Empower Andean Youth Through Football

When 14-year-old Summy first joined Sinkumunchis in 2022, her parents didn’t want her to play football. They didn’t believe it was for girls, and they didn’t think she was good enough.

But Summy kept showing up.

Over the next few years, through consistent training, mentorship, and a team that believed in her, she grew not only as a player but as a leader. This season, she earned a spot on our CONMEBOL U14 Sinku FC team playing against the best teams in the region and became one of the captains, leading the defense and mentoring younger girls.

Her story isn’t rare for us. It’s what happens when young people are given a safe field, a ball, and adults who believe in them.

Over the past year, Sinkumunchis continued expanding structured football and mentorship programs across Quechua-speaking communities in Cusco and Apurímac, using sport as a tool to strengthen physical health, confidence, and school engagement.

What we accomplished this period

• 2,200+ youth participants, including 800+ girls

• Active in 15 communities, serving children from 30+ surrounding villages

• 6 full-time schools, including a new school opened in Pacucha district

• 22 staff members, including 15 local coaches

• 808 organized matches and games across Ligas Sinku and Sinku FC

• 1,800+ pieces of sports equipment donated

• 300,000+ kilometers traveled by our team to reach remote rural communities

• Partnerships with Umbro, Yape, Tgestiona, Biomont, and international foundations such as FIFA, UEFA and Kaphan

These numbers represent something simple but powerful: consistency. Kids train every week, with trusted coaches, in structured and safe environments that many communities previously lacked.

Measured impact on youth wellbeing

This semester, we surveyed 918 students across 10 schools, including 508 Sinkumunchis participants, comparing youth in our program with non-participants. The differences are clear:

Confidence & Emotional Wellbeing

• 8 out of 10 Sinkumunchis students report feeling confident in themselves

• 59% say they feel happier more often (vs. 36% non-participants)

• 75% keep trying even when losing (vs. 50%)

Physical Activity

• 43.1% train 5+ times per week (vs. 23.4%)

Nutrition & Focus

• 41.3% report better concentration in class after eating and training (vs. 33%)

School Engagement

• 56.7% say school is going well for them (vs. 47.1%)

• 84% say they enjoy going to school

These outcomes confirm what we see every day: structured sport improves not only fitness, but mindset, discipline, resilience, and belonging.

Challenges

Working in remote Andean regions brings real logistical barriers: long travel distances, limited infrastructure, weather disruptions, and growing demand that exceeds our current capacity.

Yet these challenges only reinforce how necessary this work is. Every new school we open fills immediately.

What’s next

Our goal is ambitious but achievable:
Reach 5,000 youth by 2028.

Next steps include:

• Opening additional community schools

• Training more local coaches, especially women leaders

• Expanding nutrition and equipment support

• Strengthening our digital attendance and safeguarding systems

• Increasing competitive opportunities through leagues and tournaments

We believe where a child grows up should not determine their opportunities.

Thank you

Thank you for standing with youth in the Andes. Your support directly funds coaches, equipment, transportation, and safe spaces that help children stay active, confident, and connected to school and community.

Every field we open becomes a place of belonging.