Consider
Kick4Life runs a Super League and rents out its turf fields to local football teams, corporations and businesses. All proceeds go directly to Kick4Life’s development activities. They also host volun-tourism groups from outside of Lesotho, which raise money for programming and on the ground activities. In addition, the organisation rents out office space at its Football for Hope centre to NGOs and businesses. Their Women4 Women programme has its own vegetable garden and sells or makes food for income using what they grow. They also sell Kick4Life merchandise.
Girls from economically disadvantaged backgrounds can find the costs associated with equipment, transportation and competition unrealistic for their families. Additionally, playing sport can mean time away from paid jobs and work that generates income for a family, such as farming. Girls are often pulled out of school early to work and provide income for the family. Parents will be resistant to letting their daughter stop an activity that brings the family money and start an activity that, as many cultures regard, is a waste of time or won’t get her anywhere.
Recommendations:
- Consider the financial burden on both the individual and group when designing a programme for girls. If you want girls from economically disadvantaged backgrounds to participate, you must make it affordable for them to participate
- When possible, provide income-earning opportunities for girls. Train them to provide services within the organisation that you would otherwise have to pay for externally, such as coaching and officiating.
- Be creative about improvising and finding low-cost solutions for running your programme. For example, instead of buying new uniforms, see if you can get donations of used equipment. • Choose a sport that matches the economic capacity of your participants or cut costs by having girls share equipment. Consider creating a “shoe library” where girls check out shoes before practice and then check them back in after practice.
- Think about partnerships that can be built within the community to reduce costs. Solicit support from local businesses in exchange for marketing at events with banners or fliers displaying the business’s name.
- Creating income-generating activities at your organisation can help offset costs for participating in a tournament or attending sport camps. Kick4Life, a sport for development organisation in Lesotho, runs various programmes that generate income for their football development activities.