100% all-girl boxing camp with Estelle Mossely

The camp brought together 8 boxers from the Moroccan national team and 8 boxers from the Senegalese national team, along with their respective coaches, in Mbour, Senegal. For a week, the girls trained and took part in life skills workshops run by GIZ on sport for development, menstrual hygiene and women’s sports. The girls had the opportunity to talk to Estelle Mossely about her career as a professional boxer. They were also trained by Kamel Hasni, coach to Estelle and the French team, and received his advice.

The project has helped to strengthen the links between the Moroccan and Senegalese delegations and promote African boxing.

The camp is due to be repeated until 2026.

Context 

The Youth Olympic Games will be held for the first time on the African continent in 2026, in Dakar (Senegal). This competition for young athletes aged between 15 and 18 combines sport with educational and cultural activities.

International competitions demand a strong and constant commitment from athletes. For women, taking part in sport is often subject to prejudice, especially in sports with a “masculine” connotation such as boxing.

Goals

• Make young girls competitive with a view to the 2026 YOG in Dakar
• Encourage the empowerment of girls through the values of boxing, with lifeskills sessions during the camp
• Sharing special moments with Estelle
• Boost relations between African sports teams (in this case Senegal and Morocco)
• Train coaches in the GIZ “Sport For Development” method

Activities

• Boxing training sessions
• All-female workshops for boxers to discuss and exchange views on school, careers, health, personal development and menstrual hygiene
• Workshops for sports coaches and trainers, providing training and opportunities to exchange views on the practice of boxing
• Visit to the Bandia wildlife reserve

Impact

• The 16 girls are developing their boxing skills through contact with experts such as Estelle and the coaches.
• The 16 girls are more competitive to fight at the 2026 YOG
• The girls and coaches have assimilated the information discussed during the exchanges and workshops
• The girls are confident and ready to pass on what they have learnt at the camp to their clubs
• The coaches have been trained on the themes of sport and gender, and on coaching practices thanks to exchanges with their French, Senegalese and Moroccan counterparts

Photos credit : Geneviève Sauval