December 2016 Tournament for Girls

A win for girls and women is a win for all of us.
- Hans Glick

December 2016 - Tournament for Girls

In December 2016, 8 teams of  local Bujumbura girls (ages 12 - 18) came together to play for the promotion of peace, reconciliation and cohesion in the Ntahangwa community of Bujumbura.  The tournament was attended by over 5,000 people.  As you can see from the photos, the girls were tough, played hard, and had a lot of fun.

Ezechiel's Report
​Results expected - every youth participatating in the tournament would be able to understand that being different from the other is an added value, that needs to be positively exploited - build long time friendships. We saw soccer teams from different suburbs of the city meeting at the soccer field (centre Jeune Kamenge), thus the coaches met in the pre-tourmanent preparation.  This was never the case when the current crisis started but also taking into account the past history of these suburbs.  

Feedback from coaches, players and organizers:

  • The team leaders and coaches  often ask for some transport fee for players to facilitâte mobility and also ask for soccer balls for their teams’ training.
  • Tournaments are welcomed by all players, all players appreciate short messages of encouragement from various leaders in the community  before the  game start.
  • Approach and convince the local leaders to financially contribute to the smooth running of these peace tournaments.
  • Some team coaches insisted that we should be holding a prayer session before and after the games and even pray for rhe country.
  • ​Additional teams requested to join the tournament after it had begun.
  • Training sessions are very necessary to empower both the team coaches and their leaders (presidents).  Also just to reinforce the rules of the game.
  • Encouraging girls soccer players is crucial and important and to keep reminding them that the game of soccer is also meant for girls, not for boys only. Practicing soccer in Burundi’s communities as a girl decreases the marginalization of  the girl child in the community.
  • This challenge may be solved by raising awareness through training to the parents, educators in both primary and secondary schools, also by setting up a girls listening center aiming at adressing and educating youth the principles of peace and non- violence communication.
  • Referee training as referees may play a great role in influencing positively the soccer players, team leaders and coaches.
  • More support and encouragement for young players (under 14). They need to be listened to especially at this time when the country has been going through socio-political and economic instabilities.
  • ​More shoes are needed
  • More soccer balls are needed - 10 soccer balls for training and for 4 matches.

Providing the opportunity for girls to play in a tournament was a year-long goal of ours.   Extending soccer skills to the girls empowers them to push themselves to claim their rights in society, fight against injustices, stand against violence, and stand for peace and equality. We are so grateful for the support of everyone who made this possible.  Donations, both big and small, made this possible.  We look forward to many more of these opportunities.  

​Please sign up for our newsletter or follow us on Facebook for updates.  
Picture

​Reminding the people of Burundi that your opponent on the field does not have to be your opponent in life.