Mifalot International
Location
Taking football – a game everyone likes – and using it as a tool for social development and empowerment in countries all over the world. This program trains members of local communities to establish an infrastructure for social and educational action through football, empowers the local people and provides them with the tools to rehabilitate society in Third World countries and in situations of distress (following natural disasters, war, refugees, etc.) using football as a tool for building an infrastructure for social and educational empowerment and action.
About You
Section 1: About You
First Name
Gal
Last Name
Peleg
Organization
Mifalot
Country
Section 2: About Your Organization
Organization Name
Mifalot
Organization Website
Organization Phone
Organization Address
Is your organization a
Non‐profit/NGO/citizen sector organization
Organization Country
Your idea
Name Your Project
Mifalot International
Country your work focuses on
Haiti, XX
Describe Your Idea
Taking football – a game everyone likes – and using it as a tool for social development and empowerment in countries all over the world. This program trains members of local communities to establish an infrastructure for social and educational action through football, empowers the local people and provides them with the tools to rehabilitate society in Third World countries and in situations of distress (following natural disasters, war, refugees, etc.) using football as a tool for building an infrastructure for social and educational empowerment and action.
Innovation
What makes your idea unique?
This program is unique from many aspects:
1. Premise of local empowerment – if the whole community is involved, change can be made. When Mifalot brings the program into a community, the community is the focus, and the product is a stronger local leadership and the community in general is strengthened. This is done through local steering committees, involvement on the part of schools and community centers, parent involvement and more.
2. Holistic approach- taking the entire community into account finding solutions for all - for young children, teaching life skills. For youth, teaching responsibility and coaching skills. In divided communities, teaching dialogue. For children with special needs – deaf children, autistic children, and more.
3. Independence and sustainability – after the initial period, the program is run by the community and not dependant on Mifalot. The program starts out with the aim of teaching the basics to a local body, which later takes over the entire program. Mifalot ensures that the partner community commits to continuingand financing the program.
4. Dual-learning process. Mifalot knows there is much to learn before starting out in a new and different community and culture. Each case is different, each location and its special needs are studied, adaptations and improvements made.
5. Flexibility and creativity – Mifalot can quickly respond to new situations (Mifalot had a team in Haiti after the earthquake only three weeks after the event)
6. Ongoing and Self-generating - The program creates young leaders, who go on and teach others, and so there is continuity. This is supported by the community empowerment element, also ensuring the future.
Do you have a patent for this idea?
Impact
This Entry is about (Issues)
What impact have you had?
Mifalot has implemented some of its program models in Rwanda, Cameroon and Haiti for dozens of local coaches. Mifalot shares its best practice methods with local implementers and program opportunities are established. Sharing the know-how with a local partner proved to have a sustainable effect and have proven the international relevance of Mifalot projects. This program also has a ripple effect, working not only with a group of children but by mentoring leaders and working in conjunction and with full cooperation with the entire community, as explained above.
Problem
This project is structured to address a variety of problems – help for communities in distress, such as refugee communities following war, survivors following earthquakes, rival communities living as neighbors and more. The beauty of the program is that it takes football, a game loved by all, and harnesses it as a tool for social development. Each project may have a different specific goals and different outcomes, but they all are guided by four objectives:
1. Providing equal access to quality sport and educational opportunities for children and youth in need
2. Effectively teaching and empowering children and youth with essential life skills and values
3. Successfully developing local leaders and promote stronger families within our partner communities
4. Promote peace, inclusion and coexistence across different cultural, religious, ethnic and social groups.
Actions
In order to make this project successful, Mifalot has created a program built on three solid foundations: the Community, Mifalot’s know-how and support, and Partnerships between organizations who can and want to become one of these foundations in a particular project. Every community has the potential for empowerment, if the rights partners who want to grow and make a change can be found.
In order for a project to become successful, Mifalot takes the following steps:
1. Takes responsibility for the process.
2. Identifies and brings together the relevant factors.
3. Creates local empowerment
4. Supports and follows up local development over time.
Results
The final desired result of these actions is local empowerment for social responsibility, through the establishment of sustainable partner/implementing organizations on the ground. Local teams are trained to establish an infrastructure for social and educational action through football, using Mifalot’s programs, the chosen program has been adapted to the local needs. It is run by a staff of local coaches and guided by Mifalot.
What will it take for your project to be successful over the next three years? Please address each year separately, if possible.
Finding the key partners and guarantee the financial support. If we are recognized by more international well-known organizations such as Ashoka, it will open doors for us, give us recognition, allow us to approach more possible supporters/funders/ entities and eventually increase the investment. In this way, Mifalot will be able to multiply the investment and create a bigger effect.
What would prevent your project from being a success?
Lack of financial resources, lack of will by a community to make an improvement in their life.
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?
Operating for 1‐5 years
In what country?
Haiti, CE
Is your initiative connected to an established organization?
Yes
If yes, provide organization name.
We work also in Jordan, Plaestine, Rwanda and Cameroon and are connected to local organization in each one.
How long has this organization been operating?
1‐5 years
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.
In order to make a program adapted to the country we are working in, we need their input, their identifications of needs and their acceptance of the proposed intervention. In order to make it sustainable we must work with the local entities that will take responsibilityBy establishing local steering comitees. We found it essential for the sucess of this project.
What are the three most important actions needed to grow your initiative or organization?
1. Building international reputation via Ashoka- Changemakers and other international platforms.
2. Solid partners on the ground.
3. External financial support
The Story
What was the defining moment that led you to this innovation?
In December 2007, contact was been made between Thomas Libiih, a Former Member of the Cameroon National Football Team and President of the Local Academy for Children at Risk, and Avi Nir, the Israeli Ambassador to Cameroon. Mifalot sent a team to Cameroon to discuss its program model focusing on the values of education, tutoring, and community development and Mifalot’s football program for disadvantaged and at-risk children. Mifalot’s educational philosophies and perspectives were found to be very relevant in Third World cultural settings. following this, in 2009,Mifalot instigated a program in Rwanda for orphans of the civil war of the 1990’s. This also proved to be very successful, and led to requests from all over the world, including, for example, in Haiti after the earthquake, and Mifalot understood that this was a model which could be replicated and adapted to the needs of almost any country, ensuring sustainability as well as one of the fundamental requirements is participation of local community leaders who will continue the program after Mifalot leaves.
The involvment of an Israeli organization in humanitarian work and local empowerment abroad is not an easy feat. The israelis face so much problems at home, so they don't have the time, will or resources to do so. Avraham Burg, Chairman of Mifalot, has led the innovative approach that we must assist other nations with our know-how, following the lessons we have learned. This should be Isrel's biggest contribution to the world.
Tell us about the social innovator behind this idea.
Activist and political leader Avraham Burg has been a leading figure in Israeli politics for over 20 years. The youngest speaker in the history of the Israeli Knesset (1999-2003) and a staunch supporter of peace in the Middle East, Burg has been referred to as “one of the best speechmakers in politics.”
Despite having grown up at the heart of the religious Zionist movement, Burg has led the way to a more liberal reconciliatory approach to the Middle East conflict; “All of my life I’ve been an activist of the peace camp ... I’m ready to go a very long way to bring people together from dialogue to acceptance and than compromise.” In a bold move, he became the first speaker to invite his Palestinian counterpart to address the Israeli Knesset.
In his book, God is Back (2006, Hebrew), Burg explores the critical need for separation of religion and the state. He warns that an increasingly large sector of Israeli society disdains political democracy. In his most recent book, The Holocaust is Over; We Must Rise from Its Ashes, (2008, English) he argues that the Jewish nation has been traumatized by the Holocaust and has lost the ability to trust itself, its neighbors or the world around it.
Burg has written for The Guardian and the International Herald Tribune and appeared on CNN’s Crossfire and CBS’s The Early Show. Currently, Burg is leading a British-Israeli investment company that attracts funds to strengthen businesses in Israel.
How did you first hear about Changemakers?
Through another organization or company
If through another, please provide the name of the organization or company
Streetfootballworld and Sport For Development Platform
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 | Mifalot updated this Competition Entry. - 605 days ago |
| Mifalot updated this Competition Entry. - 605 days ago |
| Mifalot updated this Competition Entry. - 606 days ago |
| Mifalot said: Dear Renata, no problem. Gal about this Competition Entry. - 606 days ago read more > |
| Renata_WomenWin said: Hi Gal, It is great to see your entry published! Could you complete answer the question "What are the three most important actions ... about this Competition Entry. - 606 days ago read more > |
| Mifalot updated this Competition Entry. - 606 days ago |
| Mifalot submitted this idea. - 606 days ago |
Comments
Hi Gal,
It is great to see your entry published!
Could you complete answer the question "What are the three most important actions needed to grow your initiative or organization?
Approximately 300 words left (2400 characters)".?
The judges have been very restricted on unanswered questions.
I wish you all the best luck! I love the project!
Renata
Dear Renata, no problem.
Gal