In brief

The SOL Foundation and ISF Cambodia have renewed the co-operation, the Football For Change Outreach Project, with the main approach to expand the existing project and impact, empowering coaches, engaging children, and addressing social issues through the power of football. The main goal is to provide access to organised sports and football-for-good activities to disadvantaged youth, while also promoting gender equality and inclusion in sport and society.

Problem to be tackled

High levels of poverty in Cambodia, particularly in rural areas is depriving children of their basic rights to education, nutrition, and play to name a few. Many children are engaged in informal work to support their families and have few opportunities to engage in organised sport or play.

Local partner

The Football For Change Outreach Project includes support to coaches across the country to deliver social impact football activities, and providing them with training, ongoing technical support, materials, and equipment, football-for-social-impact sessions for players from rural provinces, and a football-for-good festival; the additional programme elements cover an expansion to Battambang province and coach development, weekly football training and monthly football-for-social-impact sessions in Phnom Penh, Battambang and Kandal provinces, Annual Youth Leagues or an Annual Girls’ Tournament – always considering to raise awareness about social issues and to develop children’s football skills, confidence, leadership, teamwork, and decision-making skills in a fun and safe environment.

Beneficiaries

The project targets for children from socially and economically disadvantaged backgrounds, aged 8-16.

SOL’s contribution

With the continued support from The SOL Foundation, ISF Cambodia will be able to expand the current project and co-operation to new provinces and with new formats including a focus on girls as well as a higher reach.

Project partner

ISF Cambodia is an award-winning non-profit development organisation working with communities in Cambodia, where most survive below the poverty threshold of just USD$ 1.90 per day. The children ISF works with have grown up under extremely adverse conditions, lacking nutrition, sanitation, healthcare and education and often spending their childhoods scavenging garbage to contribute to their family’s income.