Sports to Empower Women & Girls in Rwanda

Support women empowerment Africa

Summary

AKWOS empowers women through sport & education to improve their rights, break barriers between social classes, raise women's standing in society, enhance unity & reconciliation and prevent HIV/Aids. progress reportread updates from the field

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Received $179,957 from 46 donations from people like:

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More Information About this Project

Project Needs and Beneficiaries

Until recently, it was accepted that women should not practice sports, since they were meant to take care of domestic chores. Now, practicing sports is tearing down the walls of social paradigm and making a statement for equality among men. Sports contributes to women and girls' strength and self-esteem. And to society through the alleviation of poverty and disease including HIV/Aids, thus ensuring their well being. With only 3% of Rwandan women practicing sports, we still have a lot to do.

Activities

We build capacity amongst Rwandan women: for sports - players, coaches, referees, administrators; for life skills - education, health, promotion of women’s rights, peace & reconciliation; and for income generation - job skills & entrepreneurship.

Funding Information

Total Funding Received to Date: $179,957
Remaining Goal to be Funded: $150,043
Total Funding Goal: $330,000

Additional Documentation

This project has provided additional documentation in a Microsoft Word file (projdoc.doc).

Resources

Why this Project is Important

Potential Long Term Impact

Our 2010 goals are to raise the self-esteem of 10,000 Rwandan women by participation in sporting teams and family planning, HIV/Aids & nutrition programs. We will gather the voices of East African women to join the sports for social change movement.

Project Message

The 1994 genocide used rape as a weapon of war. About 250,000 women were infected with HIV/AIDS. The consequences are vivid today as many victims live without basic food security or health services.
- Felicite Rwemalika, AKWOS Executive Director

Who is Running This Project

Contact

Felicite Rwema
Founder, AKWOF
P.O. Box 3065
Kigali, Rwanda
Rwanda
25008303398
Email:

Project Sponsor

GlobalGiving

Organization

Association of Kigali Women Footballers
Nyaruuguge - Kigari 00 250 08303398
Kigali, Kigali NA
Rwanda
083033981 08523

Association of Kigali Women Footballers's Current Projects on GlobalGiving

Train 100 football women coaches in Rwanda
Train 100 football women coaches in Rwanda

Association of Kigali Women Footballers's Funded Projects on GlobalGiving

Children's Voice in Rwanda
Children's Voice in Rwanda
Women’s Football for Unity, Rwanda
Women’s Football for Unity, Rwanda
Sports to Promote Women's Rights in Rwanda
Sports to Promote Women's Rights in Rwanda

Where this Project is Located

Country

This project is located in RwandaRwanda and can also be found under SportSport.

For more information about Rwanda, read the Human Development Report on Rwanda or the Wikipedia entry for Rwanda.

When this Project was Updated

Last Updated

This project was last updated on November 6, 2009.

Date Added to GlobalGiving

This project was added to the GlobalGiving project catalog on February 8, 2008

Latest Update from the Field

A postcard from Sports to Empower Women & Girls in Rwanda!

By Donna Callejon - Staff Member, October 15, 2009 02:58 PM

Manmeet Mehta and I spent a day with Felicite and Grace, learning more about them and the work they are doing. We visited two of the 29 schools where AKWOS has established programs and saw the girls in action. Since Alexis and Brian wrote a postcard about the work not too long ago let me offer a few different thoughts:

1. While it would be easy to view this work as "soccer for girls" the true power is in the social change AKWOS is making happen. Through conversations before or after every practice or game, these girls can learn about and discuss issues that they otherwise wouldn't touch.

2. Rwanda is an amazing place, just 15 years post-genocide. The ongoing commitment to, and investment in, reconciliation is palpable. AKWOS' work with girls includes conversations about differences and inclusion.

3. As much as the project is about the girls - it is about investing in a great social entrepreneur - Felicite Rwemalika. Felicite is a true rock star. She is the only woman on the national soccer federation board. She has organized events to bring awareness of the power of sport to engage and strengthen Rwanda's youth. She has the respect of NGO and Government leaders in Rwanda and around the world.

GlobalGiving is happy to be working with Nike and all the GlobalGiving donors who have supported this powerful work.

When asked what she would tell her friends about this project, Donna said: "Great: They are making a difference."

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