to a series of seven-a-side football tournaments in various age categories across the northeastern inner city of Dublin in June and July.

Partner

Developing therapeutic physical activity programmes in hospitals for children affected by cancer

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Paris and Toulouse, France
Start date 01/01/2026
End date 08/31/2026
Cost of the project €187,529
Foundation funding €20,000
Project identifier 2025000849
Partners CAMI Sport & Cancer
Categories Access to Sport - Healthy lifestyle

Context

Cancer affects an average of 2,500 children for the first time each year in France. It is the second leading cause of death in children and adolescents. During treatment, children with cancer are often confined to tiny, sterile bedrooms. Being stuck in a hospital bed has many consequences, physical and psychological, including loss of muscle mass, physical deconditioning, loss of flexibility, reduced independence, sleep disturbance, fatigue, anxiety, stress, isolation and pain. Scientific studies carried out over many years have shown that regular sports participation can improve all these parameters.

Project goals

Support 180 to 190 children each year to:

  • Reduce the side effects of cancer treatment
  • Prevent the loss of muscle mass that results from being bed-ridden
  • Improve quality of life
  • Relieve the stress of being stuck in a traditional hospital environment
  • Combat social withdrawal and isolation through inclusion
  • Improve confidence and self-esteem

Project content

The project offers fun activities such as ball games, scooters and physical play for children in hospital. For teenagers and young adults, it provides physical activities adapted to the patient’s level of fatigue (gentle muscle strengthening, flexibility training). Practitioners visit the hospital departments for children, teenagers and young adults, offering one-to-one sessions lasting 45 minutes to an hour to any patients who would like them.

Partner

Kicking Boundaries

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Limpopo province, South Africa
Start date 01/15/2027
End date 01/15/2027
Cost of the project €85,000
Foundation funding €45,000
Project identifier 2025000428
Partners Uplift Foundation
Categories Access to Sport - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development - Strengthening partnerships

Context

South Africa continues to face alarming levels of gender-based violence and homicide. Girls in rural areas are particularly vulnerable to abuse, exploitation and crime. Many are marginalised, lack information about their rights, have little exposure to positive role models and are rarely given safe spaces to express themselves, build confidence or seek support. Girls with disabilities face an additional layer of exclusion, as infrastructure, programmes and attitudes often ignore their needs.

Limpopo is one of the country’s poorest and most rural provinces. Deeply rooted gender norms mean that sport, especially football, is still treated as the preserve of men, while girls are expected to prioritise domestic work and caregiving, missing out on the physical, emotional and social benefits of playing sport.

Project goals

  • Provide regular, structured football activities in rural areas for at least 600 girls aged 11–18, including a minimum of 30% disabled girls
  • Use football as a platform to challenge harmful gender norms and promote gender equality, respect and non-violence in families, schools and communities
  • Reduce girls’ vulnerability to crime and gender-based violence
  • Strengthen leadership, communication, teamwork and resilience among girls
  • Build supportive environments for girls
  • Lay the foundations for the integration of football for girls into existing community structures

Project content

  • Regular mobile football clinics in rural communities, bringing structured football sessions directly to villages with little or no sports infrastructure. Sessions will focus on basic football skills, physical fitness, teamwork and enjoyment. Coaches will ensure that girls of different abilities, including those with disabilities, can participate safely and meaningfully.
  • Local and inter-community football tournaments and events to reinforce commitment, build pride and strengthen social networks among girls from different villages.
  • Gender equality and rights workshops that will deliver age-appropriate information on gender equality, girls’ rights, respect and non-discrimination, using football-based examples and discussions.
  • Anti-crime, safety and self-defence workshops, covering personal safety, basic self-defence techniques, how to recognise risky situations, and where to seek help in cases of violence or abuse. These sessions will be linked to football activities to reinforce messages about standing strong, supporting team-mates and reporting incidents.
  • Leadership development through sport: Football drills and small-sided games will incorporate leadership roles. Girls will practise communication, decision-making and problem-solving on the pitch, and then reflect on how to apply these skills in school, at home and in the community.
  • Inclusion of girls with disabilities: The project will intentionally recruit disabled girls and adapt activities where necessary so that they can participate fully. Coaches will receive basic training in inclusive coaching approaches, and awareness will be raised to reduce stigma and promote acceptance.
  • Community mobilisation and partnerships: The project team will collaborate with schools, local clubs, community-based organisations and the authorities to support recruitment, access to facilities and joint events. Regular meetings and feedback sessions will encourage local buy-in.

Partner

Girls Play for Change: Using sport as a transformative tool for protection, inclusion and empowerment

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Bossaso, Puntland State, Somalia
Start date 01/01/2026
End date 12/31/2026
Cost of the project €53,794
Foundation funding €43,000
Project identifier 2025000458
Partners Hawa Feminist Coalition
Categories Access to Sport - Conflict victims - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development

Context

Bossaso, a rapidly growing city in the state of Puntland, Somalia, hosts over 250,000 internally displaced people (IDP). They have fled conflict, humanitarian crises and the worsening effects of climate change. Most of them live in poor, overcrowded camps with limited access to services. Women and girls face some of the most severe and alarming forms of gender-based violence, including rape, sexual harassment, domestic violence, child abuse, early and forced marriage, and female genital mutilation or cutting.

Somali girls, particularly those from the marginalised IDP community in Bossaso, face significant barriers to participating in sport, which is still widely seen as the preserve of men. This exclusion deprives girls of the benefits that sport offers and reinforces harmful societal norms that silence their voices, limit their visibility and perpetuate gender inequality. The lack of inclusive, girl-centred programmes and safe, supportive opportunities further compounds their marginalisation, stifling their potential and curbing their development.

Project goals

  • Create safe and inclusive access to football for displaced and marginalised girls
  • Strengthen girls’ physical, emotional and mental well-being
  • Promote girls’ confidence, leadership, teamwork and active participation in sport
  • Train and empower 12 young women as community-based sport coaches and peer mentors and establish safe play areas
  • Raise awareness of girls’ rights, menstrual health, prevention of gender-based violence and inclusion of displaced and marginalised girls in sport

Project content

  • Safe, structured football and mentorship sessions for 300 displaced girls across six IDP settlements in Bossaso led by trained female coaches, integrating physical activity with psychosocial support, mental health promotion and rights-based education
  • Training for 12 young women from IDP communities to become football coaches and peer mentors, including modules on gender inclusion, children’s rights and safeguarding
  • Six inclusive, safe play areas within selected IDP camps
  • Four quarterly awareness-raising sessions, in person and online, each reaching 100 participants – including parents, elders and girls – to discuss gender-based violence, child protection, menstrual health and girls’ participation in sport and foster supportive community environments
  • Annual Girls Play for Change festival, bringing together over 150 girls, families and stakeholders to showcase and celebrate girls’ talents, build solidarity and advocate for inclusive sport and the protection of all girls

Partner

Football for children and teenagers from low-income communities

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Parque Ecodeportivo Santo Domingo Oeste, Manoguayabo, Dominican Republic
Start date 02/01/2026
End date 12/31/2026
Cost of the project €56,034
Foundation funding €28,017
Project identifier 2025002480
Partners Fundacíon Café con Leche
Categories Access to Sport - Employability - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development

Context

In low-income, structurally disadvantaged communities, the education system is often overstretched and many families lack the economic and social resources they would need to enrol their children in structured extracurricular activities. As a result, young people have limited access to healthy leisure and safe spaces that promote positive social interactions, personal growth and academic motivation, increasing their vulnerability to social exclusion and risky behaviour.

Football is a popular leisure activity in Santo Domingo but most youngsters play informally, rarely as part of a structured programme, limiting the educational potential. Projects that intentionally link sport with educational support and personal development are scarce.

 

Project goals

Create a safe, structured and supportive environment that:

  • promotes the holistic development and empowerment of children and teenagers growing up in vulnerable communities in Santo Domingo;
  • strengthens participants’ physical and mental well-being, fosters self-esteem and social inclusion, and supports academic success;
  • equips young people with essential life skills, positive role models and the motivation necessary to pursue educational and personal goals despite structural disadvantages.

Project content

  • 11 weekly 90-minute football training sessions for children and teenagers
  • 10 weekly one-hour educational sessions for children and teenagers
  • Friendly football matches and tournaments at least once a month
  • 10 educational trips and talks for children and teenagers
  • 12 one-hour workshops and talks with a psychologist offering psycho-emotional support

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

Play for Protection: Child-centred sport for safety and belonging

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh
Start date 01/01/2026
End date 12/31/2026
Cost of the project €140,232
Foundation funding €100,000
Project identifier 2025001001
Partners ActionAid Switzerland
Categories Access to Sport - Conflict victims - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development

Context

Approximately 1,140,000 Rohingya live in overcrowded camps in Cox’s Bazar and on the island of Bhasan Char, half of them children and teenagers with limited protection and access to safe play. Girls and disabled children in particular are marginalised as a result of patriarchal norms, stigma and safety concerns. Inclusive, structured sports are needed to foster well-being, social inclusion and development – in a safe, dignified environment.

Project goals

  • Psychosocial well-being: Improve the mental health and resilience of 300 Rohingya aged 13 to 24
  • Child protection: Reduce children and teenagers’ vulnerability to exploitation and abuse by integrating sports clubs into existing community-based protection frameworks
  • Gender equality and inclusion: Challenge social stigma and patriarchal norms by ensuring equitable participation for girls (35% target) and disabled children (5% target) in all sports activities
  • Social cohesion: Build a sense of belonging and community by organising inclusive sports events that bring young people, their parents and community leaders together across the refugee camps
  • Youth empowerment and leadership: Train young refugees to be coaches and mentors, equipping them with life skills and vocational leadership experience

Project content

Regular access to inclusive, structured physical activity and safe recreational spaces in the Camp 4 Extension, Camp 26 and Nayapara refugee settlements, with a focus on girls, disabled children and at-risk adolescents, encouraging them to participate in sports activities while promoting social cohesion, life skills and protection.

  • Participant engagement and community consultation: engaging young people, their families and their communities to ensure inclusion and ownership of project activities
  • Structured sports and life-skills sessions: providing safe and inclusive opportunities for children and young adults to participate in sports activities and develop life skills
  • Inclusive sports clubs: establishing and supporting sports clubs that promote gender equality, inclusion and community participation
  • Capacity building for coaches: training young refugees and community members to deliver inclusive and safe sports activities
  • Facility management: ensuring sports facilities are accessible, safe and properly maintained
  • Psychosocial support: incorporation of play-based psychosocial support to strengthen participants’ well-being and resilience
  • Monitoring, evaluation and reporting: tracking project progress and documenting outcomes to ensure accountability and support learning

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

She Should Play

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Bangui, Central African Republic
Start date 02/15/2026
End date 02/26/2027
Cost of the project €56,176
Foundation funding €44,940
Project identifier 2025002247
Partners iACT
Categories Access to Sport - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development - Strengthening partnerships

Context

One third of the Central African Republic’s population is displaced due to ongoing conflict. Girls in particular, face deep gender inequities that limit their freedom and opportunities. Cultural norms discourage their participation in sport, football especially, and they have few safe spaces to play, grow or lead. This lack of access undermines their confidence, leadership and sense of belonging.

Project goals

  • Increase the number of girls playing football
  • Support girls’ social and emotional development
  • Change attitudes towards girls playing football
  • Provide safe space for girls to play and have fun

Project content

  • Conduct outreach activities targeting girls, parents, schools and teachers
  • Host after-school football camps three days a week for three schools and in two slums
  • Provide hygiene kits and training on menstruation
  • Conduct workshops for parents and teachers and gender-equality awareness sessions
  • Raise awareness about girls in football through radio talks

Partner

Healing through Football

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Tulkarm Governorate, West Bank, Palestine
Start date 02/01/2026
End date 10/31/2026
Cost of the project €40,000
Foundation funding €40,000
Project identifier 2025001557
Partners Sports for Life
Categories Access to Sport - Conflict victims - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development

Context

Ongoing violence and demolition of homes have left families in a state of constant fear and precarity and taken a huge psychological toll on children, who lack access to safe spaces, education and psychosocial support.

Project goals

  • Provide psychosocial support to displaced children and orphans through structured sports and educational activities
  • Promote emotional healing, resilience and well-being through football and play-based learning
  • Create safe spaces where children, especially girls, feel protected, empowered and heard
  • Provide educational kits and a football for displaced children
  • Enhance children's education, life skills, teamwork and self-confidence
  • Support community cohesion through inclusive engagement

Project content

This project builds on a successful initiative to extend structured, inclusive activities to displaced children in the refugee camps of Tulkarm and Nur Shams in the northern part of the West Bank. Launched in April 2025, the initiative uses sport for development to educate and promote mental well-being, gender equality and empowerment, particularly for girls, giving them tools to develop their emotional expression, confidence and leadership skills.

Partner

Andahuaylas Sinkumunchis School

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Districts of San Jerónimo and Pacucha, Andahuaylas province, Apurímac, Peru
Start date 02/02/2026
End date 12/31/2026
Cost of the project €70,250
Foundation funding €32,850
Project identifier 2025001856
Partners Sinkumunchis Soccer Peru Foundation Inc.
Categories Access to Sport - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development

Context

Rural and semi-rural communities in the province of Andahuaylas, located in the high-Andean region of southern Peru, have limited access to structured sports programmes, recreational spaces and complementary educational opportunities for children and teenagers. Many families face economic constraints, geographic isolation and reduced access to public services, particularly in the districts of San Jerónimo and Pacucha. Children and young people have few safe and organised spaces to play a sport regularly, develop healthy habits and strengthen social and emotional skills.

Project goals

  • Provide regular and safe access to organised football activities for children and teenagers in rural Andahuaylas
  • Promote a healthy lifestyle, discipline and positive social behaviour through sport
  • Foster socioemotional skills such as teamwork, respect, perseverance and self-confidence
  • Encourage gender equality by promoting the participation of girls in football activities
  • Train and support community-based coaches

Project content

The Andahuaylas Sinkumunchis School offers year-round football training sessions that are adapted to different age groups and levels. Children train weekly with trained local coaches, following a methodology that combines technical development with a values-based education.

In addition to training sessions, there are local leagues, friendly matches and competitive events that allow participants to experience football in a positive and structured environment. Selected participants may also represent their communities in interschool and interregional tournaments, broadening their horizons and strengthening their sense of belonging.

The project leaders work closely with families, community leaders and local authorities to ensure sustainability and strong community buy-in. Attendance and participation are continually monitored to adapt activities to local needs and ensure people remain engaged.

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

Football and health education in schools

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Goliati village, Malawi
Start date 01/01/2026
End date 06/30/2026
Cost of the project €44,000
Foundation funding €40,000
Project identifier 2025001386
Partners LiiKe – Sports & Development
Categories Access to Sport - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development - Strengthening partnerships

Context

In primary and secondary schools in Malawi, classrooms are overcrowded, sports facilities are lacking and teacher shortages and dropout rates are high. The primary and secondary schools in Goliati, which over 2,500 pupils attend over two shifts, have extremely poor sports facilities.

Project goals

  • Use football and physical education as tools for improving health, education outcomes, gender equality, youth empowerment and community cohesion among pupils in Goliati
  • Improve access to safe, inclusive sports and football facilities
  • Provide training and resources for PE teachers and coaches
  • Educate pupils on health, hygiene and active lifestyles
  • Encourage gender equality and the inclusion of girls and vulnerable children in sport
  • Reduce school dropout rates
  • Strengthen community involvement

Project content

  • Maintain the football and netball fields at the schools
  • Provide the schools with netball and football equipment
  • Train teachers and youth leaders to ensure the ongoing delivery of PE and football activities
  • Establish school sports committees to maintain facilities and manage activities
  • Engage parents and local leaders to build community ownership
  • Collaborate with education authorities to integrate sport into school curriculums
  • Organise local fundraising and sponsorship initiatives such as community tournaments to maintain resources
  • Establish peer-led sports clubs to keep children – especially girls – engaged
  • Work with social and local media to promote the project and share positive publicity

Partner

One Team, Many Stories – Building Bridges Through Sport

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Dorolt, Satu Mare County, Romania
Start date 03/01/2026
End date 09/01/2027
Cost of the project €97,000
Foundation funding €88,000
Project identifier 2025000200
Partners Maurer Foundation
Categories Access to Sport - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development

Context

Satu Mare County is an ethnically diverse area that is home to Roma, Romanian, Hungarian and German communities. Across the region, Children from disadvantaged backgrounds (and especially Roma) face a variety of challenges. In particular, children from different ethnic communities rarely interact outside of school, and prejudice and discrimination are persistent issues. Opportunities to promote children’s personal development, encourage physical activity and provide informal education are also scarce, making it more likely that they will experience social isolation, drop out of school or engage in unhealthy behaviours. These problems are exacerbated by a lack of suitable sports facilities where children can meet, play together and develop social skills.

Project goals

  • Promote social inclusion and bring children from the different ethnic groups together in a safe and structured environment.
  • Ensure equal access to sport in safe, suitable facilities, especially for children from vulnerable backgrounds.
  • Counter discrimination by fostering values of teamwork and mutual respect.
  • Support children’s physical, emotional and social well-being and development.
  • Encourage gender equality and promote girls’ participation in sport and community activities.
  • Strengthen community cohesion, engage local stakeholders and encourage them to take ownership of the project over the long term.
  • Future-proof infrastructure and activities to ensure continued access to inclusive sports opportunities even after UEFA Foundation funding comes to an end.

Project content

The project organises a range of activities for children between 6 and 18 years of age, regardless of ethnic origin. Its work falls into seven overarching areas:

  1. Sports infrastructure
    • A safe, fully equipped football pitch is being constructed in Dorolț.
    • Hygienic and accessible changing rooms equipped with a shower and toilet will also be provided.
  2. Weekly training sessions
    • Volunteer coaches lead ethnically mixed football training sessions.
    • Each session focuses on a different theme, such as teamwork, fair play, personal development, healthy lifestyles, discrimination or addiction.
  3. Monthly sport and inclusion events
    • Children from all backgrounds can play sport together at these large-scale events.
    • They feature integrated workshops designed to promote social cohesion, respect and intercultural understanding.
  4. Informal education
    • Workshops cover a range of topics, including healthy habits, personal growth, emotional regulation, teamwork and how to avoid risky behaviours.
    • The sessions are led by a social worker and a nurse, both of whom specialise in addiction prevention and children’s well-being.
  5. Engaging with parents and the community
    • Parents and local volunteers are actively involved in organising and supporting activities.
    • Community leaders are consulted on the project’s work, which helps to strengthen local ownership and increase the chances of long-term sustainability.
  6. Promoting gender equality
    • Particular focus is placed on encouraging girls to participate in all sports and workshops.
    • Each individual activity is designed to ensure inclusion and provide equal opportunities for girls and boys.
  7. Monitoring, evaluation, and visibility:
    • Attendance figures, broken down by ethnicity and gender, are tracked and outcomes continuously monitored.
    • Photos, videos and social media updates are released regularly to communicate progress, raise awareness and highlight impact.

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