Brighter Futures
This project's parent organization is Team Kenya
It operates in Kenya
It uses Football (Soccer)
Entered the Sport for Peace and Social Justice Award
More about Brighter Futures
63% of the Ndhiwa population lives in absolute poverty. This breeds an environment of misogyny and prejudice, which results in girls and women being sexually and physically assaulted; 62% of girls have experienced violent or sexual threats at school, whilst coercion into sex and rape contributes to the rate of HIV/AIDS in the County being the highest in Kenya (at 25.7%).
Brighter Futures uses football as a vehicle to overcome the prejudice suffered by women. Directly, mixed gender football empowers girls and women to be seen as equals, as they are trusted with equal roles in the team as boys and men.
As football is the most popular sport in Kenya, its use enables people from all backgrounds to be engaged. This means that education on gender related issues can be provided to all demographics within society. In doing so, girls and women are educated as to their rights, so that they can defend themselves from prejudice. Furthermore, the rest of the community are also educated as to the value of respecting females.
This means that fewer people will behave in ways that harm females, and that females are able to defend themselves when such behaviour does occur.