The Girls’ Football Team selection has been made… A little over a year after announcing our plans to fundraise the project has commenced.

We started by hiring a professional female football coach. Aster is a sports teacher who now spends two afternoons a week with the team.

Some sports clothing was donated and, and some informal training with Coach Aster began with 20 girls all aged between 13 and 17 years old. Once the project began the funding enabled us to buy a complete new kit for each of the girls, including shoes – they were pretty pleased to be able to swap their flip flops to football shoes! The team now has access to a local school’s football field and trains twice a week. After each training they are given soap and have the opportunity to shower. None of the children have showers in their homes, and they would usually have access to a communal shower once a week. The team also enjoys a communal hot and nutritious meal after each training, to keep their strength up!

The team and our Project Manager, Zemene, sat down for a group discussion. Most of the girls explained they were most excited about being part of team as well as the opportunity to keep fit and healthy.

“I am happy as a member of this team, to be with my friends and getting equal opportunity”

We will be sharing more about the Girls’ Football Team and their progress over the next months. Our football team is the first girls team in Gondar, and the only one we know of there. We are currently looking for Girls’ Football Teams abroad to link up with the team for solidarity and to show that they are part of a wider network. Do you or your children in a girls’ football team? Share your team photo, send your match report or organise a fundraiser for the team. We have posters and materials about our team that can be shared and would love to work with you – contact us for more details! 

The football team costs £175 per girl, to run annually. You can make a donation to the team here.