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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Play for Change: Building respectful communities through sport

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Gaborone and Kweneng districts, Botswana
Start date 01/05/2026
End date 06/30/2026
Cost of the project €136,000
Foundation funding €100,000
Project identifier 2025001231
Partners HOPE Worldwide Botswana
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development - Strengthening partnerships

Context

Gender-based violence is a significant challenge in Botswana, experienced by 67% of women. Young teens lack positive role models and structured opportunities to develop healthy relationship skills. Moreover, traditional gender-based violence prevention focuses on the women and girls, without giving men or women adequate support to challenge harmful gender norms and develop respectful attitudes towards gender equality and children's rights.

Project goals

  • Reduce acceptance of gender-based violence by 30% among 1,100 teenagers aged 10 to 15 (660 boys, 440 girls)
  • Promote gender equality, healthy relationships and positive forms of masculinity and femininity, fostering respect, leadership and protection of children’s rights
  • Build sustainable community-based prevention programmes
  • Strengthen protection of children's rights through bystander intervention training for all participants
  • Create lasting inclusive community partnerships for comprehensive, sustainable youth development

Project content

  • Training 15 coaches to deliver a dual-track sports-based programme that is adapted to the local cultural context and combines sport with gender-specific curricula and child protection: Coaching Boys Into Men and Changing the Game for Girls
  • Weekly two-hour sessions by 15 trained coaches in 20 schools, 2 disability institutions and 10 community clubs for 1,100 teens aged 10 to 15, including children with disabilities
  • Baseline, midway and end-of-programme assessments with all 1,100 participants
  • Joint community showcases, stakeholder engagement events and community dialogue on changing norms and human rights, including children’s rights, women’s rights and disability rights

Partner

Sport and support – Equal goals!

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Berane, Nikšić, Podgorica and Zeta (Montenegro)
Start date 01/15/2026
End date 06/15/2026
Cost of the project €92,636
Foundation funding €73,162
Project identifier 2025000548
Partners Parents NGO
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Conflict victims - Gender Equality - Personal development

Context

UNICEF has reported that more than 30% of children in Montenegro are at risk of poverty, and more than 40% of children under five years old in low and middle-income countries such as Montenegro are at risk of not reaching their full developmental potential. Early childhood poverty increases the risk of developmental delays, lower academic achievement, mental and physical health issues, and future unemployment. The COVID-19 pandemic, inflation and political instability have further worsened conditions for children and families. At the same time, growing inequality between rich and poor is deepening disparities among children.

Project goals

  • Reduce inequalities among children by providing equal opportunities.
  • Reduce dropout rates in primary and secondary education.
  • Increase the children’s self-confidence, with a special focus on girls.
  • Increase opportunities for socialisation and peer connections.
  • Improve the children’s self-esteem and ability to direct their own learning.

In collaboration with coaches and school staff, the project aims to send a clear message: the children are valued, strong and supported, and together, we can overcome anything!

Project content

The project runs sports and psychological workshops in ten schools across Montenegro, with a focus on Roma children and those from low-income families, helping them to become champions of equality. It provides free football programmes for 720 children, 76% of whom are taking part in sport for the first time, as well as psychological empowerment sessions for 150 girls and continuous psychological support for 150 girls.

Partner

Football for Unity

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Dublin, Ireland
Start date 01/01/2026
End date 10/31/2026
Cost of the project €65,860
Foundation funding €30,000
Project identifier 2025002117
Partners Sport Against Racism Ireland (SARI)
Categories Access to Sport - Employability - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development - Strengthening partnerships

Context

The northeastern inner city of Dublin suffers from high levels of deprivation and poverty, with high concentrations of lone parents (up to 80% in some areas), unemployment (approximately 50% of men and 40% of women, against a national average of 4%), low educational attainment (50% of people aged 15 and over have primary education only, against a national average of 9%) and high levels of crime and substance abuse. It is also the area in Ireland with the highest percentage of ethnic minorities.

Project goals

  • Increase mutual understanding between children and young people with different backgrounds and improve the integration of migrants and third-country nationals
  • Create safe spaces for children and young people to play football
  • Promote migrants’ involvement in sport and volunteering
  • Foster youth empowerment through football
  • Create more cohesion between young people, community groups, police and local authorities
  • Educate participants in diversity and inclusion, and against racism and xenophobia

Project content

Three months of football training nights and diversity and inclusion education leading up to a series of seven-a-side football tournaments in various age categories across the northeastern inner city of Dublin in June and July.

Partner

Developing therapeutic physical activity programmes in hospitals for children affected by cancer

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Paris and Toulouse, France
Start date 01/01/2026
End date 08/31/2026
Cost of the project €187,529
Foundation funding €20,000
Project identifier 2025000849
Partners CAMI Sport & Cancer
Categories Access to Sport - Healthy lifestyle

Context

Cancer affects an average of 2,500 children for the first time each year in France. It is the second leading cause of death in children and adolescents. During treatment, children with cancer are often confined to tiny, sterile bedrooms. Being stuck in a hospital bed has many consequences, physical and psychological, including loss of muscle mass, physical deconditioning, loss of flexibility, reduced independence, sleep disturbance, fatigue, anxiety, stress, isolation and pain. Scientific studies carried out over many years have shown that regular sports participation can improve all these parameters.

Project goals

Support 180 to 190 children each year to:

  • Reduce the side effects of cancer treatment
  • Prevent the loss of muscle mass that results from being bed-ridden
  • Improve quality of life
  • Relieve the stress of being stuck in a traditional hospital environment
  • Combat social withdrawal and isolation through inclusion
  • Improve confidence and self-esteem

Project content

The project offers fun activities such as ball games, scooters and physical play for children in hospital. For teenagers and young adults, it provides physical activities adapted to the patient’s level of fatigue (gentle muscle strengthening, flexibility training). Practitioners visit the hospital departments for children, teenagers and young adults, offering one-to-one sessions lasting 45 minutes to an hour to any patients who would like them.

Partner

Bridging Footsteps

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Sofia (Bulgaria), Prizren (Kosovo), Odobesti (Romania)
Start date 05/01/2026
End date 07/31/2027
Cost of the project €100,000
Foundation funding €100,000
Project identifier 2025001536
Partners CONCORDIA Bulgaria Foundation
Categories Access to Sport - Gender Equality - Strengthening partnerships

Context

According to Eurochild, 33.9% of children in Bulgaria and 41.5% of children in Romania live in poverty or are at risk of social exclusion – those figures equate to around 400,000 and 1.5 million children respectively. The figures are equally alarming in Kosovo, which has the youngest population in Europe: UNICEF found that 23% of children there grow up in poverty and 7% live in extreme poverty. These circumstances not only affect their day-to-day quality of life but also reduce their chances of getting a good education and therefore their career prospects and likelihood of a healthy adult life. Marginalised communities suffer education inequality and high school-dropout rates, limited access to public services and leisure activities, health challenges owing to poor nutrition, hygiene and a lack of exercise as well as stereotypes and systemic discrimination, which perpetuate poverty.

Project goals

  • Provide equal access to sports opportunities for marginalised children from Roma, poverty-stricken and rural communities
  • Help participants to develop soft skills such as teamwork, discipline and communication to prepare them for further education or training and improve their long-term employability
  • Enhance local capacities, combat gender and cultural stereotypes and build knowledge and strategies to increase girls’ participation in sport
  • Encourage consistent and continued school attendance among project participants
  • Promote proper nutrition, hygiene and fitness and facilitate access to regular nursing and psychological care

Project content

  • Visit to youth football projects and a professional football academy in Vienna for seven social practitioners from CONCORDIA Bulgaria, Romania and Kosovo, enabling them to gain expertise in age-specific and gender-inclusive coaching
  • A half-day training course for those practitioners on inclusive football practices for disadvantaged children and youth and the project’s experience in Bulgaria
  • Weekly football training for 30 children in Romania, 30 in Kosovo and 50 in Bulgaria, in cooperation with local schools to promote regular school attendance
  • Construction of a football fence near CONCORDIA’s Tranzit Centre in Prizren, Kosovo, serving the local community
  • Community sports festivals and other outreach activities to overcome stereotypes and other concerns that might prevent children, especially girls, to play football
  • Team-building activities led by social workers, trainers or volunteers
  • An International Summer Sports Camp in Bulgaria, bringing together 45 young people from Kosovo, Romania and Bulgaria for several days of team sports and other inclusive games, fostering intercultural exchange, healthy competition and the joy of physical activity

Partner

Strike a different tone

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Start date 01/01/2026
End date 12/31/2026
Cost of the project €110,691
Foundation funding €45,000
Project identifier 2025001583
Partners Rêves Passion Montréal
Categories Access to Sport - Personal development

Context

In Montreal, one in ten children lives in a low-income family, and that figure is even higher when other vulnerability factors are taken into account. Many of these children lack access to extracurricular activities, despite the crucial role they play in inclusion and social development. Girls from low-income ethnic-minority families are particularly affected and have difficulty accessing safe, suitable sports activities.

Project goals

Our goal is to use football not only to promote physical activity and make it accessible to all, but also as a true vehicle for social inclusion and gender equality. We want to change people’s attitudes to girls’ place in sport and society. In partnership with local community stakeholders, we therefore encourage girls to voice their opinions and develop their self-confidence while, at the same time, educating boys about tolerance and inclusion in mixed-gender sport and daily life:

  • Enabling girls to become more confident, speak up and exercise leadership
  • Fostering long-term change in young people’s attitudes to equality and inclusion on and off the pitch
  • Using football as a lever for engagement, communication and social integration
  • Encouraging children to remain in school and continue playing sport, and aiding their transition into adulthood by providing a framework based on engagement, independence and personal development

Project content

A structured programme of football training and other activities, including workshops on mental strength and self-expression, to build confidence.

The project creates the ideal setting for young people to find their voice, grow and take part in activities from which they are usually excluded.

Partner

Kicking Boundaries

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Limpopo province, South Africa
Start date 01/15/2027
End date 01/15/2027
Cost of the project €85,000
Foundation funding €45,000
Project identifier 2025000428
Partners Uplift Foundation
Categories Access to Sport - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development - Strengthening partnerships

Context

South Africa continues to face alarming levels of gender-based violence and homicide. Girls in rural areas are particularly vulnerable to abuse, exploitation and crime. Many are marginalised, lack information about their rights, have little exposure to positive role models and are rarely given safe spaces to express themselves, build confidence or seek support. Girls with disabilities face an additional layer of exclusion, as infrastructure, programmes and attitudes often ignore their needs.

Limpopo is one of the country’s poorest and most rural provinces. Deeply rooted gender norms mean that sport, especially football, is still treated as the preserve of men, while girls are expected to prioritise domestic work and caregiving, missing out on the physical, emotional and social benefits of playing sport.

Project goals

  • Provide regular, structured football activities in rural areas for at least 600 girls aged 11–18, including a minimum of 30% disabled girls
  • Use football as a platform to challenge harmful gender norms and promote gender equality, respect and non-violence in families, schools and communities
  • Reduce girls’ vulnerability to crime and gender-based violence
  • Strengthen leadership, communication, teamwork and resilience among girls
  • Build supportive environments for girls
  • Lay the foundations for the integration of football for girls into existing community structures

Project content

  • Regular mobile football clinics in rural communities, bringing structured football sessions directly to villages with little or no sports infrastructure. Sessions will focus on basic football skills, physical fitness, teamwork and enjoyment. Coaches will ensure that girls of different abilities, including those with disabilities, can participate safely and meaningfully.
  • Local and inter-community football tournaments and events to reinforce commitment, build pride and strengthen social networks among girls from different villages.
  • Gender equality and rights workshops that will deliver age-appropriate information on gender equality, girls’ rights, respect and non-discrimination, using football-based examples and discussions.
  • Anti-crime, safety and self-defence workshops, covering personal safety, basic self-defence techniques, how to recognise risky situations, and where to seek help in cases of violence or abuse. These sessions will be linked to football activities to reinforce messages about standing strong, supporting team-mates and reporting incidents.
  • Leadership development through sport: Football drills and small-sided games will incorporate leadership roles. Girls will practise communication, decision-making and problem-solving on the pitch, and then reflect on how to apply these skills in school, at home and in the community.
  • Inclusion of girls with disabilities: The project will intentionally recruit disabled girls and adapt activities where necessary so that they can participate fully. Coaches will receive basic training in inclusive coaching approaches, and awareness will be raised to reduce stigma and promote acceptance.
  • Community mobilisation and partnerships: The project team will collaborate with schools, local clubs, community-based organisations and the authorities to support recruitment, access to facilities and joint events. Regular meetings and feedback sessions will encourage local buy-in.

Partner

Girls Play for Change: Using sport as a transformative tool for protection, inclusion and empowerment

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Bossaso, Puntland State, Somalia
Start date 01/01/2026
End date 12/31/2026
Cost of the project €53,794
Foundation funding €43,000
Project identifier 2025000458
Partners Hawa Feminist Coalition
Categories Access to Sport - Conflict victims - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development

Context

Bossaso, a rapidly growing city in the state of Puntland, Somalia, hosts over 250,000 internally displaced people (IDP). They have fled conflict, humanitarian crises and the worsening effects of climate change. Most of them live in poor, overcrowded camps with limited access to services. Women and girls face some of the most severe and alarming forms of gender-based violence, including rape, sexual harassment, domestic violence, child abuse, early and forced marriage, and female genital mutilation or cutting.

Somali girls, particularly those from the marginalised IDP community in Bossaso, face significant barriers to participating in sport, which is still widely seen as the preserve of men. This exclusion deprives girls of the benefits that sport offers and reinforces harmful societal norms that silence their voices, limit their visibility and perpetuate gender inequality. The lack of inclusive, girl-centred programmes and safe, supportive opportunities further compounds their marginalisation, stifling their potential and curbing their development.

Project goals

  • Create safe and inclusive access to football for displaced and marginalised girls
  • Strengthen girls’ physical, emotional and mental well-being
  • Promote girls’ confidence, leadership, teamwork and active participation in sport
  • Train and empower 12 young women as community-based sport coaches and peer mentors and establish safe play areas
  • Raise awareness of girls’ rights, menstrual health, prevention of gender-based violence and inclusion of displaced and marginalised girls in sport

Project content

  • Safe, structured football and mentorship sessions for 300 displaced girls across six IDP settlements in Bossaso led by trained female coaches, integrating physical activity with psychosocial support, mental health promotion and rights-based education
  • Training for 12 young women from IDP communities to become football coaches and peer mentors, including modules on gender inclusion, children’s rights and safeguarding
  • Six inclusive, safe play areas within selected IDP camps
  • Four quarterly awareness-raising sessions, in person and online, each reaching 100 participants – including parents, elders and girls – to discuss gender-based violence, child protection, menstrual health and girls’ participation in sport and foster supportive community environments
  • Annual Girls Play for Change festival, bringing together over 150 girls, families and stakeholders to showcase and celebrate girls’ talents, build solidarity and advocate for inclusive sport and the protection of all girls

Partner