Rails Football Academy : girls at the heart of the game
Context
Discrimination is a major obstacle to human development in Cameroon, and girls’ access to education remains a real challenge. While 39% of the country’s population lives below the poverty threshold, this rate increases to 51.5% for women. Some 79.2% of women are underemployed.
Growing up in a disadvantaged environment, Gaëlle Enganamouit encountered disbelief and ridicule when she said she wanted to become a professional footballer. However, the strength of her ambition and determination enabled her to achieve her goals in Cameroon and internationally. Now she is the driving force behind the first women’s football academy in Cameroon.
Goals
- Promote gender equality and girls’ participation in football
- Encourage the empowerment of girls through the educational values of football
- Develop girls’ self-confidence, perseverance, discipline and teamwork
- Identify future elite players and offer them appropriate professional opportunities
Activities
- Training sessions for young people (mostly girls in the U8, U12, U17 and U20 categories)
- Organisation of football tournaments in Yaoundé to promote women’s football
- Supply of educational materials to academy students and the award of educational scholarships
- Qualified coaches and members of the women’s national football team assist academy students
See the Rails Football Academy in action (video in French)
Impacts
- About 40 academy students in the first intake (including girls in the U8 to U20 youth categories)
- Almost 20 scholarships granted in 2019
- Direct jobs created by the academy
Funding
- Recurring annual funding needs
- Project supported by Gaëlle Enganamouit through her foundation with the assistance of donations and external sponsors
You are the manager of this project and you wish to modify/complete this form ? Do not hesitate to contact us through your account !