Education Cameroon Project #14044

Empower Girls with Income Generating Activities

by Open Field

Empower Girls with Income Generating Activities

Project Report | Dec 22, 2015
Kumba All Star Girls Continues Training as Tream

By Justin Forzano | Founder and CEO

Thank you from our girls!

20-year old Janet led her peers during training last Wednesday. Her goal is to become a professional player on the Cameroon Women's National Team as well as in international leagues, something young women couldn't conceive 10 years ago. With the recent success of the Indomitable Lionesses at the FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada this past summer, more attention and resources are being directed to women's soccer in the country. We are proud to be a part of this investment in girls and young women, and more importantly, leading it at the grassroots level. Janet says of her experiences learning from CameroonFDP coaches and staff,

"For me to be a role model in my community, I will do my best to encourage others in my neighborhood and also give advice to those who want to play like me."

Being a role model and elevating others in your community are two of our core values here at CameroonFDP. We strive to ensure that every practice and game serve to promote and embody these and other important life skills and lessons. It's amazing to see these values being instilled in young girls like Janet within weeks of starting training with our coaches, Kama and Harrison.

2016 may very well be the greatest year for female football in Cameroon. The nation will host the Africa Women Cup of Nations in November and the Lionesses will strive to keep the Championship Cup in country this year. In 2014, they reached the finals and lost to Nigeria, who has won the tournament 6 of the last 8 times it has been played consecutively since 1998.

With your support, we hope to give young girls like Janet the opportunity to participate in the tournament - even from the sidelines - and meet their heroes and see them compete in the greatest competition on the Continent. With all of Africa watching to see how their lady footballers prosper in Cameroon in 2016, we hope to continue leading the efforts to make a difference, using the game to improve the lives of girls and young women in the communities where we work.

Many thanks and best wishes for an amazing holiday season and prosperous New Year!

Coach Harrison and the Girls Team

Nenne discusses with Team Captain, Janet

Killian takes time to learn more about the players

All Star team is ready to play!

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Sep 1, 2015
Girls Soccer to Elevate Their Status in Community

By Justin Forzano | CEO

Brescia FC girls team - finalists!

Young girls in Kumba have a lot more choices these days, especially when it comes to recreational activities. Thanks to the diligent efforts of our staff in Cameroon, we are creating more opportunities to for girs to learn more about themselves, gain confidence, and build a network of peers. We are providing this forum to young girls in Kumba with another football competition in August and September. The second phase of the girl’s enrichment league kicked off on Thursday the 20th of August 2015 with four teams of young women and a supporter section cheering them on. After two rounds of play, the finals are set for Sunday, September 6th, and will feature Brescia F.C. and Arsenal F.C.

The four teams who played in the competition benefitted from jerseys donated by girls soccer teams here in Pittsburgh, Avonworth High School, and other equipment from Duquesne University.With the enouragement of jerseys, shorts, socks, and cleats, female participants and their male counterparts began to see the material benefits of participating in our educational programs. Equally, creating this oppotunity to showcase the talent of female athletes - both on the pitch and off the pitch - enhances the visibility of women's empowerment initiatives and furthers the conversation about gender equity.

The theme of the tournament is hard work, discipline, and becoming a role model. Throughout the matches, all teams exercised the importance of these qualities via motivational statements. They also demonstrate knowledge gained by providing answers to the referee's questions about the topic of the match. Sport lovers from the Delegate of Sport and Physical Education alongside with FECAFOOT Delegates were present at the field to encourage these girls with a passion for the beautiful game of football.

Madam Mwengela Catherine, Regional Delegate of Female Football in the Southwest, was present to cheer on the girls and was pleasantly surprised with our activities, especially in the domain of gender equity. When the girls came out to read motivational statements she exclaimed,

"Wow, an enrichment league, indeed! Kudos to the CameroonFDP staff for such an initiative!"

Check out the Facebook page for more updates on the teams, coaches, and the results of the Championship match this weekend!

Arsenal girls- Finalists representing Avonworth HS

Coaches shake hands before match

Wumjeck FC ladies supported by PA West Soccer

St. Peters FC

Coaches stand with Madam Director of Female Fball

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May 27, 2015
Planning Underway for Summer Girls Football Fest!

By Justin Forzano | CEO

Girls love football, too!

We have three amazing updates concerning our girls programs to share with you this time around!!

#1. Summer Holiday Football Festival for Girls

Following up to our successful first-ever boys' league in Kumba (championship is this weekend!), we are ready to take the next steps in laying groundwork for a girls league' to kick off in 2016. Before we get there, we're planning a summer holiday competition to bring together all stakeholders and continue to promote female atheltics in the country. The event is sponsored by the women's soccer team at College Andre-Grasset, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and will add water to the seedling we planted last December with our first-every girls' tourney you so graciously supported.

#2. Partnership with Teresa Julian, Master's in Sport for Peace and Conflict Resolution

Teresa has been working on her Masters degree in Tereul, Spain over the last year. In the last month, her thesis proposal to work on sport for girls' empowerment programs in Spain and Cameroon was approved!! Teresa has been a long-time supporter of our work and stayed close to the organization after her sister led our first coaches clinic back in 2011. This collaboration will create an opportunity to apply intustry best practices and revitalize our girls programs in Cameroon. Not to mention, Teresa will be traveling to Cameroon in January to implement her peer-mediation and mentoring program with our girls! We can't wait to have her!

#3. Collaboration with Ministry of Sports and Physical Education on the Future of Girls' Football in Cameroon

We had a meeting earlier this month and graciously accepted an invitation to help develop a football club for young women in Kumba. Based on the mission, vision, and values of CFDP and our demonstrated work ethic, we were selected to help cultivate women's football in the community as part of a national movement driven by the Ministry of Sports and Physical Education and the Cameroonian Football Federation (FECAFOOT). This brings in a new era for women's sports and we are excited to be on the frontlines.

All of this started with your support of our initiatives to empower women in the Southwest Region of Cameroon. What started with some workshops with partners in the US Peace Corps, has grown into a local movement. In no time, it will become a regional and national movement. We look forward to shareing more updates with you!

Many thanks for your support!

Nenne and Caroline - leading the charge for girls!

Love of the game.

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