Coaches Across Continents teach on field Goal games around the world

In the past year, Coaches Across Continents has designed on field games for Be Yourself, Be Healthy, Be Empowered and Be Money Savvy Goal modules. Armed with these games, CAC coaches held workshop in Ghana, Indonesia, Kenya, Haiti, Tanzania and India, not only teaching sport for development coaches how to integrate Goal on field games with their current programmes but also engaging Standard Chartered Bank employees.

 












Group photo Accra, Ghana




















CAC coach Brian explaining a game during the India workshop.

















CAC coach Brian demonstrating an activity in Ghana.

How Exactly Is a Girl Empowered by Sport?

The Goal programme continues to prove itself an outstanding tool for empowering girls economically around the world. One example: Chhaya Gaikwad from the Naz Foundation in India. Chhaya joined the Goal programme with Naz in 2009 as an assistant coach. Shortly after, she was given the opportunity to join Standard Chartered as an intern in the Security Services department.

Check out Chhaya telling her own story about how Goal changed her life in a recent Huffington Post article below!

Huffington Post Article

Women Win hosts 6th Goal Train the Trainer Workshop in Nairobi, Kenya

Women Win, in partnership with the U.K. Department for International Development and Standard Chartered Bank hosted the 6th successful Goal Train the Trainers Workshop. The workshop took place Feb 11-13 at the Sadili Oval sport complex in Nairobi, Kenya and brought together eight grassroots organizations using sport as a tool the empower adolescent girls. For three days, programme managers, coaches and facilitators convened to discuss and learn about Goal and best practices for implementing the programme in their communities.

Topics covered included Goal module and life skills overview, community engagement, Goal coaching techniques, role of sport in Goal and programme implementation. The group ended with mock sessions, in which participants practiced facilitating actual Goal sessions!

Participants in the training represented the organizations Moving the Goalposts (Kenya), Sadili Oval (Kenya), HODI (Kenya), VAP (Kenya), KMG (Ethiopia),  PolyCom (Kenya), NOWSPAR (Zambia), MIFUMI (Uganda), ICRW (India), and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (The Netherlands).

The Women Win Team and participants had a blast, not only sharing the Goal experience and building capacity to implement the curriculum on the ground but also living out the ethos of Goal by playing as much sport as possible.


 

 
Group photo of Goal workshop participants at the Sadili Oval complex!




Workshop participants from MIFUMI, NOWSPAR, HODI and MTG engaged in group work during the workshop.



Women Win Impact Manager Meg Smith explains the rules to a Goal game!

Meet Rohida Pathan

Rohida Pathan, a 21 year old Goal participant is doing her traineeship as a computer teacher at the Goal site of Abhinav Gyan Mandir, Mankhurd.

Rohida has been living at the Goal site of Asha Sadan, a home for girls and women in distress, for the last 6 years. When Goal was launched at Asha Sadan in 2009, Rohida lacked confidence and was not too enthusiastic, but gradually became motivated when she saw the girls enjoying netball and listening to them talk about the life skill sessions.

Rohida graduated from the Goal programme in 2010. In 2011 she underwent the skills assessment conducted by Standard Chartered Bank which gave her feedback that she needed to work on her English speaking and writing skills. Rohida worked hard to improve her skills and in 2011, was selected to undergo a Computer course as a part of a sponsorship from the Transaction Convenience Team of Standard Chartered Bank, Mumbai.

In July 2012 on completion of the course, Rohida was placed on a traineeship at the Goal site of Abhinav Gyan Mandir where she teaches computer basics to the students.

Graduating from Goal and pursuing the computer skills has changed Rohida's life considerably. Along with the computer teaching, Rohida is pursuing her 12th grade from Sir Eli Kaduri College in Mumbai. Rohida said

"Goal has taught me about the importance of about savings and budgeting and becoming financially independent. I got the inspiration to study further from my training position. Now I want to do pursue my graduation and further enhance my computer skills"

Meet latest Goal champion, Raoyao Li

Raoyao Li, 16, is in her second year at the Yuzhong Vocational Training School, specializing in nursing. She excelled amongst her peers to become one of the Goal Champions, after completing the Go Youth! curriculum.

“I like the Financial Literacy module in particular and it is having a great impact on me. I used to be casual with money but after finishing the course, I realized that I should manage my money rationally and shouldn’t spend money on unnecessary items. Once, when accompanying a friend for groceries, I saw a beautiful bracelet that I wanted so much. Then I remembered the session about ‘Needs and Wants’ and  decided to save the money for future.”

Raoyao was selected to become a Goal champion along with 26 other girls. The girls first started sharing their knowledge and experience to their peers in September 2012, after receiving training and ongoing mentoring. Raoyao talked about how she felt proud of herself for becoming a Goal Champion. She said how she is determined “to help others, just as I once was offered help through the Goal Programme.”

The fun way to learn about saving money

Our programme in Zambia is already proving popular! In less than a year, we have over 1,000 Goal girls from 40 different schools keen to learn life skills and play football.

We're bringing our financial education to life for our Goal girls by giving them a tour of the Bank's biggest branches in Zambia. Staff from the Bank are volunteering their time to take the girls around the branches.

By then end of this month, 500 Goal girls would have been taught how to go to a bank and why it's important to save money.  

Have a look at the photos from the tour.

Aya's story

Aya Agha, 15, is a student in Al Itifaq School in Amman, Jordan. Smart yet timid by nature, Aya struggled to express herself freely or stand up and talk in front of a crowd. Her shyness would hinder her from achieving her goals as she always allowed other people to express their ideas before her. This all changed however when Goal came to her community.

“I joined Goal late, but I love the program and I was determined to catch up. I really enjoy school and love reading, writing and painting. Goal encourages me to have a strong and social personality. The “Be Yourself” sessions changed me. I became comfortable in my own skin and I learned how to express myself."

Last year in an inter-school competition for the youngest business people in the country, Aya was in the the top ten finalists out of 2,000 participants. She stood in front of a crowd of people and a panel of judges and explain her project.

Speaking about the event Aya said:

"Having achieved my goals, I feel I have a responsibility to give back to the community. I will try my best to teach and set a good example by leading other girls."

We are very proud that Goal gave her the confidence to do speak out publicly and hope that Aya's story will inspire many more girls out there!