Kibera Girls Soccer Academy
Please Note: Vision Africa support for this project is currently suspended due to lack of funding. Please contact us if you would like to help us get the feeding programme going again. Thank you!
Based in the slums of Kibera, the Girls Soccer Academy is one of the few schools to provide totally cost-free secondary education. Add to that the fact that it is solely for the education of girls and it becomes even more unique.
The story of this school was brought to our attention by an American student who was doing her internship at the academy. The girls had competed in, and won, the ladies category of an Mpira Mtaani tournament and this had led the student to Vision Africa.
Initially, the school was based in two rooms donated by the grandmother of one of the 2 founders. They have subsequently built a third room to cope with the demands for places at the school. The girls who attend this school are girls who are fighting for their education. They are eager students who are early for class, study hard and are determined to make the most of the rare opportunity they have been given to attend secondary school. For many families in Kibera, there is still a tradition of favouring sons over daughters when it comes to education so, unfortunately, girls can be faced with teenage pregnancy, early marriages or employment well below their capabilities.
When approached with a request for assistance, Vision Africa reviewed the project and decided to agree. To date, we have funded the building of toilets (previously they had to request permission to use those of a neighbouring school), some maintenance work on the buildings and classroom resources such as exercise books and pencils.
Ongoing support is being provided by Vision Africa through its Kibera Education scheme. This means that we will assist with teachers’ salaries for a limited period of 6 months, provide a uniform for each girl and fund an ongoing feeding programme. For many children in Kibera it is difficult to find food every day.
It has been well documented that by giving a child one meal per day at school, you can dramatically improve their concentration and ultimately their ability to work. This in turn gives them a better chance at a brighter future which is the goal of Vision Africa. The students at Kibera Girls Soccer Academy now have a better chance of achieving their goals and scoring well – both on the pitch and in the classroom!
If you would like more information about this project or are interested in making a donation or perhaps sponsoring a teacher by paying a monthly contribution towards their salary please contact our Kenya team by using our contact form. Thank you!
50p gives a child a main meal every day they are at school.
£1 a week pays for a child’s education
Updated: September 2009