The Sport For Empowerment Foundation, a non-profit making organization aiming at creating better people through the use of education and sports through its non-residential Golden Soccer Academy in Kono has initiated the idea of integrating girls’ participation into sports as part of their activities in that part of the country.
During the previous year 2022, the organization successfully implemented several activities including Level-1 and Level-2 grassroots football management training, and the maiden Kono youth development league.
According to Desmond Paine, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Sports For Empowerment Foundation ahead of integrating the girls’ participation, they have engaged their parents.
“The purpose of engaging the parents of these girls is to see the reason for allowing the girls to play football as we are mindful of the fact of the girl’s academic which we will not tamper with in any way, that is why for now, they will only participate during the weekends,” he disclosed.
He added that, years ago Kono District was known for its female football in early 2009, but that glory faded away due to the parents’ and communities’ perception of female football.
“We plan to see how girls and boys can co-exist through education and sport, this initiative has brought joy to so many girls who have felt left out of sports and education for so long as communities said that girls should not play football they were told they looked like men,” he concluded.