Using football to end child marriage and FGM in Tanzania

Location and general information

Closed
Location Tanzania
Start date 02/01/2017
End date 01/31/2020
Cost of the project €824,000
Foundation funding €39,186
Project identifier AFR-2018571
Partners Plan International UK
Categories Access to Sport - Personal development

Context

Tanzania has one of the highest rates of child marriage globally, with over 37% of girls married before their 18th birthday. Early marriage not only has a significant impact on girls’ health, well-being and personal development, but every year more than 8,000 girls in Tanzania drop out of school due to child marriage and pregnancy. Moreover, the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) is closely tied to marriage in Tanzania. Complex social pressures can force girls into having the procedure, but it can be extremely dangerous. To give girls a future beyond an early marriage, and to enable them to say no to FGM, they need help in claiming their rights and changing the minds and attitudes of their communities. In this context, Plan International UK has set up a project to work specifically in the regions of Geita and Mara. In Mara 40% of girls are subjected to FGM; significantly above the national average of 15%.

Project content

We are seeking to create real change in people’s attitudes towards girls and young women, to enable these individuals to exercise their rights and to have the potential to be more than just a wife or mother. To do this, we will engage the support of decision-makers and seek to change the minds of those in charge.

Additionally, in order to include the most at risk and most marginalised girls, namely those who have dropped out of school, the project is working with village leaders to identify girls living in remote areas with disabilities and without parental care. Girls are at the heart of this project. We will be working directly and extensively with them to give them the skills, knowledge, attitudes and power they need to make their own choices.

Objectives

With the support of the UEFA Foundation for Children, and by engaging young people through football, the objective is to help girls raise their voices against the traditions which affect their rights. Reaching young people through peer support and young women through vocational training, we will work to create lasting change in several communities by engaging with men, women, leaders and government officials. The ultimate goal is to use football to end child marriage and FGM in Tanzania, as well as to empower girls and young women.

 

Project activities

  • Build a support network for girls by setting-up 49 girls’ clubs in 31 schools with the aim of creating a safe and supportive space for girls who are likely to face the challenge of traditional harmful practices.
  • Encourage girls to raise their voices by delivering training in life skills to members of girls’ clubs during sessions, helping them to build self-esteem and self-worth.
  • Bring issues onto the football pitch and into the open. 40 coaches (30% female) will be trained to deliver football drills for 1,470 girls and 620 boys. The events will use football to spark discussions and boost knowledge about early marriage and FGM. Generally speaking, football will be used to attract support.
  • Turn influential women into champions of change. We aim to secure the support of female decision-makers and empower them to raise their voices against harmful practices.
  • Give vulnerable girls the chance to earn a living. In parallel with working alongside influential women, 160 of the most marginalised girls and women aged 15-24 will take part in a livelihoods development scheme. They will be trained in starting their own businesses and with their own independent income they will be better-equipped to negotiate the pressures of early marriage.
  • Help communities support young people to reject FGM and early marriage. We are seeking to create real change in people’s attitudes towards girls and young women, so that these individuals can exercise their rights and have the potential to be more than just a wife or mother. To do this, we will engage the support of decision-makers and endeavour to change the minds of those in charge.
  • Effectively engage with communities and gain government support. To achieve real and lasting change, it is vital that local leaders work with the project. We will meet with the key decision-makers at district, ward and village level to introduce the project and ensure their support. We will make everyone aware of the relevant policies and laws about children’s rights and examine the impact of early marriage and FGM on girls and their communities.
  • Strengthen and support local systems for protecting girls. This will be achieved through establishing and supporting child protection teams at government level, collaborating with these teams to maximise their effectiveness, and influencing the government’s decisions by working closely with national and district authorities.

Expected results

In total, 1,470 girls will be helped to raise their voices against the traditions which affect their rights. Through peer support networks we will reach a further 2,100 young people, and 160 young women will be provided with vocational training.

Overall, the objective is to create lasting change in 31 communities by engaging with leaders and government officials. The project has been developed with local partners and has a clear definition of the roles and responsibilities, thus ensuring sustainability of the aims and achievements. The expected results will be to spread awareness, knowledge and support among young people, and girls and women will be empowered to make informed decisions about child marriage and FGM.

Partner

Education with a Kick

Location and general information

Closed
Location Inde
Start date 01/01/2019
End date 01/31/2021
Cost of the project €165,541
Foundation funding €112,000
Project identifier ASI-2018579
Partners Oscar Foundation, Street Football World
Categories Access to Sport - Personal development

Context

School dropout rates are increasing in Mumbai’s slums. Underprivileged children are being sent to work to help meet their families’ needs. Entering the labour market at such a young age and working long days in dangerous conditions is disastrous for their mental and physical development. They are exposed to a higher risk of addiction to alcohol and drugs.

Of the children who fail to complete their education, 67% are girls. The main reason for this is child marriage, which parents think will give their daughters economic security. However, cutting short girls’ education and pushing them into repeated early pregnancies limits their opportunities. The cycle of poverty therefore self-perpetuates.

Project content

The project in Mumbai comprises football and education programmes that rely on the power of football to bring about social change. The game is used as a hook to engage young people in a variety of activities, but also to teach them about key social topics such as teamwork, respect and fair play. The life skills learned through football help empower individuals and enhance their psychosocial well-being, increasing their resilience, self-esteem and motivation. Activities aimed at less privileged children and young people can help reduce the number of boys and girls who are forced to drop out of education.

New digital learning centres will be set up in four targeted communities, creating an essential link between on- and off-field activities. Twice a week throughout the year, more than 800 children will have the opportunity to boost their self-esteem, confidence, teamwork skills and football ability by participating in football and life skills sessions.

Objectives

  • Gender equality and women’s empowerment: there is a clear correlation between higher levels of female education and lower fertility rates. Population growth and climate change are also directly linked, so investing in girls’ education and promoting girls’ reproductive rights can play a powerful role in combating climate change. Through our football programmes, girls improve their confidence and self-esteem, and are given the chance to become leaders and challenge female stereotypes in their community.
  • Sanitation and hygiene: the urban population is increasing rapidly, putting enormous pressure on water and sanitation services. One of the main goals of the football and life skills programme is to tackle the taboos related to sanitation and hygiene, promote behaviour change amongst children and raise awareness of the importance of sanitation and hygiene.
  • Waste management: the inherent link between a clean environment and participation in sport is part of what makes football a powerful tool for communicating environmental messages to groups of young people and encouraging them to take action to clean up their own environment.

Project activities

Sessions will be held in local open spaces. During each session, issues such as dropping out of school, child marriage, child labour or health and hygiene will be discussed. If players identify as being at risk of dropping out of school, they will be invited to attend informal education and computer classes at one of the four education hubs in Mumbai, improving their chances of passing exams and providing a platform for future employment opportunities.

 

Expected results

  • Reduce the dropout rate in years 1 to 7 from 13% to 10%, with 90% of children participating in our programmes.
  • Reduce the dropout rate in years 5 to 7 from 16% to 10%, with 90% of children participating in our programmes.
  • Increase by 20% the number of year 7 children participating in our programmes who successfully make the transition to year 8.

Partner

Good Health and Well-being through Football

Location and general information

Terminé
Location Lesotho
Start date 06/01/2019
End date 06/01/2020
Cost of the project €244,210
Foundation funding €122,105
Project identifier AFR-2018543
Partners Kick4Life
Categories Access to Sport - Personal development

Context

Over the last few years we have become aware that the various health challenges facing young people in Lesotho are interconnected and that there is a need for a holistic approach to health education.

These challenges include the following:

  • HIV is prevalent in Lesotho and young people are vulnerable to infection due to a culture of multi-partner relationships, pressure to have sex at a young age, a lack of access to HIV testing and counselling, stigma and discrimination.
  • Drug and alcohol abuse are another key driver of new HIV infections.
  • Both poverty and food insecurity contribute to the propagation of diseases such as cancer, diabetes and respiratory illnesses.
  • Poor standards of hygiene lead to the spread of preventable communicable diseases such as tuberculosis.
  • Road accidents kill or injure more than 1,500 people every year in Maseru, the capital of Lesotho.

The young people taking part in the programme come from a range of underprivileged and vulnerable backgrounds including:

  • Street children
  • HIV+ youth
  • Orphans
  • Teenage mothers
  • Children and teenagers living in poverty
  • At-risk children and vulnerable girls
  • Children engaged in child labour

Project content

The project includes the development and delivery of a holistic and integrated health and well-being programme for 3,000 children and teenagers in the Maseru district of Lesotho, using football to engage, educate and motivate positive behaviour change.

The programme will focus on key health challenges faced by vulnerable girls and boys, including:

  • Communicable and noncommunicable diseases
  • HIV/AIDS
  • Nutrition
  • Sanitation and hygiene
  • Road safety
  • Mental health
  • Access to health services
  • Environmental protection

There will also be a strong gender-equality and life-skills component, with personal development critical to ensuring that acquired knowledge leads to sustainable changes in attitude and behaviour.

Objectives

The project will conduct a mapping exercise to identify partners in other districts of Lesotho that can be trained to deliver the programme going forward. This will ensure effective future scalability of the initiative to reach many more vulnerable young people in Lesotho. The programme will also be developed with a high level of flexibility so that it can be adapted to a variety of health challenges, offering potential for delivery by other organizations beyond Lesotho and for the most pressing health challenges in any given community.

Project activities

The programme includes the following sessions:

  1. Welcome to Good Health & Well-being through Football: A focus on building self-esteem and gaining the confidence to be active members of the programme. It considers the importance of making your own choices, building a support structure and setting goals.
  2. Tackling HIV: Covers the basics of the HIV virus and encourages healthy behaviours that prevent infection.
  3. Goal Protection: Promotes the importance of protection and prevention when it comes to sexual health.
  4. Be Fair (gender equality): Focuses on promoting gender equality, challenges stereotypes about the role of women in society.
  5. Only Girl Goals: Reinforces the importance of gender equality and valuing the contribution of women and girls in all areas of society.
  6. Nutrition & HIV: Explores how good nutrition and regular meals can boost the immune system of someone living with HIV, and how diet can support the effectiveness of medication.
  7. Healthy versus Unhealthy: Empowers participants by giving them the knowledge to judge what is healthy, and what is not.
  8. Be Healthy and Be Clean: Focuses on healthy eating and exercise and how developing healthy behaviours can reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. The session also covers the importance of basic hygiene and sanitation in preventing illnesses such as diarrhoea and food poisoning.
  9. Balanced Football: Focuses on eating healthily and the importance of a balanced diet in maintaining good health.
  10. Planet Football: Focuses on the importance of protecting the environment, including topics such as recycling, single-use plastic and rubbish collections. The session includes a group discussion about how they can make a difference to the environment in their own communities.
  11. Crossbar Soap of Challenge: Reinforces the importance of cleanliness and promotes safe practices regarding hygiene and sanitation.
  12. Be Safe on the Road: Focuses on road safety, avoiding risky behaviours and encouraging safe practices when crossing roads.
  13. Traffic Football: Reinforces the importance of avoiding risky behaviours for pedestrians and the importance of crossing roads safely.
  14. Balanced Future: Brings together everything learned in the programme. Each participant is helped to develop an individual plan and goals to improve their health in the longer term.

The programme will be delivered by our experienced and inspirational coaches through local partnerships, as well as reaching out-of-school youth through an extensive network of community-based organizations and community mobilisers.

Expected results

  • 3000 children and young people complete the programme, demonstrating improved knowledge and attitude related to health
  • 3000 children and young people have improved health and well-being
  • 15 young people trained as programme coaches
  • 300 young people have improved access to health services through referrals to external health provision
  • 1000 children and young people linked to further development opportunities with Kick4Life

The project will include a robust approach to monitoring and evaluation that will assess changes in knowledge, attitude and behaviour, in line with the specific targets of SDG 3.

 

Partner

Football for Change outreach project

Location and general information

Terminé
Location Cambodia
Start date 01/15/2019
End date 12/01/2020
Cost of the project €21,930
Foundation funding €21,480
Project identifier ASI-2018798
Partners Indochina Starfish Foundation (ISF)
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Personal development

Context

As Cambodia continues to recover from the impact of the Khmer Rouge’s destructive reign, corruption and inequality remain prevalent and extreme poverty continues to affect young people, who make up almost 60% of the population. The pressure on young people to find employment is very high and school dropout rates, especially in rural areas reflect this. Children as young as five work to help financially support their families and are often taken out of school to make ends meet. The poverty they experience not only denies them the chance of education, but also strips them of their right to be children and to play.

Across the country, particularly in rural areas, 19% of girls marry before their 18th birthday. Sporting opportunities for girls are very limited, and most are excluded from participating in sport and the social engagement that comes with it. In this way, disadvantaged and marginalised children and young people miss out on interaction with their peers and the vital life skills that are not taught in the classroom but are learned through sport, play and socialisation.

Project content

This programme will work directly with 500 disadvantaged children and 200 young people and adults who live in communities where poverty, social exclusion and lack of opportunity regularly lead to harmful behaviour. It will provide opportunities for children to access their right to play and right to education, promoting healthy life choices, equality and diversity.

Objectives

  • The Indochina Starfish Foundation (ISF) believes every child has the right to education, healthcare and play. Therefore, the project aims to:
    • provide children, including girls, with access to sport and play;
    • improve children’s health and well-being;
    • provide a safe space for children to explore social issues such as children’s rights and child abuse, gender equality and disability inclusion, HIV, alcohol and drugs, and gambling;
    • develop children’s confidence, leadership, teamwork, problem-solving and resilience;
    • empower girls and women and change local perceptions through sport;
    • promote and encourage young people, especially girls, to remain in school.

Project activities

The pilot outreach project is about empowering coaches in rural areas to provide access to sport and learning to socially disadvantaged children in Cambodia. ISF will start running three coach development courses in 2019.

Two hundred coaches and aspiring coaches from schools, community organisations and NGOs around the country will participate in five intensive days of training focusing on football for social impact. The training, developed in partnership with Coaches Across Continents (CAC), will teach participants to deliver social impact football training using fun games and activities, engaging children in locally relevant social issues such as gender equality, disability and social inclusion, drug and alcohol abuse, gambling, education and health.

Participants will be trained to deliver a bespoke 12-month ISF/CAC social impact curriculum while developing children’s football skills, confidence, leadership, teamwork and decision-making skills in a fun and safe environment.

Expected results

Throughout the course of the pilot project, we expect the 20 ISF-supported coaches to run 480 outreach sessions, reaching approximately 500 socially deprived children, and three coach development courses focusing on social impact through football. In addition to the 700 direct beneficiaries of this project, the objective is to have 3,000 indirect beneficiaries.

Partner

Unity and Peace

Location and general information

Closed
Location Jamaica
Start date 01/01/2019
End date 12/31/2019
Cost of the project €5,000,000
Foundation funding €62,152
Project identifier AME–2018382
Partners Fight for Peace International
Categories Access to Sport - Personal development

Context

Young people in the six target communities are growing up in risk environments that influence their likelihood of becoming victims or perpetrators of violence. The root causes of youth violence tackled in this programme are:

  • gang activity in the community
  • difficult family life due to absent parents, harsh physical discipline, or neglect
  • poverty and lack of opportunities to escape poverty
  • lack of pro-social and personal development recreational activities
  • high unemployment
  • low educational attainment
  • limited access to psycho-social support

Project content

Fight for Peace (FFP) combines boxing and martial arts with education and personal development to help young people realise their potential despite living in communities affected by crime, violence and social exclusion. Fight for Peace coordinates the Safer Communities Programme (SCP) in Jamaica, which brings together over 30 entities – government agencies, sports federations, youth development and violence-prevention organisations – to work in communities with high levels of violence. The Unity and Peace project uses holistic programmes covering five pillars (sport, education, employment, youth leadership and psycho-social support) using the collective impact framework.

The project has been launched in six communities in Kingston with high levels of violence: Hannah Town, Denham Town, Trench Town, Tivoli Gardens, Fletchers Land and Parade Gardens.

Fight for Peace also works informally with the Jamaica Wrestling Federation and the Jamaica Rugby League Association. Funding from the UEFA Foundation for Children will enable the Jamaica Football Federation to be included by integrating school and community football teams.

Beneficiaries:

  • More than 1,670 young people living in urban areas
  • Average age from 10 to 12 years and 95% under 18
  • 56% male and 46% female

Objectives

FFP has developed an integrated and holistic five-pillar methodology that it applies to all its projects and activities. The objective is to give young people all the support they need to become champions in life.

Boxing and martial arts: to promote respect, discipline, self-control, feelings of belonging and self-esteem, and encourage young people to join the programme

Education: to offer support and educational courses for young people who are outside formal learning environments or who have learning difficulties

Employability: to help young people access the job market through training, vocational courses and referrals to job opportunities through a network of partners in the private sector

Support services: a multidisciplinary social-support team provides services, including individual mentoring, social, medical and legal referrals, home visits and community outreach

Youth leadership: through youth councils who represent the organisation externally and liaise with staff on strategy and programme development

Project activities

  • Sports sessions (boxing, martial arts and football) delivered at community centres and schools by coaches trained to integrate personal development skills into sessions (50 sessions per week)
  • Personal development sessions led by trained facilitators from youth development and violence prevention NGOs and/or psychologists and social workers from FFP (12 sessions per month for the six communities)
  • Cross-community recreational activities and tournaments (two tournaments in the first six months)
  • Eight places branded as sport for development sites and safe spaces for children
  • Psychological first aid and sport for development training for all participating coaches, allowing for long-term integration of personal development into sport in schools and the community
  • Training of coaching assistants to provide qualified coaches for disadvantaged communities
  • Partnership with the GC Foster College of Sport and Physical Education to provide coaching courses and certification for all participating coaches
  • Integration with the sport and behaviour change programme of the ministry of education, information and youth/social development commission to allow for policy development and future programming within schools and communities

Expected results

Young people who take part in regular free sports and personal development will report sustained improvements to health and well-being.

  • 1,800 young people practising sport
  • 1,450 sports sessions
  • 72 personal development sessions
  • 4 tournaments
  • 70% improving their health and fitness
  • 4 coach training courses
  • 60% improve the quality of their relationships with friends, family and other adults
  • 60% of those who may have negative behaviour report a positive change, e.g. reduced involvement in crime, respect for authority
  • 60% view their futures more positively

Partner

Football4Good

Location and general information

Context

Due to its central geographic location and as a strong economic partner in Southeast Asia, Thailand is a regional hub for migrants as a place of origin, transit and destination. Tens of thousands of migrant children currently live in construction site camps in Thailand (Baan Dek and UNICEF, 2018). As their parents have come to Thailand to work, these children live in precarious temporary shelters with limited access to education, health or security. They are exposed to various forms of abuse, violence and neglect. None of them have the opportunity to escape from the slums and socialise with others, so they are forced to stay and play in unsafe surroundings with little stimulation or interaction with others. Their vulnerable situation means that they are at risk of being deprived of their basic rights. Moreover, the limited opportunities for socialisation and play mean that these children have no opportunity to just be children.

Project content

Baan Dek Foundation believes that football is a necessary component of childhood development, a fertile ground for learning essential skills such as teamwork, self-esteem, confidence, good sportsmanship and discipline. The Football4Good programme encourages positive peer relationships among children from different ethnic backgrounds through coaching, physical activity, the provision of quality sports equipment and by training the foundation’s staff in sports development. The programme also aims to promote gender equality by empowering marginalised girls and young women.

This year Baan Dek Foundation wants to go a step further by emphasising the development of community leadership through its new programme, Football4Good and youth empowerment. The idea is to train and empower youth peer educators to deliver regular football training sessions in the communities where they live. With an increased understanding of social issues and how to better promote values such as equality and tolerance, the youth peer educators will be able to act as role models for marginalised children and young people living in urban slums and construction site camps.

The youth peer educators will also have direct involvement in improvements to their living environment. They will work with Baan Dek Foundation staff to design and implement new football pitches, more child-safe spaces and other improvements to their communities’ physical infrastructure. This will give children living in their community the opportunities to benefit from safe areas in which to play football outside of training sessions.

In addition to providing football sessions for the community and during children’s school holidays, the foundation aims to inspire children to pursue sports and to create awareness of the benefits of sports for development by inviting local professional footballers to come and present their career at a local school.

Objectives

Football is a crucial multipurpose tool for social workers and can positively influence children in need of support at a very fundamental level. The Football4Good and youth empowerment programme aims to help connect marginalised communities through regular football sessions, as well as providing sports equipment for targeted vulnerable communities. Children and teenagers will develop motor skills, improve their levels of physical activity, have the chance to socialise with their peers and build new social relationships within communities where violence between various ethnic groups may sometimes be a daily occurrence. Furthermore, football teaches these children to become team players, to integrate into and socialise in a diverse group and to practice good sportsmanship. All of these benefits, in addition to simply providing a fun activity for the children, make football and sports education in general a primary focus for the foundation’s community programmes.

Project Activities

Football is a crucial multipurpose tool for social workers and can positively influence children in need of support at a very fundamental level. The Football4Good and youth empowerment programme aims to help connect marginalised communities through regular football sessions, as well as providing sports equipment for targeted vulnerable communities. Children and teenagers will develop motor skills, improve their levels of physical activity, have the chance to socialise with their peers and build new social relationships within communities where violence between various ethnic groups may sometimes be a daily occurrence. Furthermore, football teaches these children to become team players, to integrate into and socialise in a diverse group and to practice good sportsmanship. All of these benefits, in addition to simply providing a fun activity for the children, make football and sports education in general a primary focus for the foundation’s community programmes.

Expected results

  • More than 100 football sessions a year held as part of Smile Holiday programmes and in marginalised communities.
  • More than 400 children a year attending Smile Holidays and community Football4Good sessions.
  • More than 3,500 attendees of Smile Holidays and community football sessions cumulatively.
  • 150 girls and young women attending Smile Holidays and community football sessions.
  • Seven communities where football, sports facilities and child-safe environments are improved and made accessible to children.
  • 50 balls provided to communities and youth peer educators.
  • 40 youth peer educators a year trained on the value of football.

Partners

Street children back to school

Location and general information

Terminé
Location Afghanistan
Start date 01/02/2018
End date Ongoing
Cost of the project €201,000
Foundation funding €98,735
Project identifier ASI-2018475
Partners Action for Development (AfD)
Categories Access to Sport - Personal development

Context

According to UNICEF 3.5 million Afghan children aged between 5 and 17 are missing out on school. Approximately 2.1 million 6 to 14-year-olds are involved in some form of child labour, often in jobs that are hazardous to their health and safety. They face a high risk of injury or death from road accidents, suicide bombings and explosions; they are often victims of verbal, physical and sexual abuse; they are exposed to concentrated air and noise pollution, and generally endure difficult living conditions. Many of these children are their families’ only breadwinners and their parents, most of whom are illiterate, feel they have no other choice but to put their children to work. As a result, these children have no opportunity to attend formal schools.

Street children back to school

Afghanistan is a country characterised by many ethnic divisions, which are often the root causes of violence. In this difficult context, sporting events such as football and cricket have proven to be successful ways in which to bring the population together and break down ethnic barriers. Sport, and football in particular, is an important channel for motivating children to create social change.

Project content

The UEFA Foundation for Children is supporting Action for Development (AfD) in Afghanistan for the second year in a row. The Street children back to school project was established in 2016 and invests in the social and educational development of these children, as well as ways to improve their overall level of health, to ensure they will become productive members of society. Thanks to its unique structure, the school allows these children to combine studies with their work.

 

The project also invests resources in empowering girls, who, until 2007, were banned from playing football in Afghanistan. Today, Kabul alone has 17 women's teams, although there is no training centre and female players still face resistance.

 

Project set-up

In October 2016 AfD founded its first school in one of the most populous districts in Kabul. In September 2018 new schools were opened in two other locations, one in the city centre and one in Khwaja Bughra district to the north, in the same building as the AfD health centre. A dry, secure football pitch has been rented, where children are taken twice a week to play football safely. The schools have seven women taking care of the teaching, cooking and coordinating and one male football coach.

 

Back-to-school activities

The Schools for Street Working Children project aims to reintegrate children into the formal school system. These children have lower-than-expected levels of skills and confidence for children of their age, which makes attending a formal school very difficult.

 

Awareness campaigns

One hundred families with children at the school will be involved in awareness-raising activities. Mothers will be taught about the importance of education, children’s hygiene, disease prevention and the dangers of drugs and prostitution. A special emphasis is placed on issues affecting young girls as they are often the most vulnerable of street children. Awareness campaigns will also reach out to the community elders and leaders of mosques.

 

Local development

Over 200 children have already been enrolled in the project but there is scope to increase this number. The children need to commit to attending the training sessions. Priority is given to orphans and children who have a disabled parent and 50% of the participants must be girls.

Regular health check-ups are to be carried out with the support of the AfD health centre personnel and regular support is provided by a local psychologist.

The Schools for Street Working Children project offers street children the opportunity to play football and sport in general. Currently over 40 children play football. We are working with families who, for cultural reasons, believe their daughters should not play football as it is typically a male sport, to educate them on the importance of sport, and football in particular, in building self-esteem, team building capability and strength overall. Groups are formed according to age and where necessary by gender, and each group has two sessions each week. The school’s tutoring activities are held before or after the sports activities.

Objectives

The aim of the project is to improve the prospects of Kabul’s street working children, assisting them in their social, educational and physical development, and investing in them to ensure they will become productive members of the society.

The non-formal education approach allows the children to learn through games and activities and enables them to continue with their current activities. By playing football they take back their right to be children.

The objectives of the project are to:

    • continue to increase the number of children attending the schools for street children;
    • provide educational support for street children using innovative tools;
    • provide basic nutritional support and health services, physical and psychological, for children in need;
    • promote children’s physical development and offer opportunities to learn physical skills through football training and sport in general;
    • train educators to use a creative teaching method and train the football coach to engage children, their families and the community by building enthusiasm for football;
    • in the longer term, reduce the number of illiterate street children through a sustainable approach to education and training;
    • create awareness of the value of education among families and the local community;
    • build synergies with national schools to make it easier for some of these boys and girls to be reintegrated into the formal system.

Project activities

Expected results

  • Street children are able to read, write and do calculations; they also learn to draw.
  • They are aware of their rights and duties and of the concepts of peace and human rights.
  • Street children are in better health and do not have nutritional deficiencies.
  • More children are enrolled in football training.
  • Trainers are trained to be able to teach street children.
  • More children are enrolled in the formal school system, and barriers, such as children’s lack of confidence and readiness, are broken down.
  • Academically stronger children are given financial support to continue their studies.

Partner

Paths to Equity

Location and general information

Terminé
Location Spain
Start date 09/01/2018
End date 12/31/2019
Cost of the project €38,488
Foundation funding €25,988
Project identifier EUR-2018553
Partners Ayuda en Acción
Categories Access to Sport - Personal development

Context

In the Sant Ildefons neighbourhood, a significant number of children and teenagers are at risk of poverty and social exclusion. Their personal development and educational success is conditioned by their families’ socio-economic vulnerability, the lack of educational opportunities, and their national, cultural or ethnic origin. These youngsters’ situation determines and limits equal access to educational innovation projects as well as to leisure activities.

Ayuda en Acción is trying to resolve these difficulties in partnership with the neighbourhood’s primary and secondary schools. Since 2013, it has been running a social involvement programme for children and families at risk of social exclusion. Building a community founded upon solidarity, dignity, equality and mutual respect, Ayuda en Acción improves the lives of around 11,000 children in Spain.

Project content

Ayuda en Acción provides a full range of activities – from school meals and educational innovation projects to employability options for the families, and has developed a project called Paths to Equity, that focuses on sport and leisure activities for children at risk of social exclusion. This project seeks ways to ensure children rights to development and well-being and will be supported by the UEFA Foundation for the 2018/19 academic year and the first quarter of the 2019/20 academic year.

Objectives

  • The project comprises initiatives in six schools with two objectives:
  • Promoting equal opportunities for children at risk of poverty by means of informal education during leisure time
  • Teaching and encouraging the practice of an accessible and necessary sport such as swimming

Project activities

School outings

Six schools will schedule activities during the academic year, such as day trips to various destinations, with a special focus on natural sites. School camps will also be held, offering students the experience of leaving their neighbourhood and spending a few days in nature and practising leisure activities, many of them linked to sport. The school's curriculum includes environmental and sustainability activities.

 

Extracurricular sports activities

It may seem paradoxical, but many children in Sant Ildefons cannot swim, despite the proximity of the beach. Swimming classes are therefore essential for these children. Three schools will receive funding to cover the costs of these extracurricular activities and transport.

Although the schools have a small budget for outings and extracurricular activities, it is clearly insufficient to cover the total cost, so a contribution from families is required. However, the parents cannot afford to pay. The funding therefore ensures the activities can be held.

Expected results

  • Improvement of children’s well-being in Sant Ildefons through social activities and sports
  • 6 schools plan activities during this school year:
  • CEIP Verdaguer, CEIP Montserrat, CEIP Sant Ildefons and CEIP Torre de la Miranda (primary schools)
  • IES Cornellà and IES Maria Aurèlia Capmany (secondary schools)
  • 827 pupils taking part in the project
  • Paths to Equity will support these schools and monitor how the funds are used

Partner

Safe-Hub – EduFootball

Location and general information

Closed
Location Germany/Austria
Start date 01/12/2018
End date 03/01/2021
Cost of the project €221,796
Foundation funding €74,486
Project identifier EUR - 2018748
Partners AMANDLA, Oliver Kahn Foundation, DFL Foundation, Beisheim Foundation, Coca-Cola Foundation
Categories Access to Sport - Conflict victims - Personal development

Context

Even in wealthy countries such as Germany and Austria, social inequality has grown over the last few decades. These growing wealth and resource gaps affect young people and their futures: once a young person has been born into a cycle of poverty, unemployment and inequality, their social mobility is limited. This not only affects access to high-quality education and employment; it also leaves young people vulnerable to violence, discrimination and crime.

AMANDLA is working to break this destructive cycle by offering a constructive alternative: the Safe‑Hub. A Safe-Hub is a place where young people have equal access to opportunities, strive to realise their full potential and dare to dream.

Project content

AMANDLA seeks to create safe spaces that combine the power of football and learning to empower young people and change lives. At the heart of the organisation’s work lies its award-winning approach to youth development: the Safe-Hub social franchise model. Safe-Hubs are designed to disrupt cycles of poverty, unemployment and inequality, especially for young people growing up in disadvantaged communities. At a Safe-Hub, young people can access services, opportunities and support from strong role models through a football-based after-school programme with a focus on health, education and employability. Each Safe-Hub provides a safe place for all young people, including those from minority groups.

Having successfully established three Safe-Hubs in South Africa, reducing crime rates and increasing employability in surrounding communities, AMANDLA is now in the process of setting up its first Safe-Hub in Europe, with its new centre in Berlin due to be completed by 2022. Offering a unique perspective on the question of how football training can be used to develop social competencies and strengthen values for young people, AMANDLA is already organising ‘train the trainer’ workshops for NGOs and football clubs (both amateur and professional). As part of this project, AMANDLA is introducing its EduFootball training curriculum to coaches as a way of fostering social change both on and off the pitch. With more than ten years of experience in youth and community development in South Africa, AMANDLA is currently testing and evaluating its proven concept in order to tailor it to a German/European context. This will allow AMANDLA to ensure the best possible training programme for participants in Berlin once its first centre outside South Africa is operational.

Objectives

  1. Equip German and Austrian coaches to support the development of social competencies through football coaching
  2. Encourage amateur and professional football structures to see value in life skills and integrate them into their football training
  3. Improve the pro-social behaviour of young people participating in EduFootball sessions
  4. Enhance internal knowledge of the project’s methods in order to effectively monitor and evaluate activities

Project activities

  1. ‘Train the trainer’ workshop series
    1. Diversification of current workshop curriculum
    2. 10 one-day workshops with 10 participants each (open to the public)
    3. 10 one-day workshops with 10 participants each (open to partner organisations across Germany and Austria)
    4. Internal workshop aimed at tailoring existing monitoring and evaluation system to planned activities
    5. 10 follow-up site visits at partner organisations
  1. EduFootball training with football clubs
    1. 20 EduFootball ‘train the trainer’ sessions (four workshops – each with five engagement sessions) with up to eight coaches across four/five football clubs
    2. 200 EduFootball training sessions with up to 600 girls and boys
    3. 20 ‘on the job’ supervisory visits to football clubs

Expected results

  1. AMANDLA develops a modular training curriculum that suits various groups of beneficiaries (e.g. both experienced and less experienced coaches)
  2. Coaches across Germany and Austria are better equipped to support the development of social competencies through football coaching
  3. Coaches improve their professional competencies and qualifications in the ‘football for good’ sector
  4. Coaches are better leaders and football coaches and can integrate life skills into training sessions
  5. Coaches significantly improve their ability to support players’ personal development and are more able to resolve conflicts between players
  6. Children have more positive interactions with each other
  7. Children can cope better with conflicts and setbacks
  8. Children have agency and take responsibility for their own actions and lives
  9. Professional football structures see the value of integrating life skills into accredited coaching programmes
  10. The youth development sector has greater awareness of the importance of football as a tool fostering personal development and systemic social change
  11. AMANDLA develops a monitoring and evaluation system to track the implementation of ‘Kick It But Fair’ workshop activities and post-workshop site visits
  12. Staff on the ground have a better understanding of how to monitor workshop activities and post-workshop site visits

Partner

RISE – Beyond goals

Location and general information

Closed
Location Greece
Start date 01/15/2019
End date 01/14/2020
Cost of the project €246,225
Foundation funding €198,020
Project identifier EUR‐2018738
Partners ActionAid Hellas
Categories Access to Sport - Conflict victims - Personal development

Context

The beneficiaries are young people between 12 and 18 years old that live in and around the disadvantaged Kolonos district of Athens. Their families face financial issues and are at risk of social exclusion, with limited opportunities for engaging in athletic activities (lack of motivation or financial resources, gender stereotypes). Some of these young people face high stress, domestic violence, social exclusion and a lack of creative and life-skills education, which leads to fewer opportunities. The challenges they face can lead to depression, aggressive behaviour, misbehaviour, academic failure, inability to interact with other youngsters, a lack of self‐esteem and a lack of guidance. Family ties are often broken and the link to the community can be problematic.

Project content

The RISE project is a youth empowerment through football programme, led by international football player Dimitris Papadopoulos. It provides children with life values and skills, and enables them to have a better life, dignity and opportunities to develop themselves and their communities. Football players are role models for young people and can empower them to fight for a better life. Their role will be crucial in implementing and disseminating the project.

ActionAid is working closely with football clubs, national football associations and the Super League at national level to raise awareness of the methodology and potential of football as a driver for change and development in the communities.

Objectives

  • Empower disadvantaged youth in vulnerable areas by helping them to gain skills, providing access to opportunities and building resilience that will help them improve their quality of life while fighting poverty and social exclusion through football.
  • Support young people, so that they own a community-led programme in all stages, from design to implementation.
  • Help footballers to become agents of change for a society of diversity, mutual respect and solidarity.
  • Empower young members of the football team to become agents of change for a society with diversity, mutual respect and solidarity.
  • Support the multiplication of programme methodology and principles and influence other institutions’ agendas.
  • Empower members of the youth club to develop sustainable valuable life skills.

Project activities

FOOTBALL

Football3 match with famous national football players to ‘lead by example’

Dimitris Papadopoulos and other famous football players (men and women) will demonstrate that, by changing the rules of the game, we can change ourselves and our society for the better.

Football matches with mixed teams

Bring together civil society associations, football clubs and athletics associations to share, play together, discuss and interact by taking part in friendly matches based on Football3, with mixed teams of girls and boys, locally and regionally. The aim is to give children from diverse vulnerabilities – migrants, children living in poverty, girls – the chance to interact.

 

Other football clubs’ matches

Initiate and train football clubs in the region on Football3 methodology to multiply the impact of this programme and raise awareness of the values that children can acquire from football.

 

SKILL DEVELOPMENT

The youth club will be based in the ActionAid Epikentro community centre in the deprived neighbourhood of Kolonos. Children will have the chance to attend the following courses:

Computer classes/digital literacy: A lack of computer skills one aspect of illiteracy. By teaching children how to navigate the internet and use basic computer programs, we help them break down barriers and open doors to new opportunities.

English lessons: English is essential in the global communities. It helps children improve school performance and integrate better into society.

Job orientation: The goal is to help children discover their skills and abilities, set a life plan and goals for themselves.

Psychological support: Children learn to deal with stress and regain self‐respect and self‐ confidence. This is a crucial part of the empowerment process that enables children to engage and commit to all other courses and to football training.

Empowerment/recreational activities: Children are given the opportunity to interact and have fun. Taking part in small festivals, celebrations and entertaining activities is important to engage young people in the community centre.

Video of the project.

Expected results

Direct beneficiaries

Football team: 20 young people between 12–18 years old (mixed gender) who are members of the football team

Youth club: 60 young people (mixed gender, social status, national/ethnic origin) actively engaged in youth club activities and in the long term.

Indirect beneficiaries:

80 beneficiaries of other organisations directly engaged in matches (diverse gender, ages, social status, ethnic origin)

40 beneficiaries of national level organisations directly engaged in matches.

Partner

Play for Change sports centre

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Naples, Italy
Start date 01/01/2019
End date 07/31/2020
Cost of the project €123,050
Foundation funding €123,050
Project identifier EUR-2018735
Partners Play for Change
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Personal development

Context

In partnership with Play for Change, the UEFA Foundation for Children supported the renovation of a sports centre located in the Sanità district of Naples, which provides an opportunity for disadvantaged children to access sport and educational activities, promoting inclusion and social engagement.

Rates of organised crime, unemployment and social exclusion are very high in this ethnically diverse district. More than 50% of youngsters drop out of school before the age of 16, ending up joining criminal gangs or groups of bored adolescents roaming the city and getting into trouble.

Project content

Sport is a catalyst for a cultural change and is used to impart the values of discipline, teamwork, fair play and commitment on children and teenagers in the hope that they are motivated to contribute to sustainable community development. The goal is to reduce the school drop-out and failure rates, inspire young people to pursue a career and prevent them from becoming involved with criminal gangs. Families and community members will encourage the positive change.

 

Objectives

• Reduce the school drop-out rate
• Prevent any form of criminal behaviour
• Promote healthy lifestyles
• Provide children with cultural development and physical training
• Integrate children from different backgrounds and those with any form of disability
• Create a community network for positive change

Project activities

The first few months of the project, from March 2019 to July 2019, were spent renovating the sports centre, assessing the risks and beneficiaries and meeting with local stakeholders.

Since the outset of the project, efforts have been made to establish a network of local stakeholders. As a result, the project is supported by local communities, institutions and sports partners, which will ensure its economic and social sustainability.

The sports centre was inaugurated on 10 July 2019. An open day was held with , athletes, coaches and educators, during which the project was presented to the neighbourhood and sports activities were showcased to the 150 children in attendance.

The activities began in October 2019 and to date 91 children between the ages of have taken part, including:

  • Thirty-nine girls and 52 boys.
  • Five children from immigrant families, three Sinhalese, one Romanian and one Nigerian, although all the participants have Italian nationality.
  • Seven children aged 3 to 5 years, 57 children aged 6 to 10 years and 27 aged 11 to 14 years.
  • Thirty-six practising gymnastics, 37 karate, seven fencing, seven baby gym and four .

More than 40 children were referred by the local network of social organisations, seven of whom have taken part in the project.

The rest of the participants live in the area and found out about the sports centre by word of mouth or through the public library.

GYMNASTICS: Two mixed-gender sessions are run for children aged 6 to 12. From January 2020, the sessions were divided into two groups. The first group comprises children aged 6 to 8 years, and the second those aged 9 to 12 years. The two groups train at the same time using different spaces in the gym. From January onwards, there was a marked improvement in terms of the behaviour and commitment of the participants.

KARATE: The activities have 37 participants, divided into two mixed groups. When necessary, training and activities are done as there are two instructors per group. At the beginning of 2020, two events for youngsters practising karate were held at the Champion Center sports hall in Scampia, another deprived area of Naples. The participants had the opportunity to train with other instructors and athletes.

FENCING: The course involved only seven children until the break for the Christmas holidays. In January, several children took part in a taster session, but decided not to register.

BABY GYM: The children who applied for the baby gym course have not yet taken part in the activities. Their parents have been contacted several times but, apart from the initial training session, it has not yet been possible to involve them continuously. Four of the children have dropped out entirely.

Expected results

Direct beneficiaries:

Between 100 and 300 children 3 to 14 years old: 10% migrants or refugees, 50% with challenging social backgrounds, 30% with disabilities, and 10% others.

  • Beneficiaries from extremely difficult backgrounds and families with a variety of issues, such as drug/alcohol abuse or incarceration; youth crime; sexual abuse; teenage pregnancy and teenage parenting; unhealthy nutrition; with limited access to life skills information; no coordinated access to sport.
  • Beneficiaries with vision and hearing disabilities (blind and deaf) and forms of autism

Indirect beneficiaries:

Four schools, two churches, six third-sector associations, 300 families, four sport centres, three institutional entities, and 500 community members.

Recent developments and future plans (May 2020):

The last regular training session before the beginning of the Covid-19 lockdown was held on 13 March. Project activities cannot currently be held.

During the lockdown, training videos are being used to keep in touch with the parents and children The instructors prepared videos, personally or through a targeted internet search, to be shared on the parents' WhatsApp groups and the project's Facebook page so that participants can continue to train safely. Parents were asked to share short videos on the WhatsApp group so that the instructors could correct form. From an educational point of view, it was considered important to maintain contact with the children, albeit indirectly, for two reasons: to preserve the relationships established so far and to reiterate the importance of adhering to the government's safety directives.

A summer sports camp is being planned for July 2020. Subject to government directives, it will be possible to evaluate the activities that have been planned in collaboration with the other organisations present in the territory. An with children with disabilities or autism will be taking place with the participants’ carers or parents.

If the camp cannot go ahead, new courses will be held from September 2020 with new participants and in collaboration with third-party sports organisations.

Partner

Goal Plus

Location and general information

Terminé
Location Switzerland
Start date 12/01/2016
End date 01/31/2020
Cost of the project €200,000
Foundation funding €160,000
Project identifier EUR–2018103
Partners PluSport, Axpo
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Personal development

Context

PluSport is the umbrella organisation for disability sport in Switzerland. The UEFA Foundation for Children has been supporting the Goal Plus project, linked to PluSport’s football section, since 2016. The project aims to use football and the passion it creates to enable all disabled children and teenagers, including those who use wheelchairs, to play football. For these young people, playing football creates new opportunities for social connections, leisure activities, friendships, educational and professional integration, and acceptance in society.

In 2017, the foundation helped to fund the expansion of the Play Football project, which aims to increase the number of disabled children’s teams, as well as the From Football to Rafroball project. Rafroball is a sport for both wheelchair-users and able-bodied players.

In 2018, PluSport set itself the goal of developing and broadening disabled football in order to foster integration and bring through the next generation of young players. This work is constantly evolving. In addition to organised tournaments, new opportunities have been created for disabled children and teenagers to participate in football activities.

PluSport operates in accordance with Swiss Olympic’s Charter of Sports Ethics and recognises the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Project content

For the third consecutive year, the foundation’s support will help to strengthen PluSport’s football-related activities, focusing on two new areas in particular.

  1. Football for the blind and visually impaired: PluSport has decided to support and promote football for the blind and visually impaired, a sport that has been very popular at the Summer Paralympic Games for many years. Unfortunately, Switzerland does not enter a team. Our objective is, therefore, to see a Swiss team participate in the Paralympic Games. This programme will enable many blind and visually impaired youngsters to play football in spite of their visual impairments
  2. Girls’ football: until now, disabled football has mainly involved boys. However, thanks to its success and popularity, this sport is attracting greater interest among girls. PluSport is monitoring this trend, and we would like to help promote girls’ football. To achieve this, we need to work more and more with female experts, instructors and supervisors.

Target groups:

  • disabled and able-bodied children and teenagers throughout the country;
  • girls, in the context of women’s football; and
  • blind and visually impaired children and teenagers, in the context of football for the blind and visually impaired.

Objectives

  • The objectives laid down could be achieved during the course of this year.
    • Continue to facilitate access to ball games for disabled children and teenagers.
    • Create new ball sports teams for children and teenagers.
    • Promote and develop disability sport.
    • Establish new partnerships as part of the project.
    • In collaboration with all football-related associations, ensure that football clubs are open to disabled football and promote inclusion.
    • See a Swiss football team for the blind and visually impaired participate in the Paralympic Games.

Project activities

  • Integration of children and teenagers, individually or in groups, into PluSport clubs.
  • Creation and support of new PluSport football clubs throughout Switzerland.
  • Regular (weekly) training sessions, with supervision and coaching by PluSport.
  • Organised tournaments (five or six per year). The aim is to add two or three tournaments per year in different parts of Switzerland.
  • Football-themed afternoon gatherings for disabled and able-bodied children (schools, vocational schools, institutions).
  • Training sessions for girls are organised in the various regions.
  • Experts are trained and charged with promoting football for the blind and visually impaired throughout Switzerland and coaching the players.
  • Organisation of football camps for children and teenagers.
  • Sourcing of equipment for training sessions and tournaments.

Expected results

  • More PluSport football teams, especially girls’ teams and teams of blind and visually impaired children.
  • Disabled football is promoted through organised gatherings and tournaments for disabled and able-bodied children.
  • Addition of two or three new tournaments.
  • More girls participating in disabled football.
  • New football camps organised for disabled children and teenagers.
  • Expert coaches trained to organise football training sessions for the blind and visually impaired.
  • Creation of a Swiss football team for the blind and visually impaired.

Partner

Come On, Let’s Play

Location and general information

Terminé
Location Ukraine
Start date 04/15/2019
End date 04/30/2020
Cost of the project €84,036
Foundation funding €58,400
Project identifier EUR-2018297
Partners Shakhtar Social
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Conflict victims - Personal development

Context

FC Shakhtar Donetsk was based in the town of Donetsk until 2014. Due to the military conflict in the Eastern Ukraine, the club has relocated to Kyiv. Some of Donetsk’s inhabitants have also been forced to move away. According to government data, more than 1.6 million people escaped the conflict region and eight cities near Donetsk, namely: Krasnohorivka, Marinka, Kurakhove, Avdiivka, Shchastya, Popasna, Toretsk and Volnovakha. Some of the children from this region have sustained injuries as a direct result of the military conflict.

Project content

“Come On, Let’s Play!” is a grassroots project which aims to help migrant children from the war zone in Eastern Ukraine, and disadvantaged and disabled children living close to the frontline. Football is a way to instil values, such as respect, integration, responsibility, fun, physical exercise, psychological support and personal development, in these children. The programme includes regular football training sessions for juniors and disabled children, competitions and a final tournament. The possibility of meeting and playing with players from FC Shakhtar’s first team is an additional motivation for these children.

Objectives

In close co-operation with local partners and an international partner – EFDN, the grassroots football project “Come On, Let’s Play!” aims to improve access to football for children living close to the frontline, refugees and socially disadvantaged children.

It seeks to promote social inclusion, improve children’s quality of life, boost extracurricular learning and activities and provide relief from the pressures of living in a crisis area. The main beneficiaries are children aged between 7 and 12, including disabled children. The project aims to attract 620 participants.

Project activities

The first activity is a “Come On, Let’s Play!” grassroots football project for children aged between 7 and 12, with the aim of improving the social inclusion of children living close to the frontline.

It will be a 12-month programme comprising the following elements.

  • Free football sessions held three times a week by the main coach and two volunteers.
  • The main coach and volunteers train 60 children per playground (with the exception of Toretsk – 80 participants) in two different age groups (U10 and U12), with at least 10% of participants being girls.
  • Four groups of disabled children will be trained in four project locations, involving 40 children.
  • The disabled children will have an adapted programme and will be provided with the necessary equipment.
  • During the implementation of the project, FC Shakhtar first team players will visit each project location and play a football game with the children.
  • The Saturday football session will include football matches between different age groups.
  • The children will be provided with all the necessary equipment: training kits, balls, flat disks, bibs, a whistle, football nets, first aid kits, pumps, freeze sprays and coordination ladders.

 

The second activity is the “Come On, Let’s Play!” competition (one day). Twice a year, a local “Come On, Let’s Play!” competition will be held at each playground, in autumn 2019 and spring 2020. These competitions aim to enhance the children’s enjoyment, promoting a healthy lifestyle and allowing them to meet other children in locations close to the frontline. The participants of the “Come On, Let’s Play!” competition are organised into U10 and U12 teams. The expected number of participants is 480, with a minimum of 10% being girls.

 

The third activity is the “Come On, Let’s play!” final tournament in Volnovakha (two days). The “Come On, Let’s Play!” final tournament aims to unite all participants from the locations close to the frontline and promote social inclusion. It will take place in Volnovakha in April 2020. The final tournament will feature four U10 teams and four U12 teams from the eight different towns located close to the frontline. The total number of participants is 80 children aged between 7 and 12, with at least one girl per team. There will be 30 support staff (coaches and parents). Each town is allowed to put forward just one team of ten participants in one of the two age categories (U10 or U12). The tournament participants will be provided with accommodation, food and refreshments.

Expected results

  • 620 children aged between 7 and 12 are expected to benefit from the “Come On, Let’s Play” programme.
  • Regular football training sessions will take place three times a week in two age categories (U10 and U12).
  • Two local tournaments will be held in autumn 2019 and spring 2020 involving 480 participants.
  • One final tournament will be held in Volnovakha in April 2020 involving one team from each of the eight cities.

Partner

Girls’ football league: Mutola Cup

Location and general information

Terminé
Location Mozambique
Start date 02/01/2019
End date 11/30/2019
Cost of the project €200,000
Foundation funding €80,000
Project identifier AFR-2018573
Partners Futebol dá Força
Categories Access to Sport - Personal development

Context

In Mozambique 60% of the population lives below the international poverty line. Traditional social practices deteriorate the situation further; the educational system remains poor and 50% of Mozambican girls marry before the age of 18. Early marriages lead to less power in decision-making and early unwanted pregnancies, increasing the risk of maternal and child mortality. In this context, girls unfortunately have very few ways of obtaining information and support when they need it.

To improve the situation, alternative educational platforms that can reach girls need to be set up, empowering these young women by giving them knowledge and practical information on how to exercise their rights daily. The independent foundation, Futebol dá força, which uses football to empower girls is actively engaged in creating this educational platform for both girls and their community. By providing safe places and football teams with well-equipped leaders, the goal is to influence girls’ ability to improve their own future prospects.

Project content

Futebol dá força has a plan to develop a girls’ football league in Mozambique called the Mutola Cup. The football league is a structure which already exists, and it is run jointly by local stakeholders, such as the Mozambican Ministry of Education, Ministry of Youth and Sports and Ministry of Health, as well as the Mozambican Football Association. Concretely, training sessions and football matches will be organised, as well as workshops and interactive discussions on topics including life skills, children's rights and sexual and reproductive health. This will create an established safe space where people, especially girls, can engage in dialogue.

 

Objectives

  • Reaching 15,000 girls (aged 11 to 15), increasing their awareness of children's rights and health issues
  • Empowering these girls to build agency and increase their self-esteem
  • Engaging community members to highlight the role they play in girls’ strategic life choices
  • Training 800 voluntary football coaches, of which 100 should be female
  • Organising football training, matches and workshops
  • Maintaining low costs, in order to integrate the project as part of everyday activities
  • Having a long-term impact, which means working closely with the national structures

Project activities

The girls’ football teams will have several weekly training sessions between February and November. The training sessions, reaching 15,000 girls (15 to 25 per team), will take place in eleven provinces in Mozambique. In parallel, together with local stakeholders, the Mutola Cup football league will take place between April and October, as part of which girls’ football teams will play games every Saturday at district level.

Before each football game, the 800 volunteer coaches trained will facilitate a workshop with the girls on key topics linked to their rights and health with the purpose of increasing their ability to make informed decisions regarding their future. The workshop themes will be streamlined throughout the football league so that all teams get access to the same evidence-based information.

In addition to the girls' workshops and between games, the coaches will engage spectators at the football grounds. In this way, the message will also be shared with the girls’ parents, friends, siblings and other community members, meaning approximately 45,000 individuals. Here, the focus will be on how community members can apply children's rights, in particular sexual and reproductive health rights, to support girls in their decision-making processes.

Expected results

In practice, Futebol dá força will look at a number of indicators measuring the current situation and future opportunities for girls, to assess whether the expected changes in attitudes and behaviour actually take place. These indicators include:

  • girls' views of their own value (self-esteem)
  • attitudes in relation to gender equality
  • assessment of girls’ treatment by the surrounding community
  • access to educational opportunities
  • number of early marriages, pregnancies, school drop-outs and cases of abuse

The objective is to track the achievable outcomes by doing a baseline survey and monitoring the activities and their quality. Regular visits will be conducted and, at the end of the project year, a follow-up end-line survey will be conducted.

 

Partner

CREATE – Children’s recreational and extracurricular activities through education

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location East Jerusalem
Start date 12/01/2018
End date 06/30/2020
Cost of the project €160,000
Foundation funding €144,000
Project identifier EUR 2018599
Partners Terre des Hommes Italy
Categories Personal development

Context

Terre des Hommes Italy is taking part in the CREATE project (Children’s Recreational and Extracurricular Activities Through Education). The proposed activities are aimed at tackling the existing challenges in children’s education and psychosocial development in East Jerusalem by promoting physical and psychosocial well-being, inclusion and high quality education for vulnerable children. The project predominantly aims to reach children and adolescents affected by the difficult circumstances in which they live, as well as their educators and caregivers. Since schools face huge problems acquiring textbooks and ensuring their financial independence and since they often lack proper playgrounds or sports equipment they do not have the capacity to offer children opportunities outside of the taught classes. This issue is exacerbated by the overall lack of safe and child-friendly outdoor spaces in East Jerusalem.

Project content

The main project activities are grouped into five areas:

  • Training, on-the-job guidance and follow-up activities for educators, teachers and head teachers from ten schools in East Jerusalem aimed at helping trainees gain an understanding of and encourage the practice of inclusion.
  • Production of inclusive educational materials (such as factsheets, articles, training tools, educational handouts for educators) which will then be uploaded to the Arabic/English discussion forum on inclusive education (inclusionpalestine.org).
  • Extracurricular and sports activities (sporting, recreational, educational and creative/expressive activities – to include sports and healthy living, art, gardening, environmental awareness, music and movement).
  • Networking, coordination and sharing of experiences and best practices between schools and institutional stakeholders (mainly the Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE) and the Jerusalem Directorate of Education (JDoE))
  • Management, monitoring, evaluation and reporting

Objectives

  • Contribute to enabling Palestinian children in East Jerusalem to fully enjoy their right to education by improving the quality, opportunities and inclusiveness of the educational offer provided by schools in East Jerusalem.

Project activities

  • Participatory workshops with educators and teachers to work on the design of inclusive educational activities
  • Producing educational tools
  • Updating the online Arabic/English discussion forum on inclusive education
  • Organising regular inclusive extracurricular activities
  • Networking activities for schools / sharing best practices
  • Coordination of regular meetings with the JDoE and the MoEHE

Expected results

  • Direct beneficiaries: 160 teachers in ten schools in East Jerusalem
  • 1,500 children aged 5 to 15 (53% F, 47% M) enrolled in targeted educational institutions

Two workshops/visits to each school

Partner

Introducing Sports for Peace Inclusion and Reconciliation (INSPIRE)

Location and general information

Terminé
Location Batticaloa and Ampara districts, Eastern Province, Sri Lanka
Start date 09/15/2018
End date 09/15/2020
Cost of the project €144,795
Foundation funding €117,450
Project identifier ASI – 2018002
Partners Handicap International, Women’s Development Centre (WDC) and Centre for Accessibility, Monitoring and Information on Disability (CAMID
Categories Children with disabilities - Personal development

Context

After 26 years of fighting, Sri Lanka’s civil war between government forces and Tamil separatists ended in 2009. However, no real peace was achieved and the root causes of the conflict remain unresolved. Deep mistrust between and within groups arising from ethnic, regional, religious and linguistic differences and political identity continues to erode the fabric of Sri Lankan society. As a result of extreme poverty, social injustice and a lack of knowledge in the community, people with disabilities face daily stigmatisation and are denied their basic needs and rights. Children and women with disabilities are among the most vulnerable and marginalised groups. Excluded from education and economic opportunities, they have little chance of employment and are trapped in a vicious circle of poverty.

Sri Lanka is currently embarking on a post-conflict reconciliation process. Sport can be a powerful tool for promoting peace, inclusion, tolerance and understanding by bringing people together across boundaries, cultures and religions. Its intrinsic values, such as teamwork, fairness, discipline, respect for opponents and the rules of the game, are understood all over the world and can be harnessed to promote solidarity, social cohesion, reconciliation and peaceful coexistence.

Moreover, sports and leisure activities promote the holistic development of all children, not just those with disabilities, helping to improve concentration, respect for others, environmental awareness and well-being. In Sri Lanka, however, sport is not yet properly developed for children and young people with and without disabilities, very few sports events are organised at local and district levels, and there is a lack of coordination of disabled sports activities

Project content

Humanity and inclusion are the key words of Handicap International (HI) and its partners, the Centre for Accessibility, Monitoring and Information on Disability (CAMID) and the Women’s Development Centre (WDC).

CAMID, based in Batticaloa, will focus on improving the quality of life of disabled people and their families, promoting their active participation and social inclusion.

The WDC will mobilise young girls and families to implement activities in their respective districts, using a rights-based approach to challenge violations of children’s and women’s rights.

The project will take place in the highly ethnically mixed districts of Batticaloa and Ampara, in the Eastern Province, where inequalities and tensions prevail.

Activities and training will focus on teaching inclusive sports and leisure activities. Special care will be given to ensuring an understanding of how to adapt rules, environments and material to facilitate the active participation of all children in the same activities, at the same time, in the same environment.

Additionally, training for coaches and sports clubs will address individual sports and leisure activities such as cricket, football and volleyball, and the use of adaptive equipment, rules and environments, as well as focusing on games for younger children, with various educational messages. Relationship-building will be initiated through sports events involving young people and children from different ethnic, religious, linguistic, caste, social and economic backgrounds.

Objectives

  • Help local NGOs develop inclusive sports services;
  • Equip sports and community stakeholders with tools to implement inclusive sports and leisure activities for children and young people with and without disabilities, and demonstrate social inclusion to local authorities;
  • Train teachers and coaches to run inclusive sports initiatives;
  • Strengthen collaboration and trust between divided groups through inclusive sports and leisure initiatives promoting social cohesion and reconciliation so that all Sri Lankans can live together in peace.

Expected results

  • 700 boys and girls, including 200 disabled children, participating in this programme
  • 2,000 young people, including 500 disabled youngsters, participating in this programme
  • 40 teachers and coaches trained to provide inclusive sport and promote social cohesion and inclusion through sport

Partner