A safe space for displaced Yazidi youth

Location and general information

Closed
Location Sharya, Duhok Governorate, Iraq
Start date 01/01/2020
End date 12/31/2020
Cost of the project €619,085
Foundation funding €120,000
Project identifier 2019558
Partners Jesuit Refugee Service Iraq
Categories Conflict victims - Personal development

Context

Over 4 million people in Iraq are in need of humanitarian assistance due to decades of conflict, widespread violence and displacement brought about by the self-proclaimed Islamic State (ISIS), endemic corruption, and ongoing political instability. According to the United Nations, 1.46 million people – 46% children under the age of 18 – are in acute need and face “critical problems related to their physical or mental wellbeing”. Although more than four million of the six million displaced by post-2014 conflict have been able to return to their areas of origin, families returning to conflict-affected areas face restricted access to basic services and security risks. They must contend with destroyed properties and critical infrastructure, as well as a lack of livelihood opportunities and financial resources. In some instances, this has led to secondary displacement.

Over 1.4 million people continue to be displaced, including hundreds of thousands of Ezidi (commonly referred to as Yazidi) survivors of the August 2014 genocide in Sinjar in their sixth year of displacement in the Duhok governorate of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. At the end of 2019, the displaced population in Duhok stood at 319,584, the highest number in Iraq after Ninewa[1]. In addition, the governorate hosts upward of 80,000 Syrian refugees.[2] Fewer than half of Duhok’s internally displaced persons (IDPs) live in one of the seventeen IDP camps in the governorate.[3] The majority live in a variety of out-of-camp settings, ranging from rented accommodation to unfinished buildings and  improvised dwellings, such as tents. Out-of-camp IDPs living in critical shelter are the most numerous vulnerable group.[4]

Although urban centres such as Duhok city and Zakho have a greater mix of ethnic and religious groups all fleeing conflict, the vast majority of remaining in-camp and out-of-camp IDPs in the Duhok governorate are Ezidi genocide survivors from the Sinjar district of Ninewa governorate. To date, Sharya town (also referred to as Sharya Collective) and the surrounding villages hold the largest out-of-camp population of IDPs (23,940) anywhere in Duhok governorate and one of the highest concentrations nationwide.[5]

[1] International Organization for Migration (IOM), Data Tracking Matrix DTM) Iraq, 31 December 2019, available at http://iraqdtm.iom.int.

[2] See Registered IDPs and Refugees in Kurdistan Region – Iraq for January 2019, available at http://jcc.gov.krd/contents/reports/19-02-2019/1550569468.Total%20No.%20IDPs%20%20Refugees%20for%20January%20in%20Kurdistan%20Region.pdf.

[3] See Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Ministry of Interior, Humanitarian Situational Report (SitRep), No. (2-20) for February 2020. Available at:  http://jcc.gov.krd/contents/files/25-02-2020/1582612800.Humanitarian%20Situational%20Report%20(2-20)%20for%20February%20%20Kurdistan%20Region%20of%20Iraq.pdf.

[4] See UN-OCHA, Iraq Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO) 2020, available at https://reliefweb.int/report/iraq/iraq-humanitarian-needs-overview-2020-november-2019-enarku

[5] International Organization for Migration (IOM), Data Tracking Matrix DTM) Iraq, 31 December 2019. Available at http://iraqdtm.iom.int/

Project content

In addition to its specific programme activities, the Jesuit Refugee Service Iraq adopts a multi-layered unified project model that promotes mutual understanding, social cohesion, and peace.

The various project modules and programmes will be complemented by the construction of a fenced multi-purpose sports ground and an annex with facilities and equipment. The complex will provide safe and supervised sports and recreational activities for children, teenagers and young adults from both IDP and host communities. It will promote integration and enable young people from this minority population to develop social skills, fundamental personal and community values, and team spirit. Sports will promote the physical and mental wellbeing of young people in protracted displacement, improve social cohesion, and facilitate conflict management. The sports ground will provide a much-needed facility and safe space to help them engage in positive, healthy activities and boost their overall wellbeing, as well as prevent self-harm linked to a sense of no future prospects.

The Jesuit Refugee Service Iraq’s educational activities, community outreach, and MHPSS services will dovetail with targeted awareness sessions and the thorough work of Jesuit Refugee Service family visitors. The sports ground and adjoining facilities represent a combined response to the need to heal the deeply embedded trauma in both the personal and collective psyche of the Ezidi population.

Objectives

  1. To enhance the psychosocial wellbeing of IDPs facing protracted displacement and improve their access to services, emergency assistance, and protection networks
  2. To support the right to education of children and young people in protracted displacement by providing access to quality education and psychosocial support
  3. To enhance the resilience of IDPs and improve knowledge through access to safe spaces, adult education, and awareness activities

Project activities

JRS projects and programmes in Sharya pay special attention to the well-being of traumatised child, teenage, and young adult genocide survivors as an at-risk category of IDPs. The proposed sports ground and ancillary facilities will enhance JRS’ capacity to serve the affected population proactively and holistically. Out-of-camp IDP children, teenagers, and young adults will benefit from access to a sports ground that better enables them to engage in positive and healthy recreational activities. JRS’ multi-layered intervention includes:

  • Systematic support for genocide survivors in protracted displacement from the family visit teams; provision of core assistance, including cash-based and in-kind assistance, food and non-food items; specialised psychological and psychiatric care, as well as psychiatric medication, for the most vulnerable families and individuals
  • A multi-sectoral education programme consisting of tutoring classes for 540 young people aged 12, 15, and 18 years during the school year; a summer programme for 140 children and teenagers, which includes drama, handicrafts, awareness sessions on relevant topics, and recreational activities; a licenced kindergarten for 220 children aged 4–5 years, in two shifts; training for teachers, including intensive training leading to a university diploma, as well as seminars on child safeguarding and psychological first aid
  • Adult education and skills training courses that enhance IDPs’ income generation and employment opportunities and complementary protection activities to contribute to an improved sense of well-being; awareness sessions on topics such as health, hygiene, stress management, and parenting skills, which enable IDPs to better cope with the experience of protracted displacement
  • A legal service to enable undocumented genocide survivors to obtain civil documentation
  • A twice-weekly primary healthcare service hosted by the JRS Community Centre in Sharya in collaboration with a partner organisation
  • Protection, mainstreamed in all programmes
  • A range of transportation solutions to enable the population served to access the various services listed above

Expected results

The proposed multi-purpose sports ground and facilities build on best practice and lessons learned from an earlier JRS project in Ozal City, Kasnazan (2015–2018). The JRS Community Centre in Ozal City comprised a sports ground that became a magnet for hundreds of children and young people from over 2,000 displaced families of diverse ethnic, religious, and social backgrounds. During school hours, the sports ground was an integral part of an organised education programme (for children aged 4–18 years) that supplemented the scant delivery in the public schools for IDPs. Beyond that, the sports ground was a place of socialisation among people from different areas of origin and an effective instrument in peacebuilding and social cohesion.

The immediate and quantifiable beneficiaries of the proposed multi-purpose sports ground include:

  • 220 preschool children (4–5 years old) during school hours
  • 540 children in the youth education programme (aged 12, 15 and 18)
  • 140 children in the three-month long summer programme
  • Other children and young people participating in one-off or recurring activities laid on by JRS

At other times, the facility will be open (under supervision) to children, teenagers, and young adults from the IDP and host community. Users will be primarily out-of-camp IDPs and members of the host community.

The adjoining multi-purpose hall will host a range of activities, from indoor sports and fitness, to drama, film screenings, awareness workshops, and community-building events. It will constitute a safe and protective alcohol-free environment. The combination of indoor and outdoor areas will enable use during different weather conditions and – more importantly – will enable equal access for females and males.

Partner

A goal for gender equality

Location and general information

Closed
Location Santa Cruz Department (Municipality: El Torno), La Paz Department (Municipality: Pucarani) and Chuquisaca Department (Municipalities: Incahuasi, Culpina and Villa Charcas), Bolivia
Start date 02/01/2020
End date 12/31/2021
Cost of the project €106,060
Foundation funding €87,380
Project identifier 2019984
Partners Plan International Belgium
Categories Access to Sport - Personal development

Context

Bolivia has ratified numerous international human rights treaties, of which the following are particularly relevant to Plan International’s work: the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination against Women. However, despite progress in legislation promoting the rights of children and young people, violations still occur, especially in rural and indigenous populations. Girls in particular face specific barriers to exercising their rights, especially in the three following areas:

Education:

According to the Ministry of Education, only 11% of young people aged 18 to 24 attend university or a technical training centre. Young women are more affected than young men, mainly due to limited access to alternative or post-secondary education in rural areas and limited support from the family and community environment.

Sexual and reproductive rights:

A large proportion of Bolivia’s population is under 18 years, some of whom are sexually active. Despite this, their sexual and reproductive rights are not recognised, nor is their right to protection against sexual violence. In addition, 25% of teenage girls are already mothers at the age 19 (National Plan to Prevent Teen Pregnancy), and this figure is often higher in rural areas. Furthermore, unwanted pregnancy is an important factor in maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality.

Gender-based violence:

According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), in 2014 Bolivia ranked among the countries where girls and women are most exposed to violence.

Project content

The project’s main component is its social football methodology, divided into three stages:

  • During the first stage, the mixed teams are formed and the girls and boys agree on the rules and how long they will play for. This stage allows the participants to engage in dialogue and reach agreements and compromises.
  • During the second stage, the game is played respecting the previously agreed rules.

The third stage is a time for participants to reflect on their in-game behaviour and the behaviour of their teammates. In social football, sticking to the previously agreed rules is more important than competitiveness.

Objectives

  • Change behaviour towards girls and women and put an end to all types of violence, including sexual violence
  • Support gender equality
  • Ensure children and teenagers can exercise their sexual and reproductive rights

Project activities

  • Work plans for student governments (40) and the community social education councils (40) incorporating the social football methodology
  • Training workshops on the football social methodology for students and student governments (3), community social education councils (2), district directors, unit directors and secondary level teachers (3)
  • Social football cards and audiovisual products (600)
  • 80 student sports meetings applying the social football methodology with a focus on gender equality, violence prevention and the exercise of sexual and reproductive rights
  • Assessments of the educational units’ sports fields
  • 40 refurbished and improved sports fields (one for each educational unit)
  • 80 awards for winners of sports events

Expected results

  • Student government organisations strengthen their organisational capacity and representativeness through the social football methodology; they value the participation of women and positively influence their sexual and reproductive rights, gender equality and prevention of gender-based violence.
  • Community social education councils increase their participation and support for the development of social football with a focus on gender equality, prevention of gender-based violence and the exercise of sexual and reproductive rights of girls, boys and teenagers, especially women in the municipalities where the project is developed.
  • District directors, directors of educational units and secondary level teachers improve the management of sports in the educational units by promoting gender equality, sexual and reproductive rights and the prevention of gender-based violence.

Partner

Exercising change in Palabek refugee settlement

Location and general information

Terminé
Location Uganda
Start date 02/01/2020
End date 04/01/2021
Cost of the project € 34,168
Foundation funding € 34,168
Project identifier 20199933
Partners Street Child
Categories Access to Sport - Conflict victims - Personal development

Context

Palabek is one of the newest refugee settlements in Uganda, hosting over 50,000 refugees primarily from South Sudan. According to the 2019 United Nations Development Programme’s Human Development Report, 85% of arrivals are women and children. Due to the conflict, many children in the camp have been traumatised by violence, exploited as child soldiers and lost loved ones. Women and girls in particular face gender-based violence and discrimination. In 2018, the UNHCR reported 4,822 incidents of sexual gender-based violence. The cultural taboo around menstruation also makes girls skip school or even drop out entirely. Limiting their educational and economic opportunities, they increase their risk of child marriage, abuse and teen pregnancy.

The situation has worsened further with the COVID-19 pandemic. The closure of schools for more than 9 months and the 3 months shutdown had devastating effect on the most vulnerable families.

Project content

As repatriation is unlikely to occur soon and the refugee settlements welcome more and more people every day, there is a need to strengthen social cohesion and forge closer ties between the communities. Street Child and its partner African Women and Youth for Action Development (AWYAD) use sports and educational workshops to promote well-being, community engagement, child protection and social cohesion, and combat gender stereotypes. They provide the opportunity for children to escape from traumatic experiences and provide safe spaces where they can flourish. Sport will not be limited to school times, but also held during after school clubs, thereby creating a greater educational environment.

Objectives

  • Inspire both refugee and host children through sport
  • Address the disparity in girls’ active participation in sports
  • Provide safe spaces for marginalised children
  • Increase opportunities for schools to take part in inter/intra-class and regional competitions
  • Provide an inclusive sport offer for girls, boys and children with disabilities
  • Train local coaches to ensure the longevity of the project
  • Introduce and develop four sports across the settlement: football, netball, volleyball and athletics
  • Build infrastructure for sports

Project activities

  • Train community coaches to recognise psychosocial risks in children and understand referral pathways at settlement level
  • Train community coaches on the importance of inclusivity, with particular reference to girls and children with disabilities
  • Train community coaches to promote fair play, cooperation, sharing and respect in sport
  • Dialogue with communities at 10 schools, on health, education and inclusivity, in conjunction with sports sessions
  • Provide 10 schools with the necessary sports equipment to enable children to pratice netball, football and volleyball.
  • Organise weekly sports sessions in 10 schools across Palabek refugee settlement to promote wellbeing for 8000 refugee and host community children

Expected results

  • Target 11,000 beneficiaries – 8,000 children between the ages of 6 and 13, of whom 60% are girls and 40% boys, and 3,000 community members
  • 10% of the beneficiaries will be children with disabilities
  • As Palabek is facing extreme levels of poverty and in need of support similar to the refugees, 30% of the children will be from host communities.

 

intermediate outcome:

  • 10 schools have been supplied with sports equipment
  • 1050 children have been enrolled into the sports clubs
  • 6 community coaches have been recruited and trained

Partner

Living Together Greece

Location and general information

Terminé
Location Greece
Start date 09/16/2019
End date 12/31/2020
Cost of the project € 467,500
Foundation funding € 300,000
Project identifier 2019023
Partners Aiolikos FC, Cosmos FC, the Barça Foundation, Movement on the Ground, Iliaktida, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Categories Access to Sport - Conflict victims - Personal development

Context

Over 45% of the refugees and migrants who arrived in Greece in 2019 landed on the Greek island of Lesbos, which is separated from Turkey by a 10km channel and is home to 88,000 people. In winter, incidents at sea are an almost daily occurrence. Many lives are lost as a result of shipwrecks off the coast of Lesbos.

The increasing influx of arrivals has put extreme pressure on the island, where there are more than 40,000 refugees and migrants, despite the official reception capacity being limited to 2,800. Some 18,000 are staying in Mória (capacity of 2,300) and 2,500 in Kara Tepe. There is no longer space in these official reception and registration sites, so makeshift shelters have been built in a rubbish-filled olive grove around the camp.

The number of refugees and migrants on the islands is extremely high and there is a severe lack of adequate shelter, sanitation and site management, which exposes refugees and migrants to severe risks. The majority of refugees and migrants are families and a third of the population are children, most below the age of 12. Thousands of women, men and children are currently living in small tents, exposed to cold and rain with little or no access to heating, electricity or hot water.

Hygiene and sanitation conditions are unsafe. On top of that, registration backlogs in Mória and Kara Tepe and the overcrowding of reception facilities have led to tensions among refugee groups and between refugees and the police. Towards the end of 2019, local communities also started protesting and demanding urgent action to alleviate the pressure on the island. Friction is growing between local people and asylum seekers landing in boats from Turkey. Anti-immigrant sentiment has increased with non-governmental organisations also being targeted.

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The Live Together project is made up of three sub-projects

1) Two teams, one world

  • Cost of the sub-project: €119,000
  • Foundation funding: €119,000
  • Partners: Aiolikos FC and Cosmos FC

Context

Cosmos FC, a refugees’ football club, was founded in September 2016 on the initiative of a Lesbos native and ex-footballer who saw the potential for sports to alleviate the tensions caused by the refugee crisis on the island. Football can be more than just a game. Since 2016, the club has involved over 400 adults and minors – including girls, and regardless of religion and race – from 17 different countries.

Over the last two and a half years, Cosmos FC has been a sanctuary for people arriving on Lesbos (the island with the largest refugee population in Greece) on their way to the so-called ‘promised land’. Regular training and friendly matches against local clubs provide people with a sense of normality. At the same time, the club has gained the appreciation and respect of the local population of Lesbos.

In January 2019, Francis Kalombo, a 15-year-old Congolese boy and member of Cosmos FC became the first refugee to obtain an official licence to play in a European club, Aiolikos FC. His story instantly went viral, spreading throughout Greece and beyond and helping locals and refugees together raise awareness about refugees’ limited or non-existent access to sport. Subsequently, the Greek parliament passed legislation granting the right to participate in the amateur league and amateur cup matches not only to recognised refugees, but also to asylum-seekers, stateless persons and migrants who have a residence permit or have applied for a residence permit.

Project content

With the Two teams, one world project, Aiolikos FC and Cosmos FC are working together with the UEFA foundation to support more young refugees, including unaccompanied minors, teenagers and young adults.

The project will give 250 to 300 unaccompanied minors and other refugees aged 13 to 18 the opportunity to learn more about football through regular training. Regular exercise will help improve their physical and mental health, and football, as a team sport, will help them gain a sense of belonging, learn about teamwork and improve their self-confidence.

Friendly matches with local clubs will be combined with educational field trips to teach refugees about Greek and European societies and lifestyles, with a view to helping them adapt and integrate more easily. Refugees and Greek people from all backgrounds will play together, regardless of politics, religion or ethnicity, thus bridging possible divides between refugees and locals and creating the ideal opportunity to get to know one another.

An annual tournament (Cosmos Cup) will also be organised, involving either national or local clubs depending on the funding available, with the aim of combatting social exclusion and negative perceptions about refugees in society.

 

 

Objectives

  • Improve refugees’ living conditions and securing their fundamental right to personal development through sports and social interaction
  • Build a stable environment in which young refugees can overcome psychological disorders and build self-confidence
  • Cultivate a spirit of teamwork and solidarity
  • Integrate refugees into a European society and mainstream football
  • Reach female refugees, most of whom did not have the chance to play football or any other sport in their country of origin, because of the cultural and/or religious context
  • Combat social exclusion and negative sentiments about refugees in society
  • Use regular training and tournaments to create opportunities for refugees and locals to play together
  • Act as a pilot programme, raising awareness and encouraging and supporting other clubs to launch similar programmes, particularly on the other North Aegean islands (Samos, Chíos) that accommodate large number of refugees

Project activities

  • Knowledge-sharing between Cosmos FC and Aiolikos FC, the only professional football club on Lesbos
  • Regular football training for 300 unaccompanied minors and teenage refugees aged 13 to 18
  • Educational field trips combined with friendly games with local teams
  • Cosmos Cup tournament
  • Encouraging other clubs and refugee camps to launch similar projects, especially on the other North Aegean islands (Samos, Chíos), which also accommodate a large number of refugees

Expected results

  • Regular football training held for at least 300 unaccompanied minors and teenage refugees aged 13 to 18
  • One annual Cosmos Cup tournament
  • At least four educational field trips combined with friendly games with local teams each year
  • Increased participation of girls
  • Development of similar programmes at other football clubs

2) FutbolNet: Sports, life skills and values for unaccompanied refugee minors

  • Cost of the sub-project: €167,500
  • Foundation funding: €45,400
  • Partners: the Barça Foundation, Movement on the Ground and Iliaktida

Context

In the context of refugees, unaccompanied minors are children and young people under the age of 18 who make the journey to Europe without family or social support networks. In 2019, there were an estimated 21,000 refugee children in Greek reception and identification centres and accommodation sites, of whom an estimated 3,500 were unaccompanied minors. These children languish in reception and identification centres, protective custody or detention, in shelters for unaccompanied minors or on the waiting list for a shelter. They face a unique set of challenges and are considered to be the most vulnerable of all refugees.

This FutbolNet project proposes to work with unaccompanied minors on the Greek island of Lesbos.

Project content

With support from the UEFA foundation, the Barça Foundation will provide a year-long, socio-educational sports programme for unaccompanied refugee minors on the island of Lesbos. The aim of the programme is to create safe spaces to improve the physical and emotional well-being of unaccompanied minors, as well as fostering their social interaction and inclusion. At the heart of the programme is the FutbolNet curriculum, which imparts the FC Barcelona values and life skills through sports and cooperative games.

This project builds on an existing project through which Movement on the Ground provides daily FutbolNet training to children from the Kara Tepe refugee camp and a local school. The UEFA foundation will support Movement on the Ground to enrol 150 unaccompanied minors from Mória in its programme. The UEFA foundation will also support a new NGO, Iliaktida, to start delivering the FutbolNet programme to 45 unaccompanied minors from their centres. To this end, 40 Greek and refugee coaches and educators will be trained in the methodology to equip them with the knowledge, skills and tools to deliver the full curriculum.

Objectives

  • Create safe and appropriate spaces for 195 unaccompanied minors to learn, play and exchange experiences
  • Improve the physical and emotional well-being of unaccompanied minors, through improved confidence and self-esteem, and reduced fear and stress
  • Foster positive social interactions and social inclusion among unaccompanied minors

Project activities

  • FutbolNet training seminars with Movement on the Ground and Iliaktida staff and volunteers to equip them with the knowledge, skills and tools to deliver the FutbolNet methodology
  • FutbolNet programme delivered to unaccompanied minors from Mória at Spanos Academy (Movement on the Ground)
  • FutbolNet programme delivered to unaccompanied minors residing in Iliaktida shelters in Mytilíni and at Spanos Academy (Iliaktida)

Expected results

  • Safe, accessible and regularly available spaces to learn, play and exchange
  • Strengthened capacity of staff and coaches working with unaccompanied minors
  • Communication skills, self-esteem, confidence and values learnt and developed by unaccompanied minors
  • Unaccompanied minors participate and feel comfortable in their communities

3) Support for schools: refurbishment of sport facilities

  • Cost of the sub-project: €73,000
  • Foundation funding: €73,000
  • Partners: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

 The UEFA Foundation for Children has also decided to support the host country, which is overstretched by the situation, and to support its schools by:

  • providing sports equipment and other materials for football and other activities, including balls, bibs, cones, whistles, stopwatches, pumps and foldable goals.
  • restoring sport facilities, offering reliable infrastructure and safe facilities for children to play in.

The schools targeted by this last component of the project are primary schools hosting local and refugee children, in order to help build social cohesion among the youngsters.

Partners

aio

Future leaders of DRC

Location and general information

Terminé
Location Kalebuka, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Start date 01/01/2020
End date 12/31/2020
Cost of the project €76,740
Foundation funding €18,000
Project identifier 2019997
Partners Georges Malaika Foundation
Categories Access to Sport - Personal development

Context

Despite the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) being one of the wealthiest countries in the world due to its natural resources, a large majority of its population live in extreme poverty. This is also true of the area of Kalebuka (Lubumbashi) in the south-eastern part of the DRC where many services are lacking. The Munama quarter, where the Kalebuka Football for Hope Community Centre is located, has one of the lowest literacy rates in the country (source: Georges Malaika Foundation). Furthermore, the decades-long conflicts in the DRC have led to the displacement of many Congolese people in this area, with families often lacking the money to meet their basic needs, such as education and healthcare. This situation has also led to health issues, such as malaria, reproductive health problems, HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Members of the community have lacked education and opportunities to thrive, hampering their ability to make a significant change in their community.

Project content

The Georges Malaika Foundation believes in the enormous potential of the Congolese people to bring about change on their own terms. It aims to support the youth of Kalebuka in becoming future leaders who will bring about positive change in their community. To achieve this mission, the foundation offers access to a variety of sports, including football, basketball, tennis, and volleyball. Through the community centre, young people in Kalebuka have access to sports programmes which was not previously available to them. The centre allows boys and girls to play football and attend matches and tournaments. They have peer and coach-led mixed-sex football training, providing a common ground on which to relate and build trust. The foundation has also developed games and sporting activities that address issues relevant to the children such as conflict resolution, health and well-being, and gender equality.

Objectives

  • Help young people living in Kalebuka access educational opportunities and become economically self-sufficient so that they can bring positive change to their community
  • Use sports activities to help change the internalised beliefs and practices of community members, such as gender inequality and ethnic conflicts
  • Improve health issues by giving young people the tools to remain healthy and active

 

Project activities

The Georges Malaika Foundation’s activities target three mains areas:

  • Leadership and life skills:

The foundation trains participants to become coaches and helps them develop leadership skills through sports. It attaches importance to engaging boys in activities with girls to promote gender equality.

  • Health:

The foundation has developed a fun programme which gives participants the opportunity to have open and honest discussions about relevant health topics, such as HIV/AIDS, malaria and general well-being. The coaches are trained to provide workshops on these topics, and football activities are used to promote the social messages.

  • Improvement of life outcomes:

Many of the foundation’s beneficiaries come from families affected by child and domestic abuse. By providing information and tools that allow young people to express their feelings and peacefully resolve conflict, the foundation aims to set in motion change that will positively affect their future, as well as lead to a community-wide decrease in conflict and abuse.

Expected results

OUTCOME/OBJECTIVE BASELINE TARGET
Increase young people’s leadership skills through training programmes, thereby increasing the number of peer leaders and coaches 10 15
Create a safe space to discuss health topics and increase the number of young people attending health-based sports sessions 64 80
Improve life outcomes by positively changing the youth mentality in regards to conflict resolution, drug and alcohol use, domestic violence, etc. and increase the number of young people attending training sessions related to life outcomes 90 115

Partner

Sports-based employability for unaccompanied minors

Location and general information

Terminé
Location Spain, Greece and Italy
Start date 01/01/2020
End date 12/31/2021
Cost of the project € 300,000
Foundation funding € 100,000
Project identifier 20200239
Partners FC Barcelona Foundation
Categories Access to Sport - Conflict victims - Personal development

Context

Unaccompanied refugee minors do not benefit from a family context in which to develop the social and behavioural skills needed for employment and adulthood. Research highlights the importance of programmes focusing on employability skills for young migrants living in residential services. Once an unaccompanied refugee minor turns 18 and leaves the care system, they face the challenge of transitioning to self-sufficiency. Employment is therefore a critical dimension in this transition process and these young adults need targeted guidance, structure, information and tools to progress towards self-sufficiency.

Project content

The Barça Foundation project aims to develop, pilot and evaluate a new sports-based methodology that introduces and improves the required knowledge, skills and networks associated with increased employability. It is specifically tailored to unaccompanied minors aged 16–18 years and young migrants at high risk of social exclusion aged 18–21 years.

The methodology reflects the daily realities and needs of this specific population by developing habits, behaviours and soft skills that promote employability:

  • Self-organisation
  • Professional development
  • Decision-making and problem solving
  • Teamwork
  • Communication
  • Perseverance
  • Flexibility
  • Individual and collective responsibility

Objectives

The objective of the project is to combat the social and educational exclusion of unaccompanied refugee minors and young migrants.

 

Project activities

Developing the new methodology:

  • Designing and developing a new sports-based employability methodology for unaccompanied refugee minors and young migrants
  • Identifying the most relevant information, skills, and networks to equip unaccompanied refugee minors and young migrants to enter the job market in Europe
  • Designing and developing new training materials

Training coaches and educators on the new methodology:

  • Delivering training seminars via coaches and educators from implementation partner organisations in transit and destination countries in Europe
  • Equipping coaches and educators with key methodology materials and developing a pilot programme schedule

Monitoring implementation of the new methodology:

  • Developing a set of indicators to assess the social impact of the new methodology
  • Facilitating exchange and communication among coaches and educators from each implementation context to promote the sharing of learning and experiences
  • Connecting unaccompanied refugees and young migrants with companies identified as able to offer employment (to be first piloted in Catalonia)

Evaluating, reporting and communication:

  • Promoting visibility and understanding of the programme on an international scale
  • Conducting an assessment with data collected from each pilot implementation location
  • Producing a report on the impact of the methodology and giving recommendations for future implementation

Expected results

  • A new sport-based employability methodology for unaccompanied refugee minors and young migrants developed and piloted in transit and destination countries in Europe
  • A cohort of coaches and educators in transit and destination countries trained in the new methodology
  • A group of beneficiaries (unaccompanied refugee minors and young migrants) with improved employability knowledge, skills and networks
  • A set of new indicators that assess the social impact of the new methodology on unaccompanied refugee minors and young migrants
  • Strengthened workplace connections to bridge the gap between unaccompanied refugee minors/young migrants and employers
  • Capacity building of staff and coaches from key organisations working with and for unaccompanied refugee minors and young migrants
  • Networking, sharing best practices and knowledge generation among key organisations working with and for unaccompanied refugee minors and young migrants

Partner

Generation Sport

Location and general information

Terminé
Location Armenia
Start date 01/01/2020
End date 12/31/2020
Cost of the project € 37,096
Foundation funding € 32,077
Project identifier 2019483
Partners Armenian Fund for Sustainable Development (AF4SD)
Categories Access to Sport - Personal development

Context

Since 2018, Armenia has begun a process of enormous economic and social change, with a particular focus on the education of children and young people.

For many years, physical education has been neglected in Armenian schools, even though it is important for young people’s physical and psychological development. As a consequence, many schools are severely lacking in sports infrastructure and equipment. Existing sports halls have fallen into disrepair over the years and many are now in a terrible condition.

Teaching methods have also become obsolete. Overall, the conditions are not conducive to sport in Armenian schools.

Project content

Since it was established, the Armenian Fund for Sustainable Development has been closely involved in education and, by implementing this project, it is hoping to find some solutions to the aforementioned problems.

Regular participation in sport helps young people learn values such as respect, team spirit, regular attendance, politeness and personal investment, which are all indispensable for young people’s social and professional integration.

Objectives

The general objective of the project is to promote participation in sport among Armenian young people.

Specific objective: to motivate children and help them fulfil their potential through the two parts of the project described below.

1) Equipping of sports halls for 15 schools with at least 350 pupils each. Priority will be given to schools in rural areas and schools with disabled pupils

2) Organisation of an annual national sports competition

Project activities

This is a national project composed of two parts.

In the first part, schools will be invited to produce a short amateur video about their school, school life and pupils’ involvement in the community and in protecting the environment. They will need to demonstrate how motivated they are, such as by showing their sporting achievements. The AF4SD, with support from the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport, will draw up an initial shortlist of schools and visit them in order to assess the condition of their sports halls and equipment.

A panel of at least five people, comprising members of the AF4SD board and the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport, will select the 15 schools that will receive sports equipment in accordance with a set of pre-defined criteria.

The second part of the project involves creating an annual ‘month of sport’, during which schools will be encouraged to organise different sports events and demonstrate their involvement in the community and in protecting the environment.

A sports competition open to all the country’s schools will be organised as part of the project. This will comprise several stages and schools will be required to register in advance. The list of events will be approved by the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport.

The eight best schools will compete for the top three places in the main competition, which will be held at the end of the month.

Prizes will be awarded to the winners (sports equipment, cups, certificates).

In order to encourage schools to participate in the competition, sports personalities will be invited to share their experiences, emphasise sport’s importance in life and explain to the pupils how they be drivers of social change.

Expected results

  • Fifteen schools, with rural schools taking priority, will receive sports equipment.
  • An annual sports competition will be established.
  • Direct beneficiaries of the first part: 5,250 (15 x 350) schoolchildren.
  • Direct beneficiaries of the second part: 30,000 schoolchildren.

Partner

Goals for my Future III

Location and general information

Terminé
Location Austria
Start date 01/01/2020
End date 12/31/2020
Cost of the project € 250,000 per year
Foundation funding € 100,000
Project identifier 2019525
Partners Mentor Management-Entwicklung-Organisation GmbH & Co
Categories Access to Sport - Personal development

Context

The average proportion of not in education, employment or training (NEET) youngsters aged 15–24 in Vienna for 2006–2016 was 10.9%, or 21,800 young people.

The Goals for my Future III (" Tore für meine Zukunft")  project is a follow-up to two previous projects and aims to support NEETs using football to motivate social participation and integration.

Target group: young NEETs, between 14 and 18 (possibly up to 23), who

  • have not or have not yet completed compulsory schooling;
  • need a daily structure;
  • are threatened with immediate exclusion;
  • grew up in parents' homes with uncertain, difficult employment histories;
  • come from families with low cultural capital;
  • ethnic minorities or young people without EU27 citizenship;
  • Show multiple problem situations that have led to segregation;
  • have had negative experiences in the school system (truancy, suspensions, etc.);
  • have behavioral problems.

Project content

The project is multidimensional:

  • Football training sessions twice a week, including competitions and football tournaments
  • Multiple sports activities twice a week: climbing, juggling, swimming
  • Individual coaching (once a week) and psychological support
  • Educational and professional guidance as well as remedial teaching
  • Training advice and workshops, with the support of the ÖFB

The youngsters receive intensive individual attention. Our team is available to the boys and girls almost round the clock, creating a very close-knit network where none of the participants can fail.

Objectives

  • Preparation for returning to school: resolving language deficits, reducing school-specific deficits, reintegrating young people in education or training; promoting social skills
  • Activating self-help potential
  • Educational and professional guidance
  • Creating a stable, sustainable network
  • Connection in a football club

Project activities

  • Highly professional football training twice a week, in three-hour sessions
  • Variety of sports: swimming, basketball, volleyball, table tennis, climbing, bowling, mini-golf, frisbee, and much more; 3 hours a week
  • Joint tournaments, friendly games and training with friendly clubs
  • Participation in the Kleinfeld-Liga football league
  • Joint activities with the team: cinema, excursions, visits to companies, workshops, juggling training, etc.
  • Provision of training equipment
  • Jerseys, football boots and shin pads
  • Supervision and tuition, lesson support
  • Social support and social work
  • Psychological support
  • Coaching and work assistance
  • Remedial work for compulsory schooling
  • Individual coaching
  • German language
  • Parent support and social support

Expected results

  • Increase participation: today 166 people (129 boys + 37 girls)
  • Target achievement rate (education, school): 90.96%

Partner

Busajo Campus: Equal chances through sport

Location and general information

Terminé
Location Ethiopia
Start date 01/01/2020
End date 12/31/2021
Cost of the project € 99,221
Foundation funding € 65,000
Project identifier 2019659
Partners Busajo Onlus
Categories Access to Sport - Personal development

Context

Busajo Campus is social and educational project aimed at street children living in the Ethiopian city of Sodo and the surrounding rural areas. It supports rehabilitation, prevention and family reintegration, thereby helping the beneficiaries to regain their dignity and trust in the future. It is estimated that there are about 3,000 street children in Sodo.

Inside Busajo Campus, sport is promoted as an educational activity that supports people’s physical and emotional growth and a social activity that teaches people the rules of coexistence and community.

Project content

The support of the UEFA foundation will enable Busajo Campus to build a gym, changing rooms and bathrooms, to extend the use of its sports fields and facilities to children and young people in non-residential programmes and neighbouring communities, and to promote equal opportunities for boys and girls through the universal language of sport.

The gym will increase and diversify the sports activities available to improve motor and social skills, while enabling activities to continue even during the long periods of heavy rain that are typical of the Ethiopian climate. In addition, the changing rooms and bathroom facilities will enable to project to teach and promote day-to-day hygiene rules and good practices among Busajo Campus residents and other users.

The Busajo Campus project aims to encourage the socialisation and integration of resident street children, with the help of guests who have successfully integrated society (e.g. university students and children without any particular social problems) offering positive life prospects for those that remain socially vulnerable.

The project also offers educational activities to socially marginalised children living off campus, in order to offer an educational pathway to as many young people as possible and involve the surrounding community.

In this way, sport becomes an important social vehicle that creates strong emotional bonds and human relationships that encourage respect and tolerance.

Particular attention is given to the inclusion of culturally and socially marginalised girls, who need special care and attention both psychologically, socially and physically, and need to learn how take care of their own person.

Objectives

  • Improve the socio-educational conditions of Sodo street children, permanently removing them from social exclusion and offering them better prospects, a greater sense of dignity and confidence in the future
  • Teach minimum hygiene standards and improve conditions and practices among residents and visitors to the campus
  • Improve the motor skills of children and young people and enable sports activities even during the rainy season
  • Increase the interpersonal skills of boys and girls on Busajo Campus
  • Promote equal opportunities between girls and boys, teach rules of tolerance and respect, increase children’s capacity for socialisation
  • Encourage integration between children and young people living on campus and the surrounding community

Project activities

  • Construction of a gym, changing rooms and bathroom facilities
  • Educational sports activities for Busajo Campus residents using existing sports fields (volleyball, football, basketball)
  • Other informal educational activities (recreation and play, agricultural activities) Busajo Campus residents
  • Extension of the project to non-residents and inclusion of new indoor disciplines for residents and non-residents (gymnastics, martial arts)
  • Awareness-raising and promotion of equal opportunities through sport

Expected results

  • Construction of the gym to enable activities to continue year-round, even in the rainy months, to increase the range of activities on offer, to improve the motor skills of children and young people and to fight against diseases such as rickets in a more effective way
  • Construction of changing rooms and bathroom facilities, promoting improved personal hygiene
  • Delivery of an educational pathway that uses sport to promote equal opportunities for girls and boys and integration between street children living on campus and the surrounding community
  • Beneficiaries: 100 street children (Busajo Campus residents) and 100 non-resident children (external users)

 

Partner

Coaching for Life

Location and general information

Terminé
Location Indonesia
Start date 01/01/2020
End date 12/31/2020
Cost of the project € 727,177
Foundation funding € 144,500
Project identifier 2019854
Partners The Arsenal Foundation and Save the Children
Categories Access to Sport - Personal development

Context

More than a million children between the ages of 10 and 17 live in Jakarta. The city is home to 300 slum communities, where many girls and boys live on less than one US dollar a day. Children living in these dense slum communities are often forced to work from a young age. Many scavenge on landfill sites, work in fisheries or undertake daily labour in order to earn money for their families. In doing so they often miss out on school and other vital developmental opportunities. Subsequently, many are forced into working long hours, sometimes in multiple jobs and exposed to exploitative situations.

Societal gender expectations dictate that girls perform domestic chores such as housekeeping and taking care of younger siblings. As a result, girls are often isolated from peers, with limited access to education. One in six Indonesian girls are married before they reach the age of 18.

In 2018, the Arsenal Foundation and Save the Children teamed up to design Coaching for Life. This innovative programme sees Arsenal combine its expertise in coaching and delivery with Save the Children’s extensive experience in supporting children living in some of the most challenging environments in the world.

Project content

Building on combined experience and expertise, the project aims to help children develop their resilience and vital life skills and support them in maintaining positive relationships. To this end, Arsenal is leveraging its coaching experience in London, where it has long used football as a tool to engage with some of the hardest-to-reach young people in the city.

Coaching for Life is delivered exclusively through football and on-pitch sessions, which are also informed by Save the Children’s expertise in child protection and resilience building.

The programme is based on the principle that children and young people have the ability to overcome difficulties and learn new skills to cope with future adversities using their own internal resources. The key skills for building resilience naturally occur in football and are embedded within this programme.

 

Leah Williamson visits Coaching for Life in Jakarta

Objectives

At the core of the programme is the sustainability of its impact for children. Therefore, it is necessary to work with all influencers in a child’s life and include strategies to ensure long-term changes are adopted. The programme has five key objectives:

  1. To build children’s resilience, supporting them to cope with the stresses they currently face and will face in years to come.
  2. To provide support services and safe spaces to play. In Indonesia, the programme is linked to the government-led Child Friendly Cities Initiative and has been designed to support the government to achieve its targets to make Jakarta a safe and protective environment for children.
  3. To increase the capacity of caregivers and communities to support children’s resilience and well-being.
  4. To elevate the voices of girls and boys affected by physical and emotional distress, empowering them to influence policy and practice in their communities.
  5. To use the impact of the programme to influence the future practice of others.

Project activities

Building resilience through football coaching sessions:

  • Delivered during 20 weekly two-hour sessions. Children explore topics such as emotions, communication skills, conflict management and decision making.
  • Six-week bespoke coaching education delivered by Arsenal coaches.
  • Support and mentoring throughout the programme.

Providing safe spaces and support services:

  • The refurbishment of football pitches provides safe spaces for children. Mechanisms will be put in place to protect children from violence and exploitation.
  • Access to local support services and further training including psychological first aid.

Training for parents and caregivers, including an outreach campaign for girls’ participation in sport

Thinking to the future: A robust monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning framework is being implemented. The outcomes will be used to promote the model and disseminate best practices widely.

Expected results

  • The monitoring and evaluation framework will assess Coaching for Life’s impact on children’s resilience and well-being, the children’s sense of belonging to the programme and the importance of trusted adults and trained coaches. The reasons why change has (or has not) come about will be established and actionable recommendations will be identified from independent research to further improve the Coaching for Life model.
  • The monitoring and evaluation framework will also assess to what extent sports interventions contribute to improving resilience and whether they help or hinder the development of resilience skills compared with programmes following the same methodology without the added sports component.
  • Arsenal coaches will train 35 coaches in Jakarta, Indonesia.
  • Over 1,000 children will directly participate in Coaching for Life. The resilience through football coaching sessions are delivered through 20 weekly two-hour sessions.
  • Seven pitches will be renovated and maintained. The football pitches provide a safe space for children. Mechanisms will be put in place to protect children from violence and exploitation.
  • Some 1,500 parents and caregivers will participate, enhancing their ability to support their children’s well-being. Parents also play an important role in driving gender equality in their communities.
  • Children will be empowered to influence practice and policy, by including the voices of children affected by conflict and violence in the decision-making process to bring about long-term changes.
  • Proof of impact will be established so that Coaching for Life can be reproduced on a larger scale.

Partner

Football in Zaatari refugee camp

Location and general information

Closed
Location Jordan
Start date 01/01/2020
End date 12/31/2021
Cost of the project € 120,000
Foundation funding € 120,000
Project identifier 2019499
Partners Association Football Development Programme (AFDP) Global
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Conflict victims - Personal development

Context

AFDP Global and the UEFA Foundation for Children are helping people displaced by the conflict in Syria, particularly children and young people living in Zaatari refugee camp.

UEFA set up a project in Zataari in September 2013. The UEFA Foundation for Children took it over in 2015 and has been further developing the project ever since.

Project content

The UEFA foundation and its partner AFDP Global provide weekly sporting activities for displaced Syrian boys and girls, ensuring a fun and safe environment for training and competitive activities. These activities are not limited to football, but also include judo, Zumba and table tennis. The project will continue to support the Syrian coaching and management team established in the camp to provide football activities for children and young people. Sport is used to raise awareness of social issues and impart the life skills necessary in the context. Continuous training for skills development will also be provided. Proper supervision of the children taking part in the programme will be ensured, with appropriate role models. This will ensure the continuity of the project.

Objectives

Engaging Syrian children and young people

To 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 receive education on specific social issues.

Training Syrian football coaches and referees

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

Integrating a life skills curriculum

To teach coaches how to best use the values of sport to facilitate children’s personal development and raise their awareness of certain social issues, with a particular focus on conflict resolution, early marriage, birth control and the importance of schooling, health, hygiene and well-being.

Maintaining established football clubs and league

To support administrators and coaches, ensuring that they have the capacity to maintain the football clubs and league established by the project in previous years.

Project activities

Infrastructure and training material

The UEFA foundation, in cooperation with AFDP Global, 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 children and young people can have fun and make friends, especially those who are interested in football.

  • Since the beginning of the project, 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.
  • At each tournament, 1,000 snacks and 2,000 bottles of water are distributed.
  • The coaches have also been fully equipped.
  • The two main pitches used for tournaments have been upgraded to artificial turf and are fully equipped for football matches.
  • Eleven containers of various material (sportswear, balls, etc.) 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.

Four containers were sent from the Netherlands with artificial turf, construction material (including geotextiles, adhesive, tape, a tractor and other maintenance equipment), and pitch equipment such as goals and corner flags.

 Figures (August 2021)

  • Some 279 adult refugees – including 94 women and 185 men – have already benefitted from the coaching education offered by the foundation, equipping them with the necessary skills to become good coaches and therefore to supervise and organise sporting and football activities such as weekly training and tournaments. 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 run workshops on refereeing, trauma recovery, sport as a tool for social cohesion, early marriage and conflict resolution. Some 54 referees have been trained, of whom 21 are women.
  • Around 5,110 children and young people – boys and girls – regularly 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 summer 2020 but the COVID-19 pandemic forced AFDP Global to suspend activities, for safety reasons and as a result of government-enforced lockdowns from March 2020 to August 2021.
  • Monthly football tournaments are organised in the camp for the age groups under-13, under-15 and under-20. An average of 1,000 children and young people aged 8 to 20, including 300 girls, take part in the monthly tournaments. The highest number of participants was 1,580 in March 2019.
  • Monthly events are organised for under-8s, with an average of 100 children participating.
  • Men’s teams can use the field for two hours per day.
  • Apart from football, other sports and activities are organised. Some 340 boys regularly do judo (age groups under-13 and under-15), over 180 boys and girls participate in table tennis activities (age groups 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 them.
  • Other daily sports and activities to be organised, offering a greater diversity of activities to the beneficiaries, including judo, table tennis and Zumba.
  • A team of 13 male and 13 female staff to be maintained. 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.
  • Camp facilities to switch to solar power during 2021, with a back-up generator for the project offices.

Partner

Remba Island Education, Health & Nutrition Project

Location and general information

Terminé
Location Kenya
Start date 03/01/2020
End date 07/01/2021
Cost of the project € 9,220
Foundation funding € 4,300
Project identifier 2019190
Partners Power for the People (PFP)
Categories Access to Sport - Personal development

Context

Remba Island is situated in Lake Victoria Homa Bay County on the north-south border between Kenya and Uganda. It is a small, densely populated island and home to some 20,000 people whose economy is entirely dependent on fishing. It is also home to people from all over Africa, the majority being Abasubas, Luos and the Somalis of Kenya; there are also fishermen and traders from Southern Sudan, DR Congo, Tanzania, Uganda and other African countries. Crime is inevitably high, including rape, theft, prostitution and drugs.

Sanitation and health are very poor. Huge mounds of garbage spread disease and pollute waters along the shore, water that is used for bathing, cooking and hygiene. There are only four public latrines on the island, two of which at the local primary school are kept locked by their owners. The latrines are shallow holes that leak into the nearby lake, and the smell from them is overwhelming. Many residents resort to defecating in the open. In rainy periods, the human waste is washed into the surrounding lake.

Prostitution and sex-for-fish is rife among the female population, and inevitably multiple sexually transmitted diseases are widespread on the island. Most of the children on the island suffer from malnutrition. There is no light or fencing at the school, and in the evening,  there is pitch black darkness. Our project partners, EPGE DREAM Kenya discovered that children were sexually abused and raped but managed to stop it and have the perpetrators arrested.

DREAM subsequently asked us to partner with them on this project. The children – girls and boys – are football fanatics but have nowhere to play and no kit. The ground is rocky and covered in rubbish. The island authorities and residents have told us the football pitch will not only benefit the children, but also teenagers, who after a long day of fishing can let off steam by playing football instead of drinking and fighting.

Project content

The programme will provide basic infrastructure to support women and children on the island – economically, nutritionally and educationally. The intention is to reduce prostitution, rape, sexually transmitted diseases and malnutrition, while improving children’s school attendance and women’s literacy and business skills.

The local and county authorities have already provided the land for the poultry farm, kitchen garden and football pitch.

Objectives

  • Promote sustainable livelihoods for the participating women
  • Improve literacy, business and life skills among the participating women
  • Provide food security and better nutrition for the women and their families
  • Improve school attendance and the graduation rate for the children

Project activities

This will be achieved by:

  • setting up a poultry-raising programme and kitchen garden for a select group of women, providing them with jobs, food, education, training and mentoring It will also generate revenue to further develop their community;
  • establishing a football pitch and island team with uniforms, whose players will be selected on the basis of academic performance and school attendance;
  • providing electricity for the school in return for a literacy and business training programme for the women;
  • security lighting at strategic points on the Island to reduce crime, in particular rape.

The project will be monitored for a period of three years before the assets are transferred to the island women’s group.

Expected results

  • A new poultry farm will be set up as well as a chicken garden
  • Build a new football pitch and create teams
  • Install electricity and security (fences) at the school
  • Increased food security for the women - Women and their families have at least one nutritious meal per day
  • Improved school attendance and performance of children - Improved school attendance and performance of children

Partner

La Nuestra Football Club

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Argentina
Start date 01/01/2020
End date 12/31/2022
Cost of the project € 315,000
Foundation funding € 143,300
Project identifier 2019062
Partners Women Win
Categories Access to Sport - Gender Equality - Personal development

Context

According to Argentina’s Observatory on Femicide, 124 girls were killed in the country between 2008 and 2013 (an average of around 21 a year). The majority of those killings were linked to gender-based violence among young unmarried couples or followed sexual abuse. Poor social status and a lack of access to leadership roles and economic opportunities are both linked to girls feeling powerless and increases in gender-based violence. The use of violence, intimidation and coercion against girls reinforces their subordinate status, takes power out of their hands and limits their opportunities and the decisions they can make for themselves. Early childhood and adolescence are critical periods for interventions aimed at ending this cycle, with football playing a key role in terms of helping Argentinian girls to develop the skills they need to stand up for their rights.

Through football, girls can take on leadership roles and tackle gender stereotypes. Football is a catalyst for the development of leadership skills, giving girls the opportunity to boost their self-esteem and courage. The ripple effects of their experience on the pitch can be observed in all aspects of their lives: footballers take the initiative, speak up and have the courage to take risks; and when they fall, they get back up again. Through football, girls learn to challenge socio-cultural norms and gender stereotypes, both at community level and in wider society. When girls play football, they transcend the limits that society places on them, acquiring skills that will allow them to do the same in other areas of life, such as education and the workplace.

The La Nuestra Football Club project will work with girls from Villa 31, a slum in Buenos Aires that is home to 14,000 girls. Outside their community, those girls are called by the derogatory name ‘villera’, and they face prejudice throughout the city. In addition to Argentinian girls who have moved (either with or without their families) from other parts of the country in search of a better life, Villa 31 is also home to girls from various other countries (including Paraguay, Bolivia, Venezuela and Peru). This project will use football as a means of empowering those girls and encouraging them to exercise their rights.

Project content

Through La Nuestra Football Club, Women Win and its local partner in Villa 31 will use football to develop life skills and empower socially deprived girls, while at the same time combating harmful gender stereotypes and their consequences (gender-based violence, gender pay gaps, lack of female political representation, lack of universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights, etc.).

Through football, girls:

  • become physically stronger and healthier and develop greater ownership and understanding of their bodies. If a girl regards her body as her own, she protects it, cherishes it, and demands that it be respected;
  • develop critical life skills that are transferable to other spheres of life, such as teamwork, goal setting, resilience and communication, all through the constant practice that football requires;
  • gain access to a safe space to grow and explore, especially with regard to physical, social and emotional development;
  • connect with peers for social support – a vital reference point and resource for dealing with the challenges associated with growing up;
  • learn from a positive female role model in the form of a female coach or team leader. This provides girls with a caring, supportive mentor to help navigate growing up and inspire a vision of what is possible;
  • explore human differences and connect with others from different classes, races, countries or religions, which in turn promotes mutual respect and a deeper understanding of other people;
  • capture the attention of the community. When girls play in public, they have an instant awareness-raising opportunity to assert their rights within the community. Victories, kits and leadership positions can alter a girl’s status within her community, changing her from a perceived liability to a source of pride;
  • have fun. The opportunity to be distracted from the pressures of growing up is a universal right.

 

Objectives

Year 1

  • Work with local partner on the development of a Girls’ Empowerment Through Football curriculum and programme, to be available in English and Spanish
  • Work with local partner on knowledge exchange in areas such as: leadership and strategy; people and infrastructure; coach development plan and sports facilities; financial management; fundraising and partnerships; communication and networks; training of female coaches; and technical services
  • Train coaches on the Girls’ Empowerment Through Football curriculum
  • Work with local partner on a monitoring and evaluation plan, including the collection of data for Women Win’s international database on girls’ sport
  • Recruit girls to participate in the Girls’ Empowerment Through Football programme and start delivery in partnership with local partner’s coaches

Year 2

  • Recruit new girls to participate in the Girls’ Empowerment Through Football programme and deliver programme in partnership with local partner’s coaches
  • Deliver sessions addressing specific development needs of female coaches, as identified by local partner
  • Work with local partner on knowledge exchange in areas such as: leadership and strategy; people and infrastructure; coach development plan and sports facilities; financial management; fundraising and partnerships; communication and networks; training of female coaches; and technical services
  • Work with local partner on the translation and contextualisation of Women Win’s Girls, Inclusion and Safeguarding self-assessments
  • Help ten Argentinian sports associations and sport for development organisations to identify capacity building needs in relation to the recruitment/retention of girls and child protection and safeguarding
  • Co-design, develop and deliver the Girls, Inclusion and Safeguarding workshop for ten Argentinian sports associations and sport for development organisations

Year 3

  • Recruit new girls to participate in the Girls’ Empowerment Through Football programme and deliver programme in partnership with local partner’s coaches
  • Work with local partner on knowledge exchange in areas such as: leadership and strategy; people and infrastructure; coach development plan and sports facilities; financial management; fundraising and partnerships; communication and networks; training of female coaches; and technical services
  • Work with local partner on the translation and contextualisation of Women Win’s Girls, Inclusion and Safeguarding self-assessments
  • Help ten Argentinian sports associations and sport for development organisations to identify capacity building needs in relation to the recruitment/retention of girls and child protection and safeguarding
  • Co-design, develop and deliver the Girls, Inclusion and Safeguarding workshop for ten Argentinian sports associations and sport for development organisations

Project activities

The La Nuestra Football Club project will use a curriculum in which football drills and matches are intertwined with the teaching of life skills. The girls will play football and have fun, while at the same time boosting their self-esteem and confidence, developing leadership skills, learning about health matters and the environment, and becoming financially literate.

Many of the female coaches working with the local partner are former professional footballers or have coaching qualifications. Women Win will provide the local partner with technical support and other institution strengthening assistance (including training aimed specifically at female coaches) in order to help it become a national point of reference for gender equality and football in Argentina.

Expected results

By the end of the third year, it is expected that:

  • 300 girls will have participated in the Girls’ Empowerment Through Football programme;
  • at least four local coaches will have qualified as ‘master trainers’ for the Girls’ Empowerment Through Football curriculum and programme;
  • at least eight employees of the local partner will have participated in institution strengthening and knowledge sharing workshops, helping it to become a national point of reference for gender equality and football;
  • 20 employees of sports associations and sport for development organisations will have participated in the Girls, Inclusion and Safeguarding workshop;
  • male and female members of the community will have seen the girls playing, challenging gender stereotypes;
  • relatives of girls participating in the Girls’ Empowerment Through Football programme will have been influenced either by seeing the girls playing or through the girls sharing knowledge acquired during the programme.

Partner

Welcome through Football

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Cyprus, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, the UK and Ukraine
Start date 01/01/2020
End date 06/30/2022
Cost of the project € 250,487
Foundation funding € 175,000
Project identifier 2019565
Partners European Football for Development Network (EFDN)
Categories Access to Sport - Conflict victims - Personal development

Context

A large proportion of refugees around the world are children and young people. In 2016, more than four in five (83%) first-time asylum seekers in the European Union were younger than 35 years old,  with those aged 18 to 34 accounting for slightly more than half of first-time applicants (51%). Nearly a third of all first-time applicants were aged under 18 (32%).

While the resettlement of individuals and families is a priority, ensuring their long-term inclusion into society is also crucial. The Council of Europe’s youth policy focuses on providing all young people with equal opportunities and experiences, thus enabling them to develop their knowledge, skills and competencies and to fully participate in all aspects of society. Special attention is paid to vulnerable groups of young people such as refugees, asylum seekers and migrants.

The Welcome through Football project was developed in line with the statement on the refugee crisis in Europe adopted by the Advisory Council on Youth in 2015, which sets out various priorities and calls for special attention to be paid to the growing number of vulnerable and marginalised young people in Europe.

Project content

Participation in safe and structured activities is vital for the development of young migrants and refugees and the need for additional services for this population is even greater than in previous years owing to the numbers of new arrivals. Almost all the countries participating in the project have high numbers of refugees concentrated in the inner cities. These young refugees are mostly excluded from society and participation in sport can be a first step towards social integration, as it allows them to make friends and establish social networks. Cultural understanding is a central theme of the programme and, by working with and playing alongside their peers from different countries, youngsters build mutual respect and gain a shared educational experience. It is also valuable for young people to understand that, while sporting talent can create opportunities, success can also be achieved by giving back to local communities through citizenship projects.

The project activities are organised into three stages:

  1. Socialisation to sports – different football activities are offered for young refugees of both sexes, taking into account any special needs, such as language skills or trauma.
  2. Socialisation in sports – the participants work on team structure and are given more responsibility. Participants also have the opportunity to engage in activities outside the sports training sessions.
  3. Socialisation through sports – participants focus on the skills they have acquired, with a view to qualifying for further education in and outside of sports.

These three stages offer the participants many opportunities to contribute to their own development, their community and the project itself.

During the first stage, sporting activities enable the participants to relieve stress, cope with trauma and learn a new language. They take part in activities, but do not have any responsibilities other than their own personal development.

During the second stage, participants are introduced to a grassroots club where they discover the importance of volunteering to ensure the sustainability of such clubs. Cooperation with local schools and NGOs provides them with the opportunity to develop themselves further, participate in regular sports training and matches, and take part in a wide variety of volunteering activities offered by a professional or grassroots club, in cooperation with local partners.

During the third stage of the project, participants have the opportunity to do short internships in local businesses, receive additional language training and develop important employability and life skills.

 

Welcome through football is implemented in partnership with SV Werder Bremen, Everton in the Community, Fundação Benfica, Sheffield United Foundation , Shakhtar Social, FC Emmen (Naoberschap United) and Apollon Limassol FC.

 

Objectives

The Welcome through Football methodology focuses on the social inclusion and employability of newly arrived young migrants and refugees. To this end, the activities aim to improve the quality of youth work and intercultural dialogue, raise awareness and increase acceptance of diversity in society. The project also builds the capacity of football coaches and youth workers, helping them to develop and share effective methods for reaching out to the marginalised target group and preventing racism and intolerance. The project aims to empower vulnerable and marginalised young people and ease their transition to adulthood, with a particular focus on integration into the labour market.

Better cooperation between local youth and sporting organisations will be established through multiple cross-sectoral partnerships. The project focuses on improving active citizenship, reducing social exclusion and promoting the social autonomy of young migrants and refugees in their new home. To this end, the project aims to encourage volunteering among the refugee and migrant population.

Specific objectives of the project:

  • Evaluating existing methodologies
  • Delivering Welcome through Football activities and developing the Welcome through Football methodology, practitioners guide and other resources
  • Tackling racism, discrimination and violence in sport
  • Promoting healthy lifestyles and regular physical activity
  • Improving the emotional well-being of refugees through participation in sport
  • Improving perceptions about refugees
  • Raising awareness among stakeholders (sports clubs, NGOs and national and local governments) of the positive impact of football and sport in general
  • Increasing the community and sporting participation of refugees who are at risk of social exclusion
  • Encouraging refugees to volunteer in sport
  • Raising awareness of the social power of sport
  • Sharing experiences and best practices
  • Integration into grassroots clubs
  • Integration into the labour market

Project activities

  1. Delivery of five 12-week programmes during which the critical success factors of the Welcome through Football methodology will be tested. Seven clubs will organise a minimum of 672 activities as part of the project, but the total number of activities organised is expected to be around 1,000.
  2. An affiliation and advocacy programme for youth organisations, sports clubs, associations, federations and public bodies.
  3. Development of the Welcome through Football methodology and a methodological guide that can be published as an open-access resource on the EFDN educational online platform.
  4. Networking activities: five transnational project meetings will be organised and presentations will be made at four international conferences to introduce the project, its outcomes and the resources developed (November 2020, Breda, the Netherlands (EFDN conference); March 2021, Budapest, Hungary; November 2021, Bremen, Germany; and March 2022 Liverpool, UK).
  5. Establishment of a communication and dissemination plan (including workshops at conferences, resources for an online platform for sharing experiences and examples, participation in #FootballPeople action weeks).
  6. Development of a pilot affiliation programme for youth organisations, sports organisations, clubs and associations to develop and test an innovative approach for promoting the values of sport (respect, fair play, etc.) and facilitating the integration of refugees through sport.

Welcome through Football – Apollon Limassol FC

Expected results

Participants will receive non-formal education on refugee integration through sports, giving them a greater awareness of the benefits of social integration. The establishment of intercultural teams will be encouraged, helping to familiarise participants with European sporting values (fair play, respect, teamwork).

Participants will be empowered by their increased responsibilities and active participation in sport.  The project will therefore help to develop a generation of young refugees in Europe with the potential to become community leaders.

The project will also have a direct impact on sports stakeholders, raising awareness of initiatives for refugee integration at all levels of sport and youth work and leading to new partnerships and new networks across Europe.

Partnerships will be established with local grassroots clubs in order to integrate and continue to create opportunities for refugees and migrants after the delivery of the project.

Partner

UVS International Education Centre

Location and general information

En cours
Location Senegal
Start date 04/19/2018
End date 01/01/2022
Cost of the project € 340,063
Foundation funding € 200,000
Project identifier AFR-0108
Partners Unis Vers le Sport (UVS)
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Personal development

Context

Talibé is the name given to children living on the streets of Senegal. They are on the streets for various reasons: many are orphans, from poor families or marginalised because of a disability. Left to take care of themselves, their main objectives are often simply to find enough to eat and a roof to sleep under. In this desperate situation, the children of Saint-Louis find refuge in violence or drugs, using substances such as glue in plastic bags.

Life is also tough for children living at home with their family. With financial resources scarce, one out of every two children do not attend school but carry out household chores or painstaking work in the fields from a very young age.

Project content

In 2008, Unis Vers le Sport, in cooperation with UNESCO, opened its first school in Mali, which enabled more than 160 children from disadvantaged families to benefit from school education, sports activities, medical care and vocational training. Unis Vers le Sport would like to open a similar school in Saint-Louis, where the French organisation has been running various education and sports-based projects since 2002.

The UVS International education centre will have:

  • dormitories for boarders
  • a dining hall and kitchen for the children’s meals
  • three classrooms
  • an administrative building
  • a barn for animals and a fenced plot of land
  • a toilet block
  • an indoor sports court (basketball, volleyball, handball)
  • a football pitch

The sports activities available at the UVS International centre will also be used to promote prevention campaigns relating to local health issues (malaria, typhus, etc.) and to raise public awareness concerning various topics such as children’s rights.

Objectives

The centre has a two-fold objective. In cooperation with the Saint-Louis social services, it will accommodate and take full responsibility for the street children of Saint-Louis by offering them:

  • board and lodging
  • a full school curriculum
  • medical care
  • vocation training from age 16
  • daily sports activities
  • micro-credit when they leave the centre in order to start their own business
  • access to suitable regular sports activities for children from neighbouring villages that do not have any sports facilities or equipment of their own
  • the centre will be totally self-financed by agricultural activities (farming and market gardening)

Expected results

  • Initially, to take in and look after 100 Saint-Louis street children
  • To offer sports activities to 5,000 pupils of schools within a 20km radius of the UVS centre. A school bus service will enable the children concerned to enjoy a variety of suitable sports activities run by experienced sports coaches.
  • The center is self-financed

Partner

“African Black’n Blue” developing children’s resilience through education and football

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Angola, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Uganda
Start date 01/01/2020
End date 12/31/2021
Cost of the project € 377,736
Foundation funding € 153,460
Project identifier 2019880
Partners Inter Futura srl
Categories Access to Sport - Conflict victims - Personal development

Context

The African Black’n Blue project will run primarily in four sub-Saharan countries, with the involvement of Italy through its coordinating partner Inter Futura.

Angola

The country's population is growing rapidly and is expected to double to over 47 million by 2060.

The urban social situation is challenging. Structural development has not kept pace with the growth of the population, and poverty has contributed to an increase in juvenile crime. In addition, Angola received just over 12,000 refugees and around 3,000 asylum seekers at the end of 2007, the vast majority from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Angola’s health situation is critical. In 2005, the estimated life expectancy was just 43 years and infant mortality was estimated to be the highest in the world, at a rate of 187.49 deaths per 1,000 live births.

Against this backdrop, sports activities play a preventive and developmental role in at-risk groups of children.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continues to suffer from a particularly unstable climate. The west of the country is affected by violent demonstrations, while the provinces of North and South Kivu are affected by persistent fighting among non-governmental militia composed of former soldiers and tribal groups.

However, malnutrition and the collapse of the health structure are the main causes of death. The population increased fivefold in the latter half of the 20th century, from 16.5 million in the 1960s to 80 million today (United States Census Bureau). Ten-year population growth forecasts indicate an increase to 100 million by 2025. The infant mortality rate is 54 deaths per 1,000 live births.

Cameroon

Cameroon has 25 million inhabitants with the urban population at 60%. The country is divided into 8 main ethnic groups (Cameroon Highlanders, Equatorial Bantu, Kirdi, Fulani, North-western Bantu, Eastern Nigritic, other African and non-African) with 250 subgroups and a linguistic division between the French-speaking majority (80%) and the English-speaking minority (20%). The country is at high risk of civil war. In addition, there are currently 300,000 refugees from the Central African Republic and Nigeria. 50–55% of the population lives below the poverty line, the quality of healthcare is insufficient and life expectancy is low.

These social challenges prompted Inter Futura, in collaboration with a local partner, to set up a project that emphasises ethnic integration using football as an educational tool for peace in a country where football is considered almost a religion by many.

Uganda

Uganda continues to experience the aftermath of the civil war. Many crimes against humanity have been committed, including the slavery of children. The conflict in northern Uganda has killed thousands and displaced millions more. The Ugandan public sector is considered one of the most corrupt in the world and the country’s literacy rate stands at 68%.

Uganda is one of the poorest countries in the world. In 2012, 37.8% of the population lived on less than $1.25 a day. Despite making huge strides in reducing the incidence of poverty across the country, poverty remains deeply entrenched in rural areas, where 84% of the population live. People in rural Uganda depend on agriculture as their main source of income, with 90% of all rural women working in the agricultural sector. In addition to agricultural work, rural women are responsible for looking after their families – preparing food and clothing, fetching water and firewood, and caring for the elderly, sick and orphans. They work an average of 15 hours a day compared to men, who work between 8 and 10 hours.

Gender inequality is the main obstacle to reducing poverty among women. Women are submissive to men, which reduces their power to act independently, participate in community life, learn and escape domestic violence.

Children living in these areas are also underprivileged according to all United Nations health parameters:

  • physical health
  • psychological health
  • social health

With regard to their physical health, the majority of children are underdeveloped from a physical and nutritional point of view. This is certainly linked to food shortages, both from a qualitative and quantitative point of view. In addition, drinking water is very poor and often polluted. Data is equal across age groups (6 to 14 years) and genders.

The main psychological health problems encountered are low self-esteem and self-awareness linked to difficult family situations and poverty, low tolerance to frustration, hostile behaviours, and high levels of anxiety due to a lack of caregivers or parents.

With regard to their social health, children have problems building relationships and violent verbal and physical behaviours are common. Children suffer from low levels of empathy, which is key to maintaining social relationships.

Project content

Inter Futura operates the Inter Campus project in 30 countries around the world, helping thousands of children and 200 local coaches every year. Inter Campus is present in the four above countries in two ways:

  • through the steady presence of its four partners: Polidesportivo Salesianos de Dom Bosco (Angola), Centre Sportif Camerounais (Cameroon), Alba Onlus (DRC) and St Joseph’s Primary School (Uganda);
  • through regular visits by the Italian staff, aimed at sharing experiences with the local partners and monitoring progress.

Inter Campus has developed a theoretical and practical didactic methodology to help its local social partners better achieve their specific goals through continuous sports activities with children (boys and girls) from 6 to 13 years. Inter Campus uses football as a tool to develop not only the children’s motor skills, but also the social, cognitive and emotional aspects of their behaviour. Sports is a means to promote education, health, development and peace.

African Black’n Blue: developing children’s resilience through education and football aims to promote knowledge exchange between the various actors, giving groups of local representatives the opportunity to meet each other and share their personal experiences. Through a number of travelling seminars, benefiting from the specific knowledge of every local partner and the social methodology Inter Campus has been using for many years, a boost will be given to local coaches’ skills and children’s personality development.

Despite a tough overall situation, one to three priority issues have been identified for each country:

  • Angola: Health improvement, sanitary protection and crime prevention
  • Cameroon: Ethnic integration and improvement of rural areas
  • DRC: Secondary prevention targeted at street children in rural areas
  • Uganda: Gender equality, education and entertainment

Objectives

The project’s goal is to help socially deprived children combat the problems they encounter in their everyday lives. This may be violence, poor sanitary conditions or nutritional deficiencies affecting their physical development. Working on and off the pitch, with a good network of partners and strong support from its local partners, Inter Campus hopes to alleviate these difficult conditions and create a virtuous circle from which future generations can benefit.

Inter Campus also pledges to respect the ten fundamental values and principles set out in the UN Global Compact and to promote sustainable solutions.

The project aims to:

  • promote children’s right to play by organising regular training sessions;
  • support education through leisure and sports activities;
  • support social and sanitary programmes;
  • ensure gender equality by encouraging the participation of girls;
  • develop a new football-related social methodology, closer to children’s local needs and local coaches’ on-the-pitch experience;
  • create a strong network among the four sub-Saharan countries involved to lower barriers and take advantage of cross-cultural capabilities.

Project activities

  • 16 one-week clinics and monitoring visits (four in each country)
  • Four transnational meetings, one in each country
  • Production of a specific methodology compendium based on both local partner knowledge and Inter Campus’ experience in terms of sports’ social power
  • Utilization of the above-mentioned methodology to foster children’s right to play, always focusing on education, development and health protection
  • A focus on gender equality, especially on female integration and equal access to sports opportunities
  • Football training sessions for every child, every week, benefiting around 1,500 children per year

Expected results

The direct beneficiaries of the project will be the local trainers involved in the staff exchanges (12). They will also be responsible for passing on the knowledge gained during the transnational meetings to their local colleagues (60) not having participated in these meetings. The indirect beneficiaries will be the boys and girls of Inter Campus Angola, Cameroon, Congo and Uganda, aged 6 to 13 years.

The number of children expected to indirectly benefit is 1,500, broken down as follows:

  • Angola (800)
  • Cameroon (200)
  • Uganda (250)
  • Congo (250)

Girls are expected to account for around 15% (250).

Partners