Play It Forward

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Leuven, Belgium
Start date 02/01/2026
End date 05/31/2028
Cost of the project €122,600
Foundation funding €98,080
Project identifier 2025001931
Partners Football Girls Leuven
Categories Access to Sport - Employability - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Infrastructure and equipment - Personal development

Context

Belgium has a strong football culture, yet participation remains highly unequal. Girls are still significantly underrepresented in football as in other areas, and the gap is even wider in urban, culturally diverse and lower-income areas.

In places like Leuven, a rapidly growing and highly diverse university town, many girls face persistent social, cultural, and practical barriers to accessing and staying in sport and other activities. While Leuven offers many sports opportunities, mainstream club structures often struggle to respond adequately to the realities of girls from migrant backgrounds and socially vulnerable families.

Limited financial means, mobility issues, gender stereotypes, and a lack of safe, welcoming spaces where girls can truly feel at home, be themselves, and belong limit participation and increase dropouts, especially when sport is organised along linear pathways that reward performance over belonging.

There is a growing need for socially driven sports initiatives that not only offer access but also foster social mixing, ownership, empowerment, and long-term engagement. Football Girls Leuven emerged within this context, responding to a strong local need for a safe, inclusive, girls-only football space rooted in the neighbourhood and everyday public space. The club has grown rapidly, reaching more than 240 girls, demonstrating both the demand for such an approach and the limits of a purely volunteer-driven structure.

Project goals

With Play It Forward, Football Girls Leuven seeks to strengthen the club and continue to break down structural barriers to football participation for girls in Leuven by means of a sustainable, girl-led model that combines sport, youth work, and social inclusion. The project is designed to ensure that girls from diverse backgrounds and in potentially vulnerable situations can not only access football but also stay engaged, develop ownership, and have a voice beyond the club, transforming the club and football into a sustainable tool for inclusion, empowerment, and structural change for girls in Leuven.

Specific project goals

  • Build a coherent, club-wide structure that connects access, anchored participation, ownership, and policy impact in a clear, circular pathway, through which girls can enter, engage, pause, and re-engage on their own terms
  • Increase access and reduce dropout rates by embedding support, accessibility, and inclusive practices into the club’s day-to-day operations
  • Strengthen girls’ ownership by integrating leadership, volunteering, and co-creation into club life
  • Professionalise coordination, monitoring, and partnerships to ensure continuity, quality, and long-term impact beyond the project period
  • Translate local practice into broader impact by sharing knowledge and influencing policy on inclusive, girl-friendly sport

Project content

Play It Forward comprises four pillars:

  • Pillar 1 – Access: Bringing football to girls in their daily environment through regular street football sessions, school partnerships and neighbourhood activities. These low-threshold initiatives are directly linked to the club through a buddy support system that ensures smooth, stigma-free entry into regular training. Public space activations make football and playgrounds more inclusive and girl-friendly.
  • Pillar 2 – Anchored participation: Embedding support structures within the club to help girls stay engaged over time and prevent dropouts, including a strengthened buddy system, accessible membership policies, mobility support (bicycle loan scheme and carpools) and a more permanent menstruation programme. A shared framework guides trainers and volunteers in creating safe, inclusive team environments.
  • Pillar 3 – Ownership: Creating structured pathways for girls to take on roles as volunteers, coaches or referees, supported by training, mentoring and leadership workshops. Co-creation and shared leadership are embedded in the teams and club life, strengthening girls’ ownership and voice.
  • Pillar 4 – Policy impact: Systematising impact monitoring, sharing good practices through local and national networks, and actively involving girls in advocacy around sport, youth work and public spaces.

To implement the pillars and pave a sustainable pathway, the project requires a dedicated professional project coordinator (working at 70% of a full-time position), whose role is to connect and coordinate the four pillars, build partnerships with schools and youth organisations, develop mobility and inclusion measures, and ensure monitoring, evaluation and long-term anchoring of the model within the club and beyond.

Partner

Creating a safe play space for refugee children in Boa Vista

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Waraotuma a Tuaranoko refugee shelter in Boa Vista, Brazil
Start date 01/01/2026
End date 12/31/2026
Cost of the project €175,958
Foundation funding €120,000
Project identifier 2025001012
Partners KLABU Foundation
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Conflict victims - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Infrastructure and equipment - Personal development

Context

Over 6 million Venezuelans have been displaced due to an ongoing socio-economic crisis in Venezuela. The most vulnerable include indigenous groups such as the Warao, Pemon, and Kariña, who face severe marginalisation. Many of them have found refuge in Brazil.

KLABU has opened a clubhouse at Waraotuma a Tuaranoko, a shelter that is home to 1,300 refugees (800 of whom are minors), making it the largest shelter for indigenous refugees in Latin America. However, the only community sports pitch in the shelter is in poor condition and poses safety risks.

Project goals

  • Construct a safe, inclusive, and community-designed sports pitch at the Waraotuma a Tuaranoko shelter using love.fútbol’s participatory methodology.
  • Enable regular sports and recreational activities for children and young people from refugee and host communities.
  • Foster social inclusion and resilience through tournaments, events, and volunteer-led
  • Create local ownership and sustainability by engaging refugee volunteers and the local partner in maintenance and ongoing programming.

Project content

In partnership with love.fútbol, KLABU aims to rebuild the main sports pitch at the Waraotuma a Tuaranoko shelter and to make it a sustainable hub for sport and community. In addition, they will upgrade nearby infrastructure (a volleyball court, seating around the court, and a play area) and organise inclusive activities that will also be open to people from the six other nearby shelters. KLABU’s clubhouse is already active, and the new sports facilities will offer safe, inclusive spaces where children thrive, and community pride grows.

Partner

Championing an Inclusive Future through Football 2.0

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Germany, Hongary, Spain
Start date 01/01/2025
End date 12/31/2027
Cost of the project €260,544
Foundation funding €260,544
Project identifier 20245000
Partners FedEx
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Conflict victims - Employability - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Infrastructure and equipment

Context

As an official sponsor of the UEFA Champions League during the 2021–2024 cycle, FedEx extended its commitment beyond commercial sponsorship to include a robust social responsibility programme. This initiative spotlighted key social issues in the host cities of the UEFA Champions League finals: Paris in 2022, Istanbul in 2023, and London in 2024. Through the Championing an Inclusive Future through Football programme, FedEx provided financial support to non-profit organisations that use football as a platform to promote inclusivity and social cohesion within local communities.

Building on this success, FedEx will continue its engagement for the 2025–2027 cycle, supporting projects in the UEFA Champions League final host cities: Munich in 2025, Budapest in 2026, and Madrid in 2027. This renewed commitment underscores FedEx’s dedication to creating lasting social impact through sport.

2025

SCORING GIRLS* was founded in 2016 by former professional footballer Tugba Tekkal with the mission to empower girls* through football. While the work begins on the pitch, it goes far beyond sport, rooted in a strong pedagogical concept. The approach integrates five key competence areas—Teamwork, Self-efficacy, Resilience, Body Positivity, and Social Participation—into football training and educational activities.

Through this, participants not only enhance their athletic skills but also strengthen confidence, resilience, and personal development.

The target group includes girls* aged 8–18, with and without refugee or migration backgrounds, most coming from marginalised communities. SCORING GIRLS* currently operates at three sites in Cologne and four in Berlin, and in 2025 expanded to Munich in partnership with FC Bayern München.

2026

 

Project goals

2025

SCORING GIRLS*

  • Promote social participation and equal opportunities for girls
  • Build a strong, inclusive community and give visibility to strong role models
  • Empower girls* through competence development and mentoring for personal growth and responsibility.

 

Project content

2025

SCORING GIRLS*

Weekly Football Training

Core activity: weekly football sessions led by coaches and pedagogical staff. Training blends fun, education, and football to build confidence, resilience, responsibility, and teamwork. Feedback follows each session. Experienced girls (17 and older) act as peer mentors, fostering collaboration and role modelling.

Educational Activities

Beyond training, we offer vacation programs with matches, excursions, and workshops, as well as year-round tournaments and dialogues with inspiring figures from politics, media, culture, and sports.

Mentoring Programme

Launching in 2025: SCORING GIRLS* mentoring initiative with support from high-profile ambassadors (e.g., Nikeata Thompson, Fabian Reese, Lena Oberdorf) to enhance visibility and provide strong role models.

Public Relations & Networking

We actively promote SCORING GIRLS* to raise awareness and engage participants in advocacy, leveraging high-reach partners for stronger community impact.

Use of the FedEx/UEFA Foundation Grant

  • Infrastructure for the new Munich location
  • Staff and trainers
  • Transport costs
  • Events and workshops

Partners

FedEx_UEFA Champions_Lockup_Hor Pos RGB

Rouge et Bleu school at Necker children’s hospital

Location and general information

to be started
Location Paris, France
Start date 10/01/2025
End date Ongoing
Cost of the project €950,000
Foundation funding €100,000
Project identifier 2024000405 
Partners PSG for Communities
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Gender Equality - Infrastructure and equipment

Context

PSG for Communities takes advantage of Paris Saint-Germain’s huge popularity among young people to promote their inclusion and foster their healthy social development. It has created the Rouge et Bleu school – an innovative educational tool based around education, sport for health, and culture – in order to provide hospitalised children with a solid foundation for well-being and success. 

Project goals

  • Organise various fun, educational daytime or after-school sports activities adapted to the children’s medical needs and limitations  
  • Bring hospitalised and non-hospitalised children together so that they can understand and learn from each other 
  • Inspire a love of learning among children and teach them values of tolerance and openness 

Project content

The Rouge et Bleu school welcomes two groups of 16 children at a time, with activities adapted to individual needs. The programme is designed to: 

- Give children in hospital a chance to take part in cultural and sports activities 

- Provide opportunities to take part in individual and team sports 

- Offer activities that the parents of hospitalised children can take part in as well as supervised activities with care staff on hand 

Partners

Sports for Resilience and Empowerment Project (SREP): Primary school construction

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Masindi district, Uganda
Start date 02/15/2025
End date Ongoing
Cost of the project €300,000
Foundation funding €170,000
Project identifier 2024000336
Partners Aliguma Foundation
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Conflict victims - Employability - Environmental protection - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Infrastructure and equipment - Personal development - Strengthening partnerships

Context

The situation in Masindi district reflects the challenges faced by rural areas in Uganda, where access to quality education is severely limited. Many children attend overcrowded and under-resourced schools with high dropout rates and poor academic performance. In addition, the socio-economic conditions are such that children are often forced to prioritise labour over education, leaving many without the skills and knowledge they need for a better future. 

This project addresses the shortage of adequate infrastructure, trained teachers and teaching materials, breaking the cycle of poverty by investing in the future of the region's children. 

Project goals

  1. Build a modern primary school: establishing a well-equipped and safe teaching facility and an environment that is conducive to learning for children in rural Masindi
  1. Enhance access to quality education: ensuring that children in the region have access to quality education, reducing the barriers associated with inadequate infrastructure and resources
  1. Promote social inclusion: creating opportunities for all children, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds and with special needs, to get an education and participate fully in their communities
  1. Improve educational outcomes: improving schoolchildren’s academic performance and overall development by providing better learning conditions, teacher training and educational materials
  1. Empower the community: engaging the local community in the development and maintenance of the school, fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility 
  1. Support holistic development: integrating sport and extracurricular activities into the school curriculum to promote physical health, teamwork and life skills
  1. Reduce dropout rates: addressing contributing factors and creating a supportive and engaging school environment
  1. Strengthen teacher capacity: providing training and resources for teachers to improve the quality of instruction and support effective learning
  1. Promote gender equality: ensuring that girls have equal access to education and opportunities, contributing to gender equality and empowerment
  1. Foster sustainability: developing strategies to support the school’s long-term sustainability and lasting impact, including community involvement and partnerships

Project content

  • Planning and construction of a primary school in the Masindi district of Uganda
  • Teacher training and curriculum development
  • Provision of teaching materials and other resources
  • Community engagement and outreach

Partners

She Should Play

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Bangui, Central African Republic
Start date 02/01/2025
End date Ongoing
Cost of the project €14,733
Foundation funding €14,733
Project identifier 2024001462
Partners iACT
Categories Access to Sport - Conflict victims - Gender Equality - Infrastructure and equipment - Personal development - Strengthening partnerships

Context

Nearly one third of the Central African Republic’s population has been displaced by violence, and even those not displaced have been affected by the ongoing conflict. Women and girls continue to face gender inequity and disempowerment, including in sport. For example, they have very few opportunities to play football, because it is still considered a male sport. The impact of this exclusion reverberates through girls’ lives, affecting how they see themselves in the world. 

Project goals

  • Increase the number of girls playing organised football in Bangui 
  • Break down barriers that block girls’ access to football 
  • Change perceptions around girls in football 

Project content

  • Football camp run by the Refugees United Football Academy for girls aged 8 to 17  
  • Workshops with parents and teachers 
  • Hiring female coaches 
  • Providing equipment and hygiene products for participants 
  • Closing exhibition match and community celebration 

Partners

Girls4Football

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom and Switzerland
Start date 05/24/2024
End date 05/24/2025
Cost of the project €450,000
Foundation funding €-
Project identifier 20240001
Partners Mastercard and local implementing organisations
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Infrastructure and equipment - Personal development - Sponsors - Strengthening partnerships

Context

Girls4Football is a social impact initiative launched by Mastercard in partnership with the UEFA Foundation for Children. Rooted in the long-standing collaboration between Mastercard and the UEFA Champions League, the programme addresses the need for inclusive, empowering opportunities for young girls in Europe. It responds to the growing recognition that sports, particularly football, can be a powerful vehicle for personal development, social inclusion, and gender equality.

The initiative was officially launched on March 18, 2025, and is being rolled out in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom. It aims to reach over 1,000 girls aged 8 to 16 in its first year. This marks the beginning of a three-year project, with this being the first phase of the initiative.

Project goals

The primary goals of the Girls4Football programme are to:

  • Empower young girls through access to free football training and socio-educational activities.
  • Promote physical and emotional well-being through regular sports and leisure engagement.
  • Foster life skills such as teamwork, discipline, and resilience.
  • Enhance financial literacy by teaching participants how to manage money, budgets, and investments.
  • Encourage career aspirations in and around football, including roles off the pitch.

Project content

The programme includes a variety of components designed to support holistic development:

  • Football Training: Free, inclusive sessions focused on skill-building, teamwork, and fun, with a strong emphasis on encouraging girls to participate in sports.
  • Financial Literacy Course: Workshops and interactive sessions that teach essential money management skills, helping girls build a healthy relationship with finances from a young age.

Special Events:

  • Opportunities to serve as Mastercard Player Mascots at UEFA Champions League matches in cities like Paris, Munich, Milan, Madrid, and London.
  • Meet-and-greets with female football ambassadors who serve as role models.
  • Workshops with professionals such as nutritionists, physiotherapists, and referees to expose girls to diverse career paths in sports.

Local partners: To bring this initiative to life, Mastercard and the UEFA Foundation for Children have partnered with NGOs from the five countries:

Partner

The dream starts here!

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Italy, Sicily
Start date 01/01/2025
End date 12/31/2025
Cost of the project €90,000
Foundation funding €45,000
Project identifier 2024000370
Partners ASD Centro Olimpia Giarratana
Categories Access to Sport - Infrastructure and equipment

Context

Founded in 1984, the volunteer-driven club ASD Centro Olimpia Giarratana has long been nurturing the dreams of children in the Ragusa region of Sicily through football. Its facilities have deteriorated significantly over time and are now in urgent need of renovation.

Project goals

ASD Centro Olimpia Giarratana’s primary objective is to provide a safe and positive space for children to develop not only their athletic skills but also their confidence, discipline and teamwork. Their development as people takes priority over their development as football players. The club also aims to serve as a social and recreational hub for the community while also promoting physical activity.

Project content

The club provides football and volleyball activities for boys and girls, aged between 8 and 14 years old. The UEFA Foundation for Children’s funding will go towards replacing the worn-out artificial turf pitch, upgrading the dressing rooms and constructing a community bar area where parents can relax while their children play.

Partners

Construction of an artificial football pitch

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Madagascar
Start date 02/01/2025
End date 12/31/2025
Cost of the project €406,043
Foundation funding €120,000
Project identifier 2024000804
Partners AKAMASOA
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Infrastructure and equipment

Context

Madagascar is one of the ten poorest countries in the world. Since 1989, Father Pedro Opeka and his humanitarian organisation, AKAMASOA, have been fighting the extreme poverty that plagues the country on a daily basis by providing emergency aid to those in greatest need, building houses, educating children, providing healthcare, helping people find employment and providing vocational training for young people.

In 1989, AKAMASOA helped 140 families from the capital, Antananarivo, settle 60km away in Antolojanahary, where the organisation built houses, a dispensary, schools and sports facilities. The village now has a population of 6’000.

Project goals

  • Build an artificial football pitch on the existing dirt pitch for the village’s 2,190 schoolchildren as well as other youngsters from the village and surrounding areas, giving every child the chance to play football, have fun, escape their difficult living conditions and the difficulties their country endures, and develop a sense of community
  • Enable children to play football not only in their school sports lessons but also, under supervision, during their free time and at weekends
  • Stage matches between local teams of children and young adults, bringing together residents of surrounding villages and developing a sense of community

Project content

  • Construction of an artificial football pitch for use by:
    • one nursery, one primary school, one secondary school and one college;
    • 2,190 children from primary to high school age (figures from the 2024/25 academic year).
  • Daily sports activities and competitions, including matches every weekend.
  • The pitch will be monitored at all times to ensure the facilities are being properly looked after.

Partners

Kick for Hope

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Jordan
Start date 01/01/2025
End date 12/31/2025
Cost of the project €400,000
Foundation funding €175,000
Project identifier 2024000682
Partners Association Football Development Programme (AFDP) Global
Categories Access to Sport - Conflict victims - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Infrastructure and equipment - Personal development - Strengthening partnerships

Context

Relative to population size, Jordan hosts the second highest number of refugees in the world, including 706,100 registered Syrian refugees (approximately 7% of the population). Unregistered numbers are much higher, estimated at more than 1.5 million or 20% of the population. Over half (51%) are children, and over 80% are surviving below the poverty line.

The Zaatari and Azraq refugee camps have been hosting Syrian refugees since 2011 who have never returned to their homeland. Overcrowding and a shortage of resources in the camps limit the recreational activities and safe spaces available for children to play and socialise. The absence of structured activities can result in boredom, frustration and behavioural issues, which further hinder children and young adults’ emotional and psychological well-being and development.

Project goals

  • Build the capacity of Syrian coaches and create opportunities for employment
  • Provide children with access to safe spaces to enjoy football and other sports activities
  • Promote life skills through sport
  • Create professional development and competitive opportunities for young refugees
  • Create football clubs in the camps
  • Enter Syrian refugee teams in the local U13 boys’ and U14 girls’ grassroots football leagues and the Jordan Judo League

Project content

  • Selection of Syrian youth coaches and administrators
  • In-person training for coaches, coordinators and admin teams
  • Ongoing football and other sports activities for children and young adults
  • Football leagues for all age groups
  • Judo and table tennis activities, and Zumba classes for girls

Partners

StationSoccer – HE Holmes

Location and general information

to be started
Location USA; Atlanta
Start date 04/15/2025
End date 12/15/2025
Cost of the project €95,496
Foundation funding €27,232
Project identifier 2024000858
Partners Soccer in the streets
Categories Access to Sport - Healthy lifestyle - Infrastructure and equipment - Personal development

Context

Atlanta has the highest income inequality of any city in the United States. This, combined with the ‘pay-to-play’ model that dominates football activities in the US, means children in underserved communities are locked out of participation. These children need affordable programmes in safe, accessible locations. Soccer in the Streets provides just that with StationSoccer.

StationSoccer – HE Holmes is located at the subway station of that name in the Collier Heights neighbourhood of Atlanta. With a per capita income of $33,759 (€33,068) and a poverty rate of 25%, it is one of the most underinvested communities in the Atlanta Metropolitan Area. The project will provide Soccer in the Streets’ unique combination of football training and social and emotional capacity building to 150 six to twelve-year-olds. It is estimated that 80% of participants will be African American, 40% of the participants are girls and the vast majority will be playing football for the first time.

Project goals

  • Provide access
    • Eliminate transport obstacles and cost barriers
  • Improve well-being
    • Integrate social and emotional learning into the football curriculum
    • Train coaches to follow the curriculum and recognise adverse childhood experiences

Project content

Football and social and emotional learning sessions

  • Two 2-hour training sessions a week, with matches on Saturdays
  • Total of 26 weeks of training over the year (spring season from 15 February to 15 May, and autumn season from 15 August to 15 November)
  • Incorporation of social and emotional learning in training sessions, with a focus on resilience, self-management, social awareness, decision-making and relationships

Coach training

  • Coach training session in July to help coaches follow the curriculum and recognise adverse childhood experiences

Partners

Igombe sports and community centre

Location and general information

to be started
Location Tanzania, Igombe, Mwanza
Start date 05/01/2025
End date 10/31/2025
Cost of the project €87,232
Foundation funding €62,232
Project identifier 2024001169
Partners Sports Charity Mwanza
Categories Access to Sport - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Infrastructure and equipment

Context

Access to sport in the Mwanza region of Tanzania is limited for economic, structural and social reasons. After leaving school, young people often find themselves on the streets with no recreational opportunities, vulnerable to the risk of delinquency and abuse. In particular, many children with complicated family situations have no adult role model to guide them in their choices. Meanwhile, it is generally recognised that physical and mental health problems are exacerbated by a lack of access to sport.

Project goals

  • Improve access to sport for children and young people in Mwanza
  • Reduce the risk of delinquency and abuse
  • Give young people adult role models
  • Reduce physical and mental health problems
  • Strengthen the local community

Project content

  • Construction of a sports and community centre offering one full-size and one half football pitch, one basketball court, two volleyball courts, one netball court, and storage and changing facilities
  • Training and qualifications for volunteer coaches
  • Working with local coaches to ensure that all age groups and genders have opportunities to use the pitch
  • Particular focus on school-leavers, since they often struggle with the transition to adult life

Partners

Breaking Barriers : Well-being, Sport, and Social Integration for Children in Conflict with the Law in Madagascar and Cameroon

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Madagascar and Cameroon
Start date 12/01/2024
End date 05/31/2025
Cost of the project €300,000
Foundation funding €120,000
Project identifier 2024001074
Partners Grandir Dignement
Categories Access to Sport - Employability - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Infrastructure and equipment - Personal development

Context

Improve the living conditions, physical and mental well-being, and social and professional integration of children in conflict with the law in Madagascar and Cameroon, by supporting local actors and promoting children's rights

Project goals

  • Improve conditions for children in detention and ensure they meet the fundamental needs of children in conflict with the law
  • Promote personal development and foster social and professional integration for children in conflict with the law
  • Empower children to advocate for their rights and increase societal awareness of their rights and needs

Project content

 

To ensure children in detention experience improved living conditions and enhanced physical and mental well-being:

  • Daily nutritional support
  • Medical support and essential supplies (first-aid kits, medicines and hygiene products)
  • Ensuring access to urgent medical care, including hospitalisation, psychological support, nutritional care and detoxification services
  • Facilitating access to sport, recreation and cultural activities during detention and legal proceedings, including football, dance, circus, basketball and theatre
  • Football tournaments involving young people from other associations and/or schools
  • Rehabilitation of detention infrastructure, including sports, sanitation and kitchen facilities

To ensure children are supported in developing their skills and life plans to achieve social and professional integration:

  • Co-development of life plans with children, guided by educators
  • Financial support for school fees, vocational training and income-generating activities tailored to each child's own plans
  • Regular visits and meetings with families to support, educate and empower them in their parenting roles

To ensure children in conflict with the law become active advocates for their rights in society:

  • Awareness-raising workshops for minors in detention facilities
  • Workshops led by peer mentors, i.e. young people previously supported by Grandir Dignement
  • Artistic productions to encourage personal expression and creativity

Partners

Educafoot

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Benin, Parakou and Cotonou
Start date 01/01/2025
End date 12/31/2027
Cost of the project €46,986
Foundation funding €30,000
Project identifier 2024000683
Partners Association Kenskoazell Afrika
Categories Access to Sport - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Infrastructure and equipment - Personal development - Strengthening partnerships

Context

Since 2019, the Educafoot programme, in particular the educational element, has been refined following regular dialogue with the UEFA Foundation for Children to arrive at the programme currently being run in Senegal (ten schools), Côte d’Ivoire (50 schools) and Benin (now being expanded following a trial in five schools).

Project goals

  • Help children grow into the citizens of tomorrow by nurturing skills and values such as gender equality, environmental awareness, a work ethic, self-improvement, leadership, decision-making, social coexistence, following rules, respecting opponents and the importance of mental and physical well-being
  • Ensure access to sport by equipping 15 schools each year for three years and enabling thousands of children to take part in the Educafoot programme

Project content

The Educafoot programme's approach includes organising participants into mixed teams for the various events, having girls and boys referee, appointing co-captains, screening and discussing an educational film about the environment, making a net from plastic waste, encouraging the children to help clean the school before each match, and giving them French and mathematics tests.

Partners

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Blind Solidarity

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Mali, Bamako
Start date 01/01/2025
End date 12/31/2025
Cost of the project €59,000
Foundation funding €40,000
Project identifier 2024000675
Partners Association Libre Vue
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Employability - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Infrastructure and equipment - Personal development

Context

The political situation in Mali is highly unstable, and relations with France are particularly tense following the European country’s military withdrawal. This instability and widespread conflict contribute to high levels of internal displacement and poverty in one of the poorest countries in the world. In 2012, Libre Vue launched the Blind Solidarity project at the Institut des Jeunes Aveugles in Bamako (a school for 250 visually impaired children living in highly precarious conditions). The association built infrastructure including a special pitch suitable for blind football and started offering regular football coaching.

Project goals

The charity’s next steps as the project continues are to:

  • resurface the artificial pitch for blind football in order to improve playing conditions and enable Blind Solidarity to rent it out and therefore become more self-sufficient
  • step up educational measures on how to keep the pitch and its surroundings clean and in good condition
  • foster the long-term growth of blind football among girls
  • use social media to communicate more effectively throughout the country using social network

Project content

  • Resurface the artificial pitch for blind football
  • Hold regular discussions with the families of girls, in particular
  • Implement routine pitch-maintenance measures
  • Train the manager of the facilities

Partners

Sports centres for children, young people and their families

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Switzerland
Start date 01/01/2025
End date 12/31/2025
Cost of the project €7,694,307
Foundation funding €80,000
Project identifier 2024000282
Partners Fondation IdéeSport
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Infrastructure and equipment - Strengthening partnerships

Context

Children and young people today often suffer from a sedentary lifestyle and lack of exercise, excessive use of social media, mental health problems, limited access to sports facilities and gender stereotypes. Participating in sport can help to address these issues and gives children a chance to meet new people, thereby supporting their healthy development and integration into the community.

Project goals

The IdéeSport Foundation uses sport to get young people moving, encourage them to lead a healthy lifestyle and prevent addiction. It aims to actively promote integration, particularly of disabled or migrant children and young people, by welcoming those from all social backgrounds, regardless of their gender, socio-economic status, ethnicity or sporting ability.

Project content

IdéeSport gives children and young people opportunities to meet, train and play in local public sports centres at weekends and during the holidays. The programmes are:

  • PeerPower, aimed at teenagers and young adults
  • MidnightSports, aimed at secondary school students
  • OpenSunday and ActiveWeek, aimed at primary school pupils
  • MiniMove, aimed at preschoolers and their parents

Partners