Sports School: Empowerment of Vulnerable Girls

Project presentation

The 'Bici y Fútbol' Sports School works annually with one hundred girls from 6 to 17 years old from Soacha, a socially and economically vulnerable municipality close to Bogotá, teaching them through sports to prevent unwanted pregnancies and sexual abuse, promoting the exercise of healthy and responsible sexuality and providing them with a safe space. Knowing how the bike was an empowerment tool at the end of the 19th century for so many women who were prohibited from doing so and appropriating public spaces, such as tennis courts, soccer or streets: this space allow them to practice women's soccer championships and learn to ride a bike and create routes, respect their body, physical space, the environment and their community, to develop autonomy, resilience and to be able to break with gender stereotypes - 'Soccer is only for men', thus transforming social norms.

Organization presentation

The organization is dedicated to empowering girls and adolescents, with a focus on promoting their safety, reproductive health, and overall well-being. Through innovative programs and strategic partnerships, it addresses the challenges faced by vulnerable girls in Colombia. Its work has national significance, with measurable impacts including a reduction in unwanted pregnancies and incidents of sexual abuse. It has garnered recognition for their transformative approach.

Impact

“This organization made me believe I was a capable girl and gave me the tools to realize my full potential"

Mariana Ospina, beneficiary who went to NASA and who is now studying Systems Engineering