Education and sport for vulnerable children in Afghanistan

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Kabul, Nangarhar and Parwan provinces, Afghanistan
Start date 01/01/2025
End date Ongoing
Cost of the project €316,230
Foundation funding €75,000
Project identifier 2024001460
Partners Action for Development (Switzerland)
Categories Access to Sport - Conflict victims - Employability - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development - Strengthening partnerships

Context

Afghanistan has experienced over five decades of conflict, violence and systemic inequality, leading to significant loss of life, displacement, poverty and food insecurity.  

Since the Taliban's takeover in August 2021, the situation has deteriorated further, particularly for women and girls, who face severe restrictions on their rights to education, work and participation in public life. Afghanistan is the only country in the world where girls aged 13 and over are denied access to formal education.  

These developments have been accompanied by a rise in gender-based violence, including forced marriages, trafficking and child labour, leaving women and girls in a state of even greater vulnerability. 

School closures threaten to create a generation of illiterate women and girls and fuel cycles of poverty and social inequality.  

Education and physical activities such as sport are vital to address these challenges. They not only counteract the destructive effects of conflict but also foster resilience, self-confidence and hope among children, helping them overcome the mental and social scars of prolonged oppression. 

Project goals

Overall objective 

Reduce poverty and child labour by educating and improving the quality of life of children in Afghanistan and equipping them to support themselves as they enter adulthood 

Specific objectives 

  • Provide access to quality education and food to 750 children through centres for street-working children and home-based schooling 
  • Improve the life skills and resilience of children aged 13 and over with a focus on improving gender parity  
  • Provide vocational education and training to 50 students 

Project content

The project will focus on providing education and sports opportunities to two main groups in Kabul, Nangarhar and Parwan provinces: out-of-school street-working children aged 6 to 13 (boys and girls) and out-of-school girls aged 13 to 17, fostering resilience in the face of ongoing adversity, promoting mental well-being and equipping them with the tools needed to build a brighter future.  

AfD provides semi-formal education (basic literacy, numeracy, sport, computer literacy), food, psychosocial support, football training, health checks and vaccinations to the young street-working children, remote schooling from home for girls aged 13 and over, and various vocational training options. All education centres are designed to be within walking distance for the beneficiaries. 

AfD develops special training and online learning methodologies to ensure access to education and improve digital literacy skills and confidence with education technology. 

Teachers are given training, support with school supplies, internet access, a high-quality, flexible curriculum and a teaching platform for remote schooling.  

AfD will build relationships with universities to promote scholarships for vulnerable girls, and will continue to advocate for and provide English language classes to broaden Afghan students’ access to global educational platforms, many of which are available only in English. 

As well as English and computer classes, AfD teaches about children’s and human rights, the realities of child and human trafficking, coping mechanisms, mental stress and resilience. 

Partners

The Green Side – football against crime in Medellin 

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location El Pinar and El Limonar, Medellin, Colombia
Start date 01/16/2025
End date Ongoing
Cost of the project €109,128
Foundation funding €85,049
Project identifier 2024000488 
Partners Ankla Foundation
Categories Access to Sport - Conflict victims - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development

Context

Gang-related crime is a growing problem across the world. Known as the capital of violence and cocaine use, the Colombian city of Medellin is home to over 100 gangs that recruit teenage children to carry out criminal activities (murder, drug dealing, armed robbery, prostitution, etc.). Football has been found to be highly effective in protecting young people in vulnerable neighbourhoods against recruitment by armed gangs.   

Project goals

  • Prevent children being recruited by criminal gangs  
  • Promote social transformation and peaceful coexistence in vulnerable neighbourhoods
  • Improve children’s physical and mental health  
  • Promote children’s rights and psychosocial care  
  • Empower children and foster their personal development  

Project content

The project will reach 320 children (30% of them girls) in two vulnerable neighbourhoods in the outskirts of Medellin, with the following activities run in each one by football coaches, psychologists and social workers:  

  • Five weekly football training sessions
  • Participation in different leagues 
  • Eight psychosocial workshops a month for children and/or families, promoting psychological well-being, social cohesion and non-violent conflict resolution 
  • Individual psychosocial support when required, for example for victims of domestic abuse and children who are struggling academically 

Partners

Bloomsbury Communities

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location London, UK
Start date 09/09/2024
End date Ongoing
Cost of the project €456,373
Foundation funding €47,505
Project identifier 2024000446 
Partners Bloomsbury Football Foundation
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Conflict victims - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development - Strengthening partnerships

Context

Only 44% of young people (and 41.9% of girls) from low-income households in the UK currently meet the government’s physical activity guidelines. Physical and mental health is therefore being put at risk, while systemic health and social inequalities are being exacerbated. Many young people simply cannot afford to play football, with girls, child refugees and asylum-seekers, and children with disabilities facing additional barriers.   

Project goals

  • Improve mental and physical health, social mobility and life opportunities for children in London’s most disadvantaged and deprived areas.  
  • Enable participants to form positive relationships with young people from other national, ethnic or socio-economic backgrounds   
  • Help participants feel more integrated into their communities   
  • Improve participants’ ability to understand and control their emotions   

Project content

The project will provide opportunities for young people, including refugee and disabled children, to take part in football programmes in housing estates, schools and community centres in deprived areas of London, creating hyper-localised ‘football communities’. The charity’s financial assistance and the accessible nature of activities will ensure that no child is turned away. 

Partners

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

Location and general information

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

Context

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

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

Project goals

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

Project content

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

Partners

She Should Play

Location and general information

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

Context

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

Project goals

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

Project content

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

Partners

test antoine

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location france
Start date 05/13/2025
End date 05/30/2025
Cost of the project €96,840
Foundation funding €50,000
Project identifier 20230339
Partners Medair
Categories Conflict victims

Context

Girls in India face a number of significant challenges including discrimination, exclusion and inequalities in education, health care and access to sport. According to UNICEF over 20% of girls aged 15-19 experience physical violence. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated these issues for girls. Sport is a powerful vehicle to promote inclusion and meaningful participation from both genders. There is, however, limited knowledge among instructors around gender equality and safeguarding practices.

Project goals

  • Promote girls’ participation in football to alter stereotypes and social roles
  • Provide education, motivating the children to continue to study
  • Protect the children’s rights and integrate them into society
  • Empower young people from disadvantaged communities to use football as a tool for progress

Project content

As future community leaders, children and youth are critical to building stronger healthier communities and nations. This program aims to change the attitudes and perceptions among over 10,000 children and young people in India to ensure gender equality and reduce violence against girls. Along with the direct beneficiaries our programmes have shown that these children become advocates and leaders in their families and communities, promoting broader social change. This program will also deliver training and coaching to over 1,000 youth instructors and develop enduring support structures to ensure that football is accessible and safely delivered now and for generations to come.

Partners

Ensuring continued access to education for Afghan girls

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Afghanistan
Start date 02/01/2025
End date 01/31/2026
Cost of the project €235,079
Foundation funding €23,350
Project identifier 2024000956
Partners Right to Learn Afghanistan
Categories Conflict victims - Employability - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development

Context

The circumstances remain dire for women and girls in Afghanistan following the Taliban’s takeover in 2021. According to estimates by UNICEF, 3.7 million children are out of school and tens of thousands of female educators have lost their jobs. According to the UN Development Programme, 85% of Afghans live below the poverty line.

Project goals

Overall objective

  • Ensure continued access to education, employment and essential supplies to students and their families

Specific objectives

  • Increase access to secondary education for Afghan girls
  • Improve the literacy and well-being of students and their families
  • Give Afghan children and their families access to free, high-quality resources in their own language to further their education and careers, and instil a love of reading and healthy lifestyles

Project content

To increase access to secondary education for girls who are denied access to formal education, the project will invite, assess and enrol new cohorts of Afghan girls into the Darakht-e Danesh (‘knowledge tree’) classroom programme.

The project will hire and train qualified Afghan teachers, with a priority on employing women. Additionally, students will receive internet data packages to ensure reliable access to online learning.

To enhance literacy and well-being among students and their families, the project will procure and distribute so-called ‘learning plus baskets’, which contain educational materials and food to support students’ academic performance and overall well-being.

Over a nine-month academic cycle, students will receive instruction in 11 subjects, with mid-term and final exams to track progress and ensure the desired learning outcomes are achieved. Grades will be given to reinforce a sense of achievement and accountability.

Right to Learn’s cherished Darakht-e Danesh library will continue to grow its collection of inclusive resources that promote active, healthy lifestyles, career development, lifelong learning and a love of reading.

Finally, a robust monitoring and evaluation framework will be used to assess the effectiveness of the programme, track student progress and refine activities to maximise impact.

Partners

Fun Football in Nigeria

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Nigeria
Start date 01/01/2025
End date 12/31/2025
Cost of the project €200,000
Foundation funding €100,000
Project identifier 2024000573
Partners Cross Cultures Project Association
Categories Access to Sport - Conflict victims - Employability - Personal development

Context

Nigeria is simultaneously Africa’s most populous country and one of the youngest, with 63% of its 224 million people aged 24 or younger. Despite being the largest economy on the continent, Nigeria faces extreme economic inequality – 40% of the population live in absolute poverty and 53% experience multidimensional poverty.

Since gaining independence in 1960, Nigeria has also faced persistent interreligious and ethnic conflicts, particularly between its two major religious groups, Muslims and Christians. The conflicts have led to millions of deaths throughout the years and caused significant social, economic and infrastructural damage. Nigeria is currently plagued by violence, particularly in the northeast, where Boko Haram and other extremist terrorist groups have been active since the early 2000s.

According to UNICEF, six in ten children in Nigeria experience violence in their daily lives and around 20 million do not go to school. The situation is particular dire for girls, who are more likely than boys to miss out on education, especially in the northern regions, where only 44% of girls receive a primary education and 48% marry before the age of 15. Out-of-school children are particularly vulnerable to violence, crime, child labour and recruitment by militia, making them less likely to break the cycle of poverty and conflict.

Young adults are another vulnerable group in Nigeria – nearly 40% of 25 to 34-year-olds are unemployed, while unemployment among 15 to 24-year-olds reached a soaring 53.4% in 2021. The resultant uncertainty and discouragement have damaging effects on individuals, communities, economies and society at large. Unemployed and underemployed young adults are less able to contribute to national development, have fewer opportunities to exercise their rights and often have limited capacity to bring about change in their lives and communities.

Project goals

Overall objective

Promote peaceful coexistence, improve the well-being of vulnerable children and empower young adults in Nigeria

Specific goals

  • Offer safe and child-friendly spaces to engage 4,000 children aged 6 to 14 in monthly youth-led sports and cultural activities that foster cooperation and positive relationships across societal divides
  • Promote peace, trust and cohesion among divided communities in target areas
  • Empower 100 young leaders and coaches who are not in education, employment or training, and provide them with networks, training, tools and hands-on experience to enable them to become active community participants and role models
  • Set up volunteer associations to enhance the soft skills and abilities of these young leaders

Project content

Fun Football

The Fun Football project involves community-based and child-centred activities that foster communication and cooperation between adversarial groups, increasing trust and promoting positive relations. The project brings people together in safe and inclusive social environments through play and common interests – namely children’s well-being. Trained volunteer youth leaders and coaches organise Fun Football activities and festivals, which comply with the following fundamental principles:

  • Games must be fun and non-competitive; children play in mixed teams with, never against, each other.
  • The activities must bring children, coaches, football clubs and communities together across societal divides.
  • The activities must promote an inclusive environment and ethnic and social diversity. At least 30% of the children participating must be disabled, refugees, orphans or vulnerable children not normally involved in organised sport.
  • The activities must promote girls' football; 40–60% of participants should be girls and women.
  • The activities must be organised by trained volunteer coaches.

Youth Leadership Education

There are two levels to the Youth Leadership Education project: basic and advanced. The basic level took place in 2024 and consisted of a three-day interregional seminar, five days of practical sessions with children and individual feedback from experienced instructors. Participants were trained as volunteer coaches, enabling them to organise Fun Football events for children and engage different communities across social divides. This allowed the young leaders to enhance their communication, organisational and problem-solving skills, while expanding their social networks.

The second level will provide advanced training to volunteer leaders and coaches, with a focus on local sustainability. To ensure that this project continues to run in the medium to long-term, young coaches will be encouraged to integrate these activities into existing football clubs or set up their own grassroots clubs. They will learn how to start, manage and develop democratic volunteer associations in collaboration with regional football associations. Running Fun Football activities alongside local associations will not only enhance sustainability and promote local ownership, it will also provide the coaches with a platform to develop and implement their own sports-based community initiatives, strengthening their sense of agency and entrepreneurial skills and broadening their networks.

Partners

Kick for Hope

Location and general information

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

Context

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

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

Project goals

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

Project content

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

Partners

Child Rights and Football Curriculum

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Mexico
Start date 01/01/2025
End date 12/31/2025
Cost of the project €75,000
Foundation funding €75,000
Project identifier 2024000750
Partners Street Child United
Categories Access to Sport - Conflict victims - Gender Equality

Context

Young people in Mexico are confronted by high levels of criminality and lack of awareness of their rights, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation. Without knowing what protection, support and resources are available to them, many children remain trapped in a cycle of vulnerability and marginalisation, with limited access to quality education. Girls are particularly hard hit, thousands of them unable to access the same rights and opportunities as boys their age.

Project goals

  • Train ten local football coaches and two master trainers to deliver a programme centred around children’s rights, using football to bring about social change
  • Reach over 1,400 vulnerable young people across six cities – Baja California Sur, Guanajuato, Mexico City, Nuevo León, Oaxaca and Quintana Roo – empowering them with knowledge of their rights
  • Equip local coaches and communities to manage and expand the initiative independently, to ensure a lasting impact

Project content

  • Curriculum design and research: Research will be conducted with local partners and designed in collaboration with Everton in the Community, the English Premier League club’s charitable arm, to design a children’s rights curriculum that is tailored to the local context.
  • Train-the-trainer programme: A six-day session will be organised in Mexico City to teach the ten local coaches and two master trainers the curriculum, provide them with essential safeguarding training and monitoring and evaluation techniques, and prepare them to engage with children, earning their trust and encouraging participation from boys and girls.
  • Curriculum delivery: The eight-week curriculum will be implemented in six cities, combining football drills and exercises and discussions on the topic of children’s rights.
  • Sustainability: The local coaches will be empowered to independently manage and deliver the curriculum and use the train-the-trainer model to train additional community coaches.
  • Evaluation and reporting: A thorough, ongoing evaluation of the programme will ensure adjustments and improvements can be made as required.

Partners

Football for Economic Empowerment and Improved Mental Health

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Netherlands, Ter Apel
Start date 03/24/2025
End date 12/31/2026
Cost of the project €100,172
Foundation funding €73,352
Project identifier 2024001105
Partners KNVB WorldCoaches
Categories Access to Sport - Conflict victims - Employability - Gender Equality - Personal development

Context

Migration is a divisive issue, especially when it comes to asylum policies. The Dutch government’s announcement of new asylum and migration rules, including plans to repeal a law that ensures accommodation for people with refugee status is distributed fairly across the country, has led many municipalities to abandon plans for asylum shelters, worsening overcrowding at the central reception centre in Ter Apel.

There are two central reception centres in the Netherlands, run by the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA). All unaccompanied minors are sent to Ter Apel, which now houses more than five times the permitted number, resulting in poor living conditions and neglect. Without education, activities or mentorship, children are reportedly showing more signs of trauma on leaving the centre than when they arrived, and the COA is struggling from lack of resources.

Project goals

  • Empower young asylum seekers and refugees living in Ter Apel by training them to become community coaches who organise regular, structured sports activities for children
  • Teach young asylum seekers and refugees leadership skills, help them take on mentorship roles and foster a sense of responsibility within the community
  • Improve the mental health of both the community coaches, through a renewed sense of purpose and self-worth, and the children who benefit from the positive, structured activities they organise

Project content

  • Football and life skills train-the-trainer courses will be provided to minors housed at the reception centre and refugees living in Ter Apel.
  • Children will be involved in practical sessions so that the course participants can put theory into practice.
  • In groups, participants will be tasked with organising daily sport activities for children.
  • If moved to a different part of the country, WorldCoaches will put the participants in contact with their nearest football club or reception centre so that they can continue their coaching activities.
  • Awareness events will be organised, for example on International Migrants Day.

Partners

Fields of Future

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Iraq, Mosul, Sinjar, Sinuni, Bartilla (Nineveh governorate) and Ramadi (Al Anbar governorate)
Start date 01/01/2025
End date 12/31/2025
Cost of the project €141,865
Foundation funding €54,059
Project identifier 2024000456
Partners Al-Mesalla organisation for human resources development
Categories Access to Sport - Conflict victims - Personal development

Context

Although children living in the Nineveh and Al Anbar governorates have returned to school since their liberation from Daesh in 2017, their physical education has been neglected. Sports equipment is seriously lacking and engagement, especially among girls, is low. This is particularly apparent in Nineveh, known for its multicultural population, where social cohesion remains strained, while schools in Al Anbar have limited resources and inadequate facilities, with few opportunities for physical activity.

Project goals

Overall goal

Integrate sport into education programmes in Nineveh and Al Anbar

Specific objectives

  • Support children’s self-development and well-being
  • Enhance the quality of education
  • Promote children’s rights
  • Build a more cohesive and inclusive society by integrating minority communities
  • Foster unity and respect among students from different backgrounds
  • Create a sports-based model for lasting social change

Project content

  • Eight co-educational middle schools will be selected in collaboration with local authorities in Nineveh and Al Anbar to participate in the project
  • Teachers will receive training on the benefits of physical activity and how to facilitate and encourage student participation in sport
  • Each participating school will be provided with essential sportsequipment
  • Traditional gym classes will be replacedwith dedicated weekly sports sessions aimed at building core skills and fostering teamwork through fun activities and team games
  • Friendly matches and activities will be organised within each school, as well as competitions between the eight participating schools
  • The project will culminate in a final tournament involving all the participating schools, followed by a closing ceremony attended by community leaders, families and senior school staff

Partners

Play for Equality

Location and general information

En cours
Location Ukraine (countrywide except for the temporarily occupied territories)
Start date 02/03/2025
End date 12/31/2025
Cost of the project €141,300
Foundation funding €92,500
Project identifier 2024000853
Partners Klitschko Foundation
Categories Access to Sport - Conflict victims - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development

Context

The war in Ukraine has traumatised many children, with 75% experiencing symptoms such as emotional instability and trouble sleeping. As a result of the shift to online learning, over three quarters of schoolchildren now lead a sedentary lifestyle and only 5% are in good health by the time they leave school. Gender inequality is another problem facing Ukraine, which ranked 66th out of 146 countries in the 2023 Global Gender Gap Index. School is often the first place where children encounter inequality.

Project goals

  • Promote mental health through sport and encourage schoolchildren to get active
  • Champion equal opportunities in sport
  • Educate and empower PE teachers
  • Provide schools with sports equipment and help them to create sports programmes
  • Raise awareness of these topics

Project content

  • A five-day in-person training session for 80 PE teachers from across Ukraine
  • Local sports programmes for children aged 6 to 18 years old led by PE teachers, with a minimum of 75 participants per school
  • Sports equipment for participating schools
  • A week-long innovative sports and educational camp for 120 children aged 11 or 12 and 24 teachers
  • New lessons introduced into the school curriculum

Partners

football3 at school

Location and general information

to be started
Location Poland
Start date 07/01/2025
End date 10/31/2026
Cost of the project €160,320
Foundation funding €48,700
Project identifier 2024001156
Partners Trenuj Bycie Dobrym
Categories Access to Sport - Conflict victims - Gender Equality - Personal development - Strengthening partnerships

Context

A significant challenge facing football in Poland is gender inequality, notably in terms of access and representation. In 2022, only 6.7% of the country’s 443,525 football players were women and only two of the 12 top-division women's football teams had a female manager. Children learn from an early age that football is only for boys, a stereotype which can be tackled at school.

Project goals

Breaking down stereotypes takes hard work and time. Our experience has shown that schools are a great place to tackle this problem, and teachers, children and parents can all play a part. Over the last three years, we have seen football3 change people’s outlooks. The project encourages girls to get involved in football and boys to support them, while at the same time showing teachers the potential benefits of incorporating football3 into their daily work.

  • Promote equal access to football for girls and boys
  • Raise awareness of football3 and its use in promoting inclusivity in sports for 7 to 9-year-olds
  • Strengthen cooperation with the Polish Football Association to encourage more girls and women to get involved in football3

Project content

  • Run 16 in-person certified football3 training sessions in all 16 regions of Poland
  • Deliver at least 500 football3 lessons to over 4,500 children over the 2025/26 school year
  • Organise 16 football3 changemakers tournaments across the country and a final gala to promote equal access to football for everyone
  • Research and assess the project’s impact

Partners

Sport in the Service of Peace

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Israel
Start date 12/01/2024
End date 11/30/2025
Cost of the project €218,686
Foundation funding €65,385
Project identifier 2024000740
Partners Peres Center for Peace and Innovation
Categories Access to Sport - Conflict victims - Personal development - Strengthening partnerships

Context

Even before the tragic events in Israel on 7 October 2023 and the subsequent war in Gaza, relations between Israelis and Palestinians and between Arab and Jewish citizens in Israel were marred by a longstanding conflict that has led to multi-generational fear, distrust and discrimination. Children and youth are particularly vulnerable to radicalising ‘us and them’ rhetoric, which has only got worse with the current war. It is therefore crucial to provide opportunities for positive dialogue that will enable Jewish and Arab children and young people to challenge their fears and break through the psychological, emotional and linguistic barriers that impede the building of foundations for mutual trust, respect and peace.

Project goals

  • Facilitate intercultural dialogue and peacebuilding among Jewish and Arab children, young people and adults in Israel and, if possible, in the Palestinian territories
  • Promote positive perceptions, challenge negative stereotypes and foster cooperation, trust and understanding among participants
  • Increase access to high-quality sport and peace education, especially on the geographic and socioeconomic peripheries

Project content

The Sport in the Service of Peace programme employs a ‘train the trainers’ model, working with community leaders and educators to provide anti-discrimination and leadership training for young people. Jewish and Arab educational partners work together to implement football-based peace education activities for children aged 8 to 12 in both mono- and bi-cultural contexts. Such activities include regular football training, Hebrew/Arabic language learning, cultural exchanges and peace education sessions, as well as football matches played in mixed Jewish-Arab teams using the FairPlay and Green Card methodologies.

Partners

Second Chances

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Hungary, Budapest
Start date 01/01/2025
End date 12/31/2025
Cost of the project €69,440
Foundation funding €50,000
Project identifier 2024000843
Partners Second Chance Sport Association
Categories Access to Sport - Conflict victims - Employability - Gender Equality - Personal development

Context

Many skilled teachers have recently left the profession, which is impacting young people’s access to quality education. Without role models to guide them, children can lose the ability to think critically and struggle to make important life decisions. A lack of critical thinking can foster hostility and prejudice. At the same time, those stuck in a fixed mindset will find their opportunities limited.

Project goals

  • Create sustainable spaces where everyone, regardless of background, has access to community sport programmes that contribute to their physical and mental well-being
  • Tackle discrimination by building young people’s self-esteem without relying on in-group and out-group dynamics
  • Provide a place for learning about our differences and understanding others, encouraging critical thinking and promoting the added value of diversity

Project content

The programme follows two decades of work spent empowering at-risk groups and fostering their social inclusion. Activities on and off the pitch have proved effective in creating strong communities and offering a sense of belonging to groups left behind by society and their peers. Football connects the programme participants, who can learn through shared experiences and develop transferable skills that are essential to gain back governance over their lives. Sports activities include regular football training, a fair play football roadshow, summer camps and participation in international sports events, where the diverse team put together by Second Chance represents Hungary. Activities off the pitch focus on skills development (e.g. digital skills training), empowerment (e.g. an early pregnancy prevention workshop) and programme sustainability (e.g. training for coaches).

Partners