Girl Power in South Africa

The day before National Woman's Day (9th August) was celebrated in South Africa, a girls-only football tournament took place in front of the construction site of the first of 20 Football for Hope community centres that are to be built across Africa in conjunction with the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™.

Grassroot Soccer, Amandla Kulucha (meaning ‘strength to youth'), and FIFA were jointly responsible for the tournament. The event was the first joint venture between Grassroot Soccer and Amandla Kulucha, who are both members of the streetfootballworld network, FIFA's partner in the "20 Centres for 2010" project.

The footballers had to make do with a stony, makeshift street football court and a small grass field, but it is intended that by December 2009 the park will be the site of the first completed Football for Hope Centre, with a five-a-side, artificial football pitch.

Between games the girls took part in 45-minute 'Skillz' sessions. Developed by Grassroot Soccer. The Skillz programme uses football as a vehicle to help educate children on HIV/AIDS and also provide them with the tools necessary to overcome the challenges they face in their impoverished communities.

"These activities lead to the opportunity to engage with kids and begin a meaningful conversation."
- Paola Peacock Friedrich, the FIFA Programme Development Manager for the '20 Centres for 2010

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