As part of the ‘Through Life with a Ball’ project, streetfootballworld network member KICKFAIR has produced a short video about how their materials are being used to engage young people about global issues.
Fatuma comes from Marsabit in Kenya, where ethnic conflict has devastated lives over generations. Linda comes from Pailin in Cambodia, one of the most heavily land mined areas in the world. Michaela’s family emigrated from Slovakia to Germany, where her teachers told her that she didn’t stand a chance of getting a job.
What do these three young women have in common? They and many others have used the power of football to overcome social challenges, helping to create a better future for themselves and their communities. Now, their stories are being used to inspire others throughout the world.
The power of football
As part of KICKFAIR’s project ‘Through Life with a Ball’, 13 girls and women from 10 different countries talked about their lives, the problems and challenges they face, and their passion for football. The information was distributed to schools and organisations in the form of posters and DVDs, giving young people a chance to learn about the world from a different perspective.
The ‘Through Life with a Ball’ project was created in cooperation by streetfootballworld network members Chigol, Formação, Spirit of Soccer, Magic Bus, Peres Center for Peace, Al Quds Association for Democracy and Dialogue, Espérance and KICKFAIR.
Inspiring young people to make a change
To show how the project has reached out to schoolchildren, KICKFAIR has made a short video documenting how teachers and youth workers have used the materials to generate interest. The stories of these young women encourage a direct personal involvement with global issues, inspiring children and adolescents to make a change in their own communities.
Representatives of the organisations and some of the women featured on the posters visited schools in Germany, giving firsthand accounts of their situation. “When they are here, and you see the poster, you have a totally different access”, said Uli Hengemühle, a teacher who used the materials in his class.
The video can be viewed here.
