Football Mission Casamance

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Rural villages and the urban area of Ziguinchor, Casamance and Thiès, Senegal
Start date 01/01/2026
End date 12/31/2027
Cost of the project €100,000
Foundation funding €40,000
Project identifier 2025002266
Partners Football Mission
Categories Access to Sport - Environmental protection - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development - Strengthening partnerships

Context

In Senegal, strong territorial disparities persist between urban and rural areas. In Casamance and in some rural parts of the southern Thiès region, many young people have limited access to structured sport, informal education and economic opportunities. These rural areas lack of suitable sports infrastructure, community-based organisations are fragile and access to qualified supervision is limited. This situation contributes to social disengagement, increased vulnerability among young people and a rural exodus towards major cities or abroad. In addition, these territories face significant environmental challenges, particularly related to plastic waste management. The lack of local systems for awareness-raising, collection, sorting and recycling leads to the degradation of living environments and limited engagement with ecological issues.

Project goals

Overall objective:

Promote social inclusion, empowerment and resilience among young people in rural Senegal through a structured programme using football as an educational, environmental and economic lever

Specific goals:

  • Support ten new rural villages in Casamance and Thiès, while continuing follow-up in the seven villages supported during the previous phase
  • Ensure equitable and structured access to sport for girls and boys
  • Strengthen the skills of local educators, volunteers and community leaders
  • Raise awareness of environmental, health and civic issues
  • Support the structuring of football clubs and schools with educational and social components
  • Encourage the creation of local micro-projects linked to the circular economy
  • Contribute to the creation of sustainable local jobs relating to sport and the environment

Project content

The project is based on comprehensive village support over a two-year period and includes the following actions:

  • Deliver training pathways in club management, sports coaching, communication, the circular economy, environmental awareness and first aid
  • Implement environmental and civic awareness activities adapted to local realities
  • Organise educational and mixed-gender tournaments (FM Cup) in the ten villages, as well as regional tournaments
  • Distribute sports and educational equipment to the supported local structures
  • Provide tailored monitoring and support through Football Mission local coordinators
  • Create a support fund to back community micro-projects that generate income
  • Install and operate two recycled football pitches in Ziguinchor, serving both as a base for activities and logistics and as an economic lever to finance jobs and local actions

Partners

The United for Sport School

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Sala, Bamako region, Mali
Start date 12/01/2025
End date 07/31/2026
Cost of the project €51,919
Foundation funding €41,535
Project identifier 2025000774
Partners Unis Vers le Sport France
Categories Access to Sport - Employability - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Infrastructure and equipment

Context

The Unis Vers le Sport school in Sala, in Mali’s Bamako region, opened in 2008 with the aim of providing an academic, vocational, cultural and sporting education free of charge to about a hundred children who cannot afford to attend school elsewhere. Daily physical education lessons are integrated into the standard school curriculum and feature a wide range of sports, including football, basketball, handball and volleyball. This supports the pupils’ personal development by teaching them core sporting values such as respect for rules and for other people and the importance of committing to goals and striving to be the best they can be. Learning to play different sports also enables them to look after their physical and mental health and opens up a range of possible career paths, whether as athletes, teachers or coaches. Unfortunately, the school’s facilities are now dilapidated, making it very hard to deliver academic and sporting activities and threatening the future of the programme.

Project goals

The overarching aim of this project is to renovate the school to give pupils and teachers a safe environment, suitable for their academic and sporting activities. This will extend the impact of the original project, ensuring that new generations of children can benefit.

Specific objectives:

  • Renovate all the school’s facilities
  • Install a generator to power the school, which currently has no electricity
  • Drill a well to address the lack of a clean water supply

Project content

The project milestones, in chronological order, are as follows:

  • Refurbish the multi-sports area (concrete pitch/court, goals, basketball hoops, line markings, etc.)
  • Replace all roofs
  • Renovate the school buildings (internal and external walls, floors, stairs, perimeter walls, doors, windows, paintwork, etc.)
  • Install a complete photovoltaic system (solar panels, inverters, batteries, panel supports, protective housing, etc.)
  • Establish a well (borehole, pump, solar panels, water tank holder, water tank, etc.)

The work is expected to take three months to complete.

 

Partners

The Mutula Cup

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location All ten provinces of Mozambique
Start date 02/01/2026
End date 12/31/2026
Cost of the project €240,841
Foundation funding €100,000
Project identifier 2025001258
Partners Associação Futebol dá força, Mozambique
Categories Access to Sport - Gender Equality - Personal development - Strengthening partnerships

Context

Mozambique remains one of the world’s poorest countries, where poverty, gender inequality, and harmful social norms continue to affect girls’ access to education, information about healthcare, and opportunities. In many communities, girls face early marriage, early pregnancy, and traditional practices that limit their agency and prospects. Social norms often prioritise boys’ access to education, leisure, and resources, while girls are burdened with household tasks from an early age.

Limited access to information about sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), combined with insufficient sanitary facilities and taboos surrounding sexuality, further restricts girls’ ability to make informed decisions about their health and well-being. In vulnerable households, alcohol abuse and domestic and sexual violence remain challenges. Girls are also less physically active than boys and have fewer opportunities to participate safely in sport.

Project goals

  • Improve the quality of life of more than 46,000 girls aged 8–16 in Mozambique by advancing their education, agency and rights through the organisation of the Mutola Cup, a girls’ grassroots football league
  • Empower girls with leadership skills and knowledge about their health and rights
  • Promote gender equality
  • Equip over 3,000 community-based coaches to deliver football training sessions that incorporate educational content and positive role modelling

Project content

The project combines football training with structured educational activities that are integrated into the school curriculum in 93 districts in all ten provinces of Mozambique.

Activities include:

  • training 3,074 community-based football coaches to deliver gender-sensitive training sessions that incorporate life skills and SRHR education;
  • training 1,537 team captains (girls aged 14–16) as peer educators to facilitate dialogue and peer-to-peer learning within their teams and communities;
  • weekly football training sessions, team talks and educational workshops delivered to 46,110 girls in 1,537 teams, ensuring football serves as a consistent and safe platform for learning;
  • organising the Mutola Cup competition in 93 districts;
  • continual coordination and monitoring, including data collection and reporting throughout the project cycle.

Through this combined approach, football becomes both a sporting competition and an educational activity that supports girls in their schools and communities.

Partner

Busajo Campus

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Sodo, Wolaita Zone, Ethiopia
Start date 01/01/2026
End date 12/31/2026
Cost of the project €83,200
Foundation funding €56,000
Project identifier 2025000519
Partners Busajo NGO
Categories Access to Sport - Employability - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development

Context

The project is based in Sodo, Ethiopia. This area of the country is developing rapidly, bringing both opportunities and societal challenges. As the region’s economy grows, thousands of children are migrating from the countryside into Sodo in the hope of improving their lives, but they are often met with poverty and violence. Many girls fall into prostitution or suffer severe abuse. Even children who are born in the city often struggle to afford school and end up working on the streets with no education, and destined for a future of exploitation.

Project goals

  • Use sport to bring people together and teach tolerance, respect and teamwork
  • Reduce and prevent child slavery, crime and prostitution
  • Increase school attendance among vulnerable children
  • Improve the physical, psychological and social well-being of all participants
  • Promote personal development, support relationship-building, and build soft skills

Project content

Busajo Campus is a social and educational project that supports street children from the city of Sodo and the surrounding countryside. These children have often suffered extreme poverty, exploitation and cultural marginalisation, and have first-hand experience of problems like child slavery, crime and prostitution. Through a mixture of education, personal development activities, sport and vocational training, the project gives these children a chance to reclaim their dignity and rebuild their confidence and hope for the future.

Partners

Move the Ball, Change the World

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Madrid and the Valencian Community, Spain
Start date 03/01/2026
End date 03/01/2027
Cost of the project €111,300
Foundation funding €57,500
Project identifier 2025000526
Partners Fundación Red Deporte y Cooperación
Categories Access to Sport - Employability - Environmental protection - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development

Context

The Valencian Community experienced floods in 2024, and since then around 40% of young people in the areas affected report mental health problems and difficulty concentrating on their studies. Young people in the disadvantaged Fuencarral-El Pardo district of Madrid face similar issues.

Project goals

  • Increase 440 young people’s resilience and personal and social growth
  • Break down cultural and social barriers that often prevent girls and young women from participating in sport
  • Highlight the importance of positive masculinity and boys being allies in achieving gender equality
  • Train 30 coaches in mental health and gender equality through football

Project content

  • Running training sessions, workshops and other football-related activities
  • Training coaches in mental health and gender equality
  • Holding a one-day football festival in Madrid and two festivals in Valencia on gender equality and resilience
  • Holding a two-day tournament in Valencia for participants from both Madrid and Valencia to learn from each other through football and workshops
  • Sharing a manual on football, gender equality and empowerment in Spanish and English with at least 100 social organisations

Partner

We live together, learn and play

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Madrid, Spain
Start date 01/01/2026
End date 12/31/2026
Cost of the project €213,113
Foundation funding €20,000
Project identifier 2025001114
Partners Asociación Alacrán 1997
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development

Context

The main critical issues detected are the vulnerability of children and adolescents regarding their mental and physical health. Anxiety, stress and unwanted isolation have been identified, along with unhealthy habits related to nutrition, sleep and excessive smartphone use. There is also an increased risk of tobacco, alcohol and other drug consumption.

Project goals

  • Support the personal and social development of vulnerable children, helping them to acquire life skills and develop key values.
  • Create a community environment that provides a protective, caring space for children and adolescents, and guarantees their rights.
  • Support the active engagement of children and adolescents, and serve as a model for other projects and initiatives in the community and society at large.

Project content

The project, with football at its core, promotes the holistic development of 130 vulnerable children and adolescents aged between 6 and 17. We believe that sport and civic activities are powerful tools for supporting children’s physical and mental health, strengthening their social and personal skills and instilling key values like equality, respect and teamwork. The project aims to use those tools to create safe, inclusive spaces where children can grow, be empowered, and become agents of change in their communities.

To achieve these objectives, the project delivers activities and programmes in the following areas:

  • Football activities, including running a football school, training youth coaches, organising community sports events and campaigning for equality in sport.
  • Comprehensive social, emotional and educational support both individually and in groups, including additional schooling, training workshops and a mental well-being group.
  • Educational leisure activities and training for youth monitors.
  • Setting up councils of children and adolescents to promote active engagement in decision-making.

Partner

League for Equity

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Lisbon and Porto (Portugal); Praia (Cabo Verde)
Start date 01/01/2026
End date 06/30/2027
Cost of the project €101,932
Foundation funding €81,545
Project identifier 2025001110
Partners Social Innovation Sports Hub (SISH)
Categories Access to Sport - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development

Context

In Portugal and Cabo Verde, girls from vulnerable communities face persistent socio-economic challenges and gender-related barriers that limit their access to education, sport, and opportunities for personal development. In urban areas, poverty, family instability and social exclusion are widespread, while safe, inclusive spaces for girls are scarce. This is reflected in the development of women’s football; participation rates are nine times lower than in the men’s game, and girls often give up the sport because of cultural prejudice and a lack of suitable training opportunities. There is an urgent need for initiatives to promote equality, empower vulnerable girls and encourage long-term social change.

Project goals

Our overarching mission is to get more girls from vulnerable communities taking part in sport and to give them more opportunities for personal development.

Our specific objectives are:

  • to increase girls’ participation in football and reduce dropout rates;
  • to foster leadership, inclusion and empowerment;
  • to enhance girls’ social and emotional skills and build their confidence;
  • to develop menstrual literacy and create safe spaces for discussions on health, equality and well-being;
  • to build support networks by engaging families and communities.

Project content

The project uses football as a tool for social change. It incorporates the inclusive training methods specifically tailored to female athletes, combined with educational initiatives designed to promote menstrual literacy.

SISH runs social and educational events designed to engage the community and build capacity. As well as empowering coaches and future leaders, the project also creates safe spaces where girls can play football, which helps them develop their leadership skills and self-esteem.

The project is delivered in three ways:

  • Training sessions are held twice a week and focus on developing technical, physical, social and emotional skills.
  • Monthly workshops are open to participants in the programme and to the community more widely. They promote leadership, equality, menstrual dignity, good health and general well-being.
  • Quarterly community events bring together groups from different areas. They strengthen community bonds, raise awareness of the project, and give people from a variety of backgrounds the chance to socialise together.

Partner

Kids Love Sport

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Czechia
Start date 01/01/2026
End date 06/30/2027
Cost of the project €136,000
Foundation funding €66,000
Project identifier 2025000321
Partners Gymnathlon Foundation
Categories Access to Sport - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development

Context

Sport provides children with important life skills, promotes personal growth, social integration and mental well-being, and can help to prevent lifestyle diseases. Children in orphanages and from socially disadvantaged backgrounds in Czechia and Slovakia do not have the same access to sport as others.

Project goals

Prepare children for adulthood by helping them transition into independent and healthy lives:

  • Ensuring that children achieve better physical fitness through regular participation in sport, which contributes to overall health
  • Using sport to help prevent lifestyle diseases, such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular conditions, which are increasingly common among children in modern society
  • Encouraging children to adopt a healthy and active lifestyle, which will benefit them not only during their childhood but also into adulthood
  • Helping children build confidence by participating and succeeding in sport
  • Teaching children the importance of collaboration and cooperation in sport and in life
  • Using sport as a tool to enhance children’s cognitive abilities and emotional health

Project content

Gymnathlon Foundation runs weekly courses in orphanages and nearby facilities that focus on overall physical development and introduce children to various sports, such as gymnastics, athletics, volleyball, basketball, tennis and parkour. The programme is designed to be fun and engaging to ensure maximum participation and long-term impact.

Special sports days are held directly at orphanages to further engage the children, the coaches receive continuous training to improve their skills, ensuring high-quality instruction, and the older children are given the opportunity to become assistant coaches, which not only builds their skills and experience but also provides income opportunities.

Partner

Green Goals for All

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Shkodër and Elbasan, Albania
Start date 02/01/2026
End date 02/01/2027
Cost of the project €115,000
Foundation funding €70,000
Project identifier 2025002471
Partners Qendra Marrëdhënie (The Relationship Center)
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Environmental protection - Infrastructure and equipment

Context

Football is Albania’s most popular sport and a source of national pride and community. However, access to spaces for sport and play remains poor, with girls, Roma children and disabled children in particular often excluded from team sport.

Project goals

  • Transform school playgrounds in two Albanian cities with high Roma populations into green playgrounds: shaded and welcoming community-centred spaces that are inclusive and climate-responsive
  • Provide quality sports pitches and safe places for neighbourhood residents of all ages and backgrounds to exercise, play and learn
  • Offer equitable, low-barrier access to sport and nature, fostering health, confidence and community among marginalised young people

Project content

  • Organise school selection workshops and introductory sessions with each municipality to align objectives and expectations within the relevant city departments
  • Run training sessions and on-site exchanges with expert green playground designers and engagement professionals
  • Engage with the community through playground parties, neighbourhood meetings and baseline opinion surveys
  • Involve students – particularly girls, Roma children and disabled children – in the design process to ensure the spaces reflect their diverse needs
  • Lead the technical design process in close coordination with municipal departments, oversee the construction process and quality control during implementation
  • Use environmental measurements, observational surveys and perception surveys to assess outcomes such as reduced surface temperatures, increased shade coverage, increased use outside of school hours and improved inclusion
  • Provide hands-on training to municipal maintenance staff and sport and science teachers, who can potentially use the playgrounds for outdoor learning opportunities

Partner

A pathway away from violence for children and young adults

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Zone 3, Guatemala City, Guatemala
Start date 01/05/2026
End date 12/31/2026
Cost of the project €41,346
Foundation funding €29,215
Project identifier 2025002431
Partners Asociación de Maestros de Educación Temprana Plantando Semillas
Categories Access to Sport - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development

Context

During Guatemala’s civil war (1960–96), an estimated 200,000 people were killed or forcibly disappeared, and more than 1.5 million were displaced amid widespread human rights violations, most notably against indigenous populations.

Over 10,000 people live in Zone 3 of Guatemala City, many of whom were displaced during the conflict. The zone is also home to the city’s garbage dump; residents build homes on its periphery and sustain their families by collecting and selling recyclable materials.

Although the armed conflict officially ended in 1996, its consequences persist. Violence, poverty, inequality, discrimination and weak public institutions continue to define daily life, and youth gangs have expanded rapidly in marginalised urban areas like Zone 3.

Children and teenagers growing up in Zone 3 are continuously exposed to community violence and extreme poverty, and lack access to safe public spaces. Families are under constant strain from economic insecurity, while schools, social services and mental healthcare remain severely under-resourced. Together, these conditions lead to chronic stress, anxiety and trauma, placing children’s development, safety and future opportunities at risk.

Project goals

  • Offer a football training programme to improve players' football skills, teamwork and fair play, while fostering friendship and discipline
  • Provide at-risk children and teenagers with a path away from violence by engaging them in healthy recreation through sport and support their education
  • Boost academic success, reinforce the importance of education and provide children and teenagers with spaces and opportunities to nurture the skills they need to succeed
  • Offer opportunities to practise sport through football, basketball and volleyball groups
  • Ensure that participants have access to additional services, including psychosocial support, and provide their caregivers with parental assistance

Project content

Intensive football training

Structured, high-quality football training for children and teenagers, combining physical conditioning, technical skill development, teamwork and discipline. Practices are led by trained coaches who promote values such as respect, perseverance and non-violent conflict resolution.

Tutoring

 Individual and small-group academic assistance to address learning gaps and support participants’ academic performance, encouraging them to stay in school. Tutoring focuses on core subjects such as reading, writing and mathematics, while also reinforcing study habits, goal setting and self-confidence.

Scholarships are available for a small number of participants to support them in school.

Psychosocial support groups

Psychosocial support groups are held twice a month, providing safe, facilitated spaces where children and teenagers can explore psychological topics to strengthen emotional regulation, communication skills and healthy coping strategies. The programme promotes social-emotional well-being and helps participants reduce anxiety, improve relationships and develop a stronger sense of self-worth.

Sports groups

 Recreational basketball, volleyball and football groups offer inclusive, structured activities that promote physical health, teamwork and positive social interaction. Sessions take place weekly, and participants can explore different sports, helping them to develop cooperation skills and positive peer relationships. The groups also serve as safe spaces that keep children and teenagers engaged during high-risk hours, reinforcing healthy routines and community connection.

In addition to the sports groups, the athletic court at the community centre remains open throughout the week for unstructured play.

Motivated women programme

Group sessions focused on emotional well-being, personal development and life skills to support mothers and women. The programme strengthens self-esteem, stress management, communication and peer support networks, while also addressing challenges related to caregiving, economic pressure and community violence. By supporting women and mothers, the programme reinforces family stability and enhances positive outcomes for children and teenagers.

Partner

Smart Ball

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Türkmenabat city, Lebap region, Turkmenistan
Start date 01/05/2026
End date 12/18/2026
Cost of the project €69,020
Foundation funding €32,000
Project identifier 2025001508
Partners Taze Zaman NGO
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development

Context

Young people in Türkmenabat have limited access to quality extracurricular activities, particularly in sport and civic education. Around 60% of schools lack adequate sports facilities, and girls’ participation in organised football remains very low (about 15%), reflecting persistent gender stereotypes and unequal access. Youth unemployment and rural-urban disparities further restrict opportunities for personal development and social inclusion. Although football is popular, public pitches are scarce, underfunded and often unsafe, especially for girls. These challenges create an urgent need for integrated initiatives that combine access to sport with life skills, gender equality and civic education – making the Smart Ball project both timely and highly relevant to the local context.

Project goals

  • Increase youth participation in safe and structured sport, with a strong focus on girls
  • Promote gender equality by challenging stereotypes and increasing girls’ participation in football
  • Enhance young people’s life skills and employability through education in leadership, teamwork and civic engagement
  • Improve access to quality sports infrastructure by renovating public football pitches for long-term community use

Project content

The 12-month football and education project comprises a variety of complementary activities:

  • Regular football training sessions delivered three times a week by certified local coaches, in structured groups and safe, inclusive training environments
  • Weekly educational workshops that use interactive methods to engage participants in topics such as teamwork, leadership, gender equality and active citizenship
  • Renovation of two public football pitches, equipped to ensure safe and consistent access for training and community use
  • Inclusive community tournaments and thematic events, including activities specifically encouraging girls’ participation, bringing together young people, their families and local partners and strengthening community engagement around the programme

Partner

Logo Smart Ball

Sports4Good

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Chiang Mai, Thailand
Start date 01/01/2026
End date 12/31/2026
Cost of the project €71,000
Foundation funding €42,500
Project identifier 2025002170
Partners Baan Dek Foundation
Categories Access to Sport - Gender Equality - Infrastructure and equipment - Personal development

Context

An estimated 60,000 children and young people in Chiang Mai live in temporary camps with their parents, who have come to the area to work on local construction sites. The children face challenging circumstances, such as poor living conditions, lack of social integration, and difficulties in accessing public healthcare, education, and protection services. This greatly reduces their chances of integrating into and developing in wider society, depriving them of the chance to break the cycle of poverty and realise their full potential in life.

Project goals

  • Increase children’s access to sport
  • Encourage active engagement in physical activities
  • Support children’s holistic development and overall well-being
  • Foster social inclusion and integration into the Thai education system and wider society
  • Strengthen children’s sense of belonging
  • Promote gender equality

Project content

The project provides migrant children and young people living in construction site camps with equal opportunities to participate in sports sessions and competitions, including ensuring that they have the necessary sports equipment. It encourages and supports girls to participate equally in all sports activities, and also empowers young people by training them to become peer educators and positive role models within their communities.

Partner

Bringing Communities Together and Empowering Children in Border Areas through Football in Tajikistan

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Gorno-Badakhshan Region and Sughd Province, Tajikistan
Start date 04/01/2026
End date 03/31/2028
Cost of the project €191,000
Foundation funding €100,000
Project identifier 2025001936
Partners The International Organization for Migration (IOM) country office in Tajikistan / Tajikistan Football Federation
Categories Access to Sport - Conflict victims - Gender Equality - Infrastructure and equipment - Personal development - Strengthening partnerships

Context

Children and young people in Tajikistan’s border regions are exposed to the effects of geographic isolation, economic hardship, and limited access to safe, inclusive spaces. They are also vulnerable to criminal activity and political risks, including cross-border trafficking, drug smuggling and the presence of extremist groups. These problems cause social instability, disrupt community life, deepen inter-ethnic divisions and reduce opportunities for personal and economic development. Access to quality education, structured activities and positive role models is also limited, increasing the risk of exclusion and disengagement. In addition, girls face particular cultural and security barriers that restrict their participation in community life and recreational activities, exacerbating gender inequality and social isolation.

Project goals

  • Improve access to safe infrastructure for sport (including football)
  • Provide more opportunities for recreation, social interaction and developing skills
  • Empower vulnerable children in Tajikistan’s border regions
  • Bring children from both sides of the Tajik-Kyrgyz and Tajik-Afghan borders together
  • Foster resilience and inclusion in border communities affected by conflict
  • Provide female role models to encourage girls’ participation
  • Encourage community ownership of inclusive sports initiatives
  • Raise public awareness of these initiatives and make them sustainable
  • Foster cross-community interaction, understanding and peace

Project content

The IOM and the Tajikistan Football Federation will jointly identify target locations in the Tajik-Kyrgyz and Tajik-Afghan border areas to construct or refurbish football pitches. The project will run regular football events, including cross-border tournaments and festivals, to strengthen social cohesion and reduce tensions between ethnic groups. These activities will be complemented by training in life skills and leadership. The project will also provide mental health and psychosocial support for children, especially girls.

In order to foster community ownership, increase public awareness and promote the sustainability of these initiatives, the project will work with local people to draw up and implement community action plans, organise tournaments and deliver national publicity campaigns. Local people will also be involved in maintaining the facilities.

Partner

Playing with Corals 2.0: Football as a gateway to climate action and marine awareness

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Faafu Atoll, Maldives
Start date 03/01/2026
End date 02/29/2028
Cost of the project €205,000
Foundation funding €100,000
Project identifier 2025002042
Partners MaRHE Center of the University of Milano-Bicocca
Categories Access to Sport - Environmental protection - Personal development

Context

Located in the middle of the Indian Ocean, the Republic of the Maldives is composed of approximately 1,200 islands – of which only 187 are inhabited – scattered over roughly 90,000m2. Recognised by the UN as a Small Island Developing State, the Maldives are characterised by their limited land area, remoteness, limited and unevenly distributed resources, and heightened vulnerability to global environmental challenges, including the impacts of climate change, and potentially more frequent and intense natural disasters.

Plastic pollution is one of numerous threats to coral reefs. Despite nationwide bans on single-use plastics, washed-ashore debris results in almost 3 items of litter per square metre. Cigarettes and plastic food wrappers are the most commonly found items.

Project goals

Equip local trainers to lead marine conservation and socio-educational football activities that:

  • promote a culture of environmental care and responsible management of natural resources (SDGs 13 and 14);
  • develop children’s personalities through sport and football and encourage healthy lifestyles, good health and well-being (SDG 3);
  • foster early engagement in conservation to help children become environmental ambassadors and the new guardians of the reef, using a experiential, place-based education (SDG 4);
  • address plastic pollution by assigning each child a 25m2 portion of the beach – and later of the reef – that they are responsible for keeping clean.

Project content

A team of researchers from the MaRHE Center of the University of Milano-Bicocca and professionals from Inter Campus, the social arm of FC Internazionale Milano, will organise two five-day clinics for selected trainers. The clinics – a combination of theoretical lectures and practical activities – will equip the trainers for their work with children throughout the year, in relation to both marine conservation (coral reef ecology and biodiversity, climate change, human impacts, threats, plastic pollution and citizen science) and football training (socio-educational approach to build and manage children’s resilience and life skills through sport).

Practical sessions will include training simulations and real sessions with the children, run by trainers and supervised by the organisers. These will include football and beach games and beach clean-ups, slowly moving towards the reef to increase children’s confidence in this marine environment and promote stewardship.

The project will be evaluated on a regular basis, using questionnaires to track effectiveness over time, in terms of the children’s development and their environmental awareness.

Partner

Inclusive Sport for All

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Tokmok, Chuy region, Kyrgyzstan
Start date 03/01/2026
End date 02/28/2027
Cost of the project €33,810
Foundation funding €26,610
Project identifier 2025000796
Partners UPLIFT PF
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Healthy lifestyle - Strengthening partnerships

Context

Children with disabilities in rural Kyrgyzstan have very limited access to inclusive forms of sport and physical activity. Their non-disabled siblings also often lack opportunities for healthy development and social interaction, especially if their families are living on a low income. This leads to isolation and reduced mobility, and places children and families under emotional strain.

Project goals

To provide inclusive, community-based opportunities for children with disabilities in Kyrgyzstan (and their families) to take part in sport, thus promoting good health, inclusion and equality of opportunity.

Project content

  • Weekly inclusive sport sessions held at Uplift Centre
  • Weekly sessions with local partners (NGOs, schools and clubs)
  • Group movement/exercise activities for the participants’ parents
  • Inclusive family sports days and tournaments
  • Volunteer-led training on how to make sport more inclusive
  • Free access to local clubs for participants’ siblings

Partner

Mighty Members

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Battambang, Cambodia
Start date 01/01/2026
End date 12/31/2026
Cost of the project €109,450
Foundation funding €15,000
Project identifier 2025000113
Partners SALT Academy
Categories Access to Sport - Conflict victims - Employability - Environmental protection - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development - Strengthening partnerships

Context

The level of poverty in Cambodia traps generation after generation of young people in a vicious cycle of neglect, trafficking and abuse – a cycle that the Mighty Members programme seeks to break through education, football and mentorship.

Project goals

Main goal: Empower young people to be change makers through sport

Other objectives:

  • Empower and build self-efficacy
  • Instil good characters and moral values
  • Promote good health, nutrition and physical activity
  • Educate and ensure future job opportunities

Project content

Mighty Members is an intensive full-time programme designed to empower young men and women in difficult situations as a result of poverty, domestic violence, abandonment, child labour or trafficking. A total of 60 carefully selected members – 30 male and 30 female Mighty Members aged 9 to 20 – are given a private education through to high-school graduation, including English classes, maths tutoring and computing, counselling, football matches (including international travel), meals and training in refereeing and coaching.

As the Mighty Members are raised up, they themselves take what they have learned out into their communities and multiply the effects through coaching, refereeing and teaching life skills to teams of their own.

Partner

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