Advocacy through soccer

What We Set Out to Do

Support women facing discrimination, Gender Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF), and substance recovery by creating a safe space, a soccer team, and life-skills programs that build confidence, dignity, and real opportunities.

What’s Happened So Far

• A group of 56 women showed interest in forming a soccer team, and 30 signed participation forms. They began training a month ago, and 5 women joined a sewing program, while all are involved in the "Feed-a-Child" initiative during school holidays.
• They are also raising awareness about gender-based violence (GBV) and substance abuse. We are currently handling 5 rape cases, ensuring that all perpetrators are denied bail until their trials.
• One case involves Sindi (not her real name), a 14-year-old who was raped multiple times by her 67-year-old neighbour, who threatened her and her family. Thanks to our efforts, her trial has been postponed to February 2026. 
• Sindi has struggled with confidence and suicidal thoughts due to bullying at school. We are supporting her with professional help and family involvement.
• Additionally, two fathers have raped their daughters, both under 10, and remain in custody without bail. In another case, a mother's boyfriend raped her 8-year-old daughter, but the mother claims the child is lying. All trials are ongoing.

 Here are some notable highlights from our recent activities:

- We are proud to celebrate one of our own from the LGBTIQ+ community, who has been drug-free for 10 months and has found a job in another province. 

- We have received a promise for training uniforms and sports balls for the girls in 2026. 

- Sindi has gained confidence and is now showing interest in our sewing program alongside others. 

- More individuals with disabilities are expressing interest in programs that will better accommodate their needs. 

- We are seeing increased interest in our work, with some people being curious, others wanting to volunteer, and some seeking collaboration.

As participants stated, “We shall never be silenced”. “We are not free until we are all free”. “We are grateful for the support of GlobalFunds in the work that we do”.

Challenges We Are Facing

We are progressing with limited funds, particularly in areas such as materials, transportation, food, and safe housing. Despite these challenges, the commitment from the women involved has been incredibly strong.

- We currently do not have systems in place for individuals with disabilities, but we are actively working on this by modelling our approach on successful organizations. Our goal is to provide dignified services to all our constituents.

- We are operating in a hostile environment due to the nature of our work. By empowering users and supporting victims of gender-based violence (GBV), we are perceived as disruptive and problematic.

What’s Next

In the coming weeks, we plan to undertake the following initiatives:

• Before Christmas, we aim to provide clothing for victims of Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) and support child-headed families. Additionally, we will prepare and share a meal with these families, as well as with the homeless community.
• We also intend to organize a friendly soccer match with a women's soccer team and are seeking donations for soccer boots from our community.
• In 2026, we will collaborate with schools to launch an awareness campaign focused on GBVF, as well as the prevention of drug and substance abuse.
• We are actively working on securing land for a safe house, which will include space for our planting initiative as part of our seeding project.
• Currently, we operate on a zero budget; however, the services we provide to other organizations—assisting them with compliance for a fee—help sustain our organization.
• We look forward to participating in the upcoming rounds of fundraising with GlobalFunds.

A Note of Thanks

Thank you for being someone who gave us time, attention, and encouragement. Even if funding wasn’t possible yet, your engagement matters and helps us keep going.

• FBO_team_.docx (DOCX)
• FBO_Constituents_.docx (DOCX)
• FBO_feeding_nutritions_.docx (DOCX)