Football to Protect Vulnerable Women from Exploitation
The ‘Football to Protect Vulnerable Women from Exploitation’ will use the power of football to identify vulnerable women, engage them in safe football activities and to guide and support them to safe and productive alternatives to exploitation.
It is a partnership between the Homeless World Cup Foundation, the FIFA Foundation and four Homeless World Cup Member Countries as the implementing partners:
· Kenya - Vijana Amani Pamoja (VAP)
· Tanzania - Future Stars Academy (FSA)
· Zambia - Bauleni United Sports Academy (BUSA)
· Zimbabwe - Young Achievement Sports for Development (YASD)
Given capacity and experience in their current women’s programme, Kenya was identified to establish a Regional Hub that will be used as a Centre of Excellence for women-focused programming. This will concentrate on developing and sharing tools to target support for approximately 600 vulnerable young women in recovery from or at risk of exploitation.
An additional 400 young men will be targeted during on and off-pitch activities, which will focus on positive masculinities and promoting equality and respect between the sexes.
The HWCF Regional Hub in Kenya will serve as a mutual learning centre for the Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe Members of the HWCF Network. The Hub will develop a curriculum of football and non-football activities all geared towards the three focus areas of:
Offering Safe Spaces: The pitch as a safe environment with links to women shelters where needed.
Delivering Training: Coaching, safeguarding messages, women’s empowerment and vocational training
Hosting or attending Women’s Tournaments: 1 per year in East Africa, to promote Homeless World Cup Member Countries’’ best practices and positive player stories.
It is hoped that an additional four African countries will be invited to attend the two African tournaments as an opportunity to participate in more women’s tournaments, share the pilot project results, and discuss possibilities for future replication.