Girls and Football SA
Girls and Football SA promotes football for girls and women, aims to organize educational campaigns and workshops, and reaches out to a broad public through reporting on the importance of girls and women in sport. We want to change attitudes towards girls and women in South Africa, by empowering them through sport, by allowing them to be exposed to role models, and by creating an educational program that deals directly with challenges they face with regard to their health and sexuality. By creating awareness about issues facing girls and women in South Africa, we include a world wide audience, thus promoting the importance of the social development of girls and women.
We have found that in the United States of America, football has played an increasingly important role in the social development of girls and women; it has helped build the self esteem of young women, create role models and encourage girls to be athletes. When we continued our search to discover if football for girls was promoted similarly world wide, we discovered that very few models existed. Especially in Africa, the role of football and other sports for women is severely limited. Thus, our aim is to create a replicable model of football as a cornerstone of the social development of girls and women.
About You
Section 1: About You
First Name
Jos Dirkx and Sonia Bianchi
Last Name
Organization
Country
South Africa, WC
Section 2: About Your Organization
Organization Name
Girls and Football SA
Organization Website
Organization Phone
0027 826620740
Organization Address
7600 Stellenbosch
Is your organization a
Non‐profit/NGO/citizen sector organization
Organization Country
South Africa, WC
Your idea
Name Your Project
Girls and Football SA
Country your work focuses on
South Africa
Describe Your Idea
Girls and Football SA promotes football for girls and women, aims to organize educational campaigns and workshops, and reaches out to a broad public through reporting on the importance of girls and women in sport. We want to change attitudes towards girls and women in South Africa, by empowering them through sport, by allowing them to be exposed to role models, and by creating an educational program that deals directly with challenges they face with regard to their health and sexuality. By creating awareness about issues facing girls and women in South Africa, we include a world wide audience, thus promoting the importance of the social development of girls and women.
We have found that in the United States of America, football has played an increasingly important role in the social development of girls and women; it has helped build the self esteem of young women, create role models and encourage girls to be athletes. When we continued our search to discover if football for girls was promoted similarly world wide, we discovered that very few models existed. Especially in Africa, the role of football and other sports for women is severely limited. Thus, our aim is to create a replicable model of football as a cornerstone of the social development of girls and women.
Website URL
Innovation
What makes your idea unique?
1) Our focus: Girls in SA, a largely unrepresented group
Educating girls and increasing awareness on the importance of women's football by working towards sustainable change of the perception of girls and women in SA. Girls will be empowered by playing a 'man's' game, in order to break down stereotypes and promote acceptance and equality.
2) We use a multidimensional approach to create impact, using football as a vehicle
The workshops Girls and Football SA will hold are dedicated to building a platform for girls to enjoy sport, and providing girls with guidance from coaches and mentors trained in HIV/Aids awareness. It is estimated that every girl that attends a workshop will go back to her home and influence approximately five friends and family members via word of mouth. A workshop creates awareness far beyond its immediate participants.
3) Educational Campaign: The educational campaign allows us to link girls in school with role models, providing them with mentorship and support. Girls in schools are suffering due to socioeconomic restraints. There is little sensitivity for issues like unwanted pregnancy and sexual abuse in schools. Role models and targeted information on these issues will increase awareness of young girls on their rights.
4) Media reach: The South African Football Association has expressed that raising awareness through journalistic reports on women's football is crucial. By creating promo videos and a documentary, we involve several media outlets in order to make this a global movement for sustainable social change.
Do you have a patent for this idea?
Impact
This Entry is about (Issues)
What impact have you had?
Raised awareness locally and internationally through:
Promotional video with the SA U17 National women's football team to showcase the importance of football for young women. The video has a distribution network through our website, the Man Up Campaign site, a Dutch football networking site, Youtube, the Changemakers site, our facebook fan page, reaching a world wide audience.
Spoken at public events: At seminar in Cape town with crucial guests involved in women’s football. By winning the NCDO 3e Helft Challenge, we promoted our project and met crucial people to further develop our ideas. We've been invited to attend the Man Up campaign summit in Johannesburg.
Media appearances: Interviewed prominent football coaches, players and key people in women's football, featured in news outlets eg. gsport.co.za, Stellenbosch Maties Newspaper, Forward Magazine, Supporter Magazine.
Working with artists in the Netherlands and Canada that help us raise awareness and funds for our project. A song has been written and produced for our project, of which all proceeds will go directly to reaching our goals.
2) We have organized fundraisers to spread awareness in our community. The first fundraiser was held in SA in April, the second in Eritrea in May, the third will be held in Canada in June.
3) We're building a solid support base with major int’l organizations to promote women’s football. By establishing contact with female FIFA Ambassadors, the SA Football Association, players of the national SA women's football team, we have been able to secure important ties. Ajax Cape town has agreed to explore options to promote women's football.
Problem
Interpol estimates that one woman is raped every seventeen seconds in South Africa. This is a huge problem in itself, but is worsened by the fact that compounded disbelief leads to the victims not reporting the rape. Without support and information made available for girls, main problems facing young girls in South Africa will continue to be HIV/Aids, rape and unwanted pregnancy. Our project addresses these inequalities by challenging the attitude towards girls and women in South Africa and battling pre conceptions of girls, especially participating in sports. We aim to break down the stigma surrounding girls, including those who participate in sports (ie with regard to sexuality) through education and providing girls with role models they can look up to. It is crucial for the participants of our project to be exposed to strong young women coming directly from their own communities.
Actions
We are constantly working on meeting individuals interested in supporting our project, with whom we hope to establish lasting partnerships, while simultaneously approaching donors. We continually update our internet outlets (Facebook, and www.girlsandfootballsa.com). We write articles about the importance of football for girls and women. In addition to that, we are continuously exploring various avenues and working on establishing numerous contacts to continue expanding our network. We organize fundraisers in order to ensure that we can reach our goals. We have contacted local coaches and approached them about organizing workshops for girls to provide them with a platform to play sports. Our team is divided so that all team members contribute to a certain aspect of the project in order to make sure that we constantly progress to reach our gaols.
Results
The participants will leave our workshops and educational programs feeling empowered. By viewing the promotional video through the educational campaign and via other outlets, they will be able to visualize what their futures can look like as they are introduced to girls that were and still are “just like them”. We count on the fact that the girls and women participating in the documentation of our project know that the rest of the world is listening to what they have to say. Football changes lives and our workshops, educational program and promotional videos creating awareness about the importance of football for girls will significantly help the emancipation of girls and women in South Africa. We want to achieve a lasting and positive effect on the South African society and eventually share this positive effect with the rest of the world. Especially with the coming of the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2011, it is crucial that we continue to support female athletes.
What will it take for your project to be successful over the next three years? Please address each year separately, if possible.
Year 1: Goal: Continued development and Implementation of workshops catered towards girls’ football in various communities in the Western Cape, South Africa. Kick off of educational program addressing female empowerment in schools. Awareness campaign surrounding issues of women’s equality and continued planning of upcoming documentary aspect of project. Requirements: Funding to cover costs of workshop development, implementation and educational resources.
Year 2: Goal: Further implementation of workshops catered towards girls’ football in additional provinces in South Africa. Development of an educational resource package for distribution to schools and community groups. Post production of documentary highlighting changes and progress made with regard to development of girls and women in sport, education and empowerment. Requirements: Increased funding for expansion of workshops and educational campaign. Support and funding for filming and post production costs of documentary.
Year 3: Goal: Further development of workshop program with observed changes for improvement and adaptation towards other South African countries. Facilitation of growth and expansion of educational campaigns within South African region. Promotion of documentary viewing in order to continue to raise awareness. Requirements: Continued support for workshop development and resources to promote documentary and educational campaign expansion.
What would prevent your project from being a success?
We feel that there has been a lot of support for our project, but without financial backing and contractual proof this project is limited in scope, development and reach.
How many people will your project serve annually?
More than 10,000
What is the average monthly household income in your target community, in US Dollars?
Less than $50
Does your project seek to have an impact on public policy?
Yes
Sustainability
What stage is your project in?
Idea phase
In what country?
South Africa, WC
Is your initiative connected to an established organization?
If yes, provide organization name.
We have been invited to develop a partnership for certain aspects of our project with an established organization, SCORE.
How long has this organization been operating?
Less than a year
Does your organization have a Board of Directors or an Advisory Board?
Yes
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with NGOs?
Yes
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with businesses?
Yes
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with government?
Yes
Please tell us more about how these partnerships are critical to the success of your innovation.
Non monetary partnership with NGOs: By having a non monetary partnership with two NGO's, we are able to receive feedback, support and guidance on the implementation of our workshops.
Stellenbosch Academy of Design: By having a non monetary partnership with a business, namely the Stellenbosch Academy of Design, we are able to have our logo's and promotional material designed and produced pro bono.
The Royal Netherlands Embassy in South Africa: By having established contact through a government agency, namely the Royal Netherlands Embassy in South Africa, we are able to depend on the support of the embassy to help us with networking.
What are the three most important actions needed to grow your initiative or organization?
Our initiative needs financial backing. We have the full capability, the connections and a hard working team in place to make our project work. The team is dedicated to make this a success. Fortunately, this is fueled by positive encouragement from those involved directly in football in South Africa, including the South African Football Association, Sports NGO's, Sports Networks, and leading scholars on the importance of football for development.
The Story
What was the defining moment that led you to this innovation?
The moment that led to this innovation was when realizing that the positive effects of sports on girls and women should be extended to players world wide. We have seen the effects of sports on girls and women in countries like The United States of America, Norway and Germany (with regard to football especially). The importance of sports for development of girls and women has to be recognized, especially in South Africa, where the potential and rights of girls and women remains unnoticed and unconsidered.
Tell us about the social innovator behind this idea.
Girls and Football SA was initiated by Jos Dirkx. Her passion for social justice and gender equality has found outlets in a number of projects and debates; fund-raising and campaigning, for increased public awareness of women’s rights. By simultaneously giving young girls a platform to grow and learn about themselves, and reporting on this through a number of media outlets, it is her belief that one can achieve social development both locally and world-wide. The other individuals behind Girls and Football all bring their expertise to the project. Sonia Bianchi's experience with NGO and fund-raising work provides us with much-needed know-how on the workings of grants and organizations. Sonia tirelessly works on establishing contacts, maintaining a professional demeanor and use her past experience to help lead and guide this initiative. ThatoyaOna Marumo has a great passion for business, people, entrepreneurship and sustainable developmental driven initiatives, and balances out the sometimes high-flying creativeness of other members. Janah Hattingh is our project photographer, and also, as it happens, legal expert. Katie Bozeman provides ideas and expertise on fund-raising and project development, and Tonje Olsrud, as the most serious football player on the team, is working on the development of the workshops. Tonje has helped with much of the technological aspects of our project. Together we believe that our devotion to social justice, education and development, and excitement for the project, will lead to a safer and more enjoyable existence for young South African girls.
How did you first hear about Changemakers?
Friend or family member
If through another, please provide the name of the organization or company
50 words or fewer
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| Team_stretch.jpg | 112.4 KB |
| Ball.jpg | 65.45 KB |
| Header.jpg | 106.9 KB |
| The_back.jpg | 94.8 KB |
| I_say_22Cheers_for_water22.jpg | 79.99 KB |
| Training_hard.jpg | 84.06 KB |
 | 153 weeks ago Girls and Football SA updated this Competition Entry. |
| 153 weeks ago Girls and Football SA updated this Competition Entry. |
| 153 weeks ago Girls and Football SA updated this Competition Entry. |
| 154 weeks ago Girls and Football SA updated this Competition Entry. |
| 154 weeks ago Girls and Football SA updated this Competition Entry. |
| 155 weeks ago Girls and Football SA updated this Competition Entry. |
| 155 weeks ago Girls and Football SA updated this Competition Entry. |
| 155 weeks ago Girls and Football SA updated this Competition Entry. |
| 155 weeks ago Girls and Football SA submitted this idea. |
