Improving girls' mental and physical health through boxing

A project supported by Boxgirls Kenya

Boxgirls Kenya's main objective is to foster the development of a safe environment for marginalised and socially excluded young women and girls. The NGO was founded in 2008, a period during which an increasing number of women & girls became victims of sexual abuse and trauma in many disadvantaged communities.

Through the project "Improving girls’ mental and physical health through boxing", Boxgirls Kenya is aimed at young women and girls aged 8 to 23 who either attend schools in Nairobi’s slums or live in two rural areas of western Kenya. The programme involves over 600 girls and young women who meet every week for introductory and training sessions as part of inclusive programmes focusing on physical and mental well-being.

Context

Approximately 60% of the Kenyan population is under the age of 24. A recent study conducted by the National Aids Control Council confirmed that the HIV/AIDS prevalence rate among young people had risen from 29% in 2014 to 46% in 2016. Nearly 90% of the girls surveyed said that they had had unprotected sex or had been the victims of abuse and violence (causing severe trauma for some of them).

Boxgirls Kenya wants to further develop an enabling environment for these young women and girls to allow them to rebuild their lives. It uses boxing as a mechanism for self-defence, self-confidence and awareness-raising, and as a means of encouraging discussion of issues that are usually considered taboo.

Goals

Promote boxing to break down gender stereotypes and encourage girls and young women from disadvantaged backgrounds to take up a sport
Increase girls’ safety through enabling environments that facilitate discussion of sexual and reproductive health rights and the prevention of sexual abuse, and also improve participants’ ability to communicate positively with their bodies
Raise awareness among the main stakeholders (parents, teachers and community leaders) of gender issues and stereotypes, taboos relating to sexuality, and girls’ education
Develop girls’ entrepreneurial and leadership skills and knowledge to improve their autonomy

Activities

Organising weekly training sessions in schools in rural areas and in Nairobi’s slums
Holding two boxing tournaments a year
Promoting sex education and improving the mental and physical health of young people during training sessions
Raising young people’s awareness of the risks of unprotected sex and STDs, including HIV/AIDS
Training coaches on a monthly basis in order to adapt programmes to the needs of young people
Promoting exchange and discussion programmes, bringing together more than 400 young people each year (“Girls Tea Talk” and “Girls Sport Summit”)
Providing leadership/entrepreneurship training to foster girls’ autonomy

Impacts

12 state schools targeted for the organisation of weekly training sessions
Nearly 600 young women and girls directly benefit from the project and a further 400 have been reached through the programmes implemented
50 girls selected and supported through a leadership and mentoring programme aimed at promoting their autonomy