Rwanda
Sport
Updates from the Field - Sports to Empower Women & Girls in Rwanda
Updates from the FieldUpdates from the Field (or Progress Reports) on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.com by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
|
Recent Updates from the Field
- Oct 15, 2009 - A postcard from Sports to Empower Women & Girls in Rwanda!
- Jun 18, 2009 - A postcard from "Sports to Empower Women & Girls in Rwanda"
- Mar 3, 2009 - 2016: “Sports to Empower Women & Girls in Rwanda”
- Aug 8, 2008 - project report and badget.
- Feb 11, 2008 - Creation of Regional Initiative for Women Advancement through Spots (RIWAS)
- Feb 11, 2008 - Training women in Sports
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."
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."
Pictures:
Want to support this project's continued work? 
A postcard from "Sports to Empower Women & Girls in Rwanda"
By Alexis Nadin - visitor, June 18, 2009 11:48 AM
Alexis Nadin is a student at American University and former intern at GlobalGiving. This summer, she is travelling through Africa and visiting a number of GlobalGiving projects.
Alexis visited this project on May 29, 2009. She writes:
Location: Kaninya School, Rwanda
As we stood amidst throngs of students (many of which were boys) that had gathered to watch their female classmates play football, we joined the noisy cheering. At the Kanyinye School, two of the top girls teams, ages 8-12 years old, faced off in a match that could not have possibly happened without AKWOS, the organization implementing this project. According to Felicite, the director of AKWOS, when boys played sports in school, girls would be sent home to help their mothers. Thanks to AKWOS, schools across Rwanda now offer girls the opportunity to actively participate in sports. At this particular school, 134 girls play on 7 teams, two of which we saw. Coach Niyikora, trained by AKWOS, explained that not only are girls taught practical football skills, but practice time is also used to teach ways of fighting genocide mentality, prevention of HIV/AIDS, and women’s rights. According to the head teacher, the girls playing soccer are performing better in school, and they are more confident in class. Student captains of the two teams excitedly told us that because of AKWOS, they were able to travel around Rwanda for the first time.
Later in the afternoon, as we sat in the AKWOS office with the staff, we learned of AKWOS’ many other programs which are supported by GlobalGiving. Aside from starting women’s soccer leagues around the country and working on training 100 women coaches, they also empower women to get tested for HIV (bringing testing facilities to the matches). One notable program brings together wives of genocidiares and female genocide survivors for reconciliation through sports.
AKWOS has had a tremendous impact on soccer in Rwanda, even winning support of the national government for their programs. Not only has AKWOS created women’s teams countrywide, and empowered school girls to play sports, but AKWOS has brought about the formation of the national women’s team, and even helped train the coach for the national men’s team (a woman). It is undeniable that AKWOS is the reason that women in Rwanda can take an active role in sports.
Alexis said she would tell her friends this project was: "Great: They are making a difference."
GlobalGiving is committed to incorporating many viewpoints on our 600+ projects. We feel that more information, especially from eyewitnesses helps donors like you continue to support organizations doing great work in the community.
Alexis visited this project on May 29, 2009. She writes:
Location: Kaninya School, Rwanda
As we stood amidst throngs of students (many of which were boys) that had gathered to watch their female classmates play football, we joined the noisy cheering. At the Kanyinye School, two of the top girls teams, ages 8-12 years old, faced off in a match that could not have possibly happened without AKWOS, the organization implementing this project. According to Felicite, the director of AKWOS, when boys played sports in school, girls would be sent home to help their mothers. Thanks to AKWOS, schools across Rwanda now offer girls the opportunity to actively participate in sports. At this particular school, 134 girls play on 7 teams, two of which we saw. Coach Niyikora, trained by AKWOS, explained that not only are girls taught practical football skills, but practice time is also used to teach ways of fighting genocide mentality, prevention of HIV/AIDS, and women’s rights. According to the head teacher, the girls playing soccer are performing better in school, and they are more confident in class. Student captains of the two teams excitedly told us that because of AKWOS, they were able to travel around Rwanda for the first time.
Later in the afternoon, as we sat in the AKWOS office with the staff, we learned of AKWOS’ many other programs which are supported by GlobalGiving. Aside from starting women’s soccer leagues around the country and working on training 100 women coaches, they also empower women to get tested for HIV (bringing testing facilities to the matches). One notable program brings together wives of genocidiares and female genocide survivors for reconciliation through sports.
AKWOS has had a tremendous impact on soccer in Rwanda, even winning support of the national government for their programs. Not only has AKWOS created women’s teams countrywide, and empowered school girls to play sports, but AKWOS has brought about the formation of the national women’s team, and even helped train the coach for the national men’s team (a woman). It is undeniable that AKWOS is the reason that women in Rwanda can take an active role in sports.
Alexis said she would tell her friends this project was: "Great: They are making a difference."
GlobalGiving is committed to incorporating many viewpoints on our 600+ projects. We feel that more information, especially from eyewitnesses helps donors like you continue to support organizations doing great work in the community.
Pictures:
Want to support this project's continued work?
2016: “Sports to Empower Women & Girls in Rwanda”
By Felicite Rwemalika - EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ASSOCIATION OF KIGALI WOMEN IN , March 05, 2009 01:11 PM
These are players of Rwandan W omen's football team rejoicing after winning a friendly match with players from Congo after a workshop on conflict resolution through sports.
This is one of our objectives in empowering women through sports .It is well known that Congo was passing in difficulties due to the war that was taking place in Congo where women were the most vulnerable.It was named kick for reconciliation.
We are targeting this region to promote peace.
This is one of our objectives in empowering women through sports .It is well known that Congo was passing in difficulties due to the war that was taking place in Congo where women were the most vulnerable.It was named kick for reconciliation.
We are targeting this region to promote peace.
Pictures:
Want to support this project's continued work?
project report and badget.
By Felicite Rwemalika - Executive Director, August 08, 2008 06:52 PM
This section covers the objectives of the project and then provides a background on the need
for this project. The neccessity of this project is crystallised through four perspectives: having
a role model, the international and national perspective and the gap that this project fills and
the needs it addresses.
for this project. The neccessity of this project is crystallised through four perspectives: having
a role model, the international and national perspective and the gap that this project fills and
the needs it addresses.
Links:
Attachments:
Want to support this project's continued work?
Creation of Regional Initiative for Women Advancement through Spots (RIWAS)
By Rwemalika Felicite - Executive Director of AKWOS and President of RIWAS, March 14, 2008 05:07 PM
In their 21/01/2008 consultative meeting women representing their associations in Sub-region. i.e:Congo Kinshasa, Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania have created a Regional Initiative for Women Advancement through Spots (RIWAS) with the purpose of "Connecting to each other in many ways through sports in order to make use of all our resources and inner strength to create a good change."
Links:
Pictures:
Attachments:
Want to support this project's continued work?
Training women in Sports
By Rwmalika Felicite - Executive Director of Akwos, April 11, 2008 02:12 PM
In line with empowering women through sport,the Association of Kigali Women in Sports(AKWOS) has organized a Training of 29 women Primary schools teachers on: Fighting against Gender based violence, HIV/AIDS prevention , Conflit resolution and football rules and regulations (both Practical and Theoritical)
Links:
Pictures:
Attachments:
