Carolina for Kibera (CFK) Youth Sports Program
This project's parent organization is CFK Inc
It operates in Kenya
It uses Football (Soccer)
Entered the Sport For Social Inclusion Award
More about Carolina for Kibera (CFK) Youth Sports Program
In Kibera, the largest slum in East Africa, girls are largely discouraged from playing sports by their families and society on the whole. The traditional Kenyan mentality is that sports are for men, while women are expected to stay in the house and take care of their family. The exclusion of women from sports fosters continuing inequality and vulnerability of women in Kibera.
The CFK Youth Sports Program promotes gender cooperation and equality by including girls at every level of the organization. CFK currently supports girls football teams in 3 age groups, U-12, U-16, and Over-16. These teams compete in various friendly matches as well as competitive games and tournaments throughout the year. In addition, CFK runs the only all-girls tournament in Kibera, inviting teams of girls from all ages and ethnic groups from informal primary schools across the community.
Organizational decisions for the Youth Sports Program are made by a sports council that is composed of both male and female youth representatives from Kibera’s eleven villages. By encouraging girls to participate and take on leadership responsibilities, the Youth Sports Program cultivates active female community leaders who are overcoming the traditional barriers of society.