Thank you for you input in this competition. The KNVB has done a lot to develop football through conducting coaching and referees courses in Africa in the past, the present and in this proposal I read you've got plans for the future as well. In your new project you focus on girls and women and that's a great initiative.
Meanwhile I hope you will make use of the programmes which have been developed in local organizations in Africa. For instance Moving the Goalposts Kilifi (MTGK), Kenya, developed it's own football training manual for girls/women coaches (in Kiswahili) in which peer led health education has a prominent place. Moving the Goalposts Kilifi had trained more than 200 girls and young women as football coaches in Kilifi district, Kenya. As you mention in your proposal: it's not new!
Also... I hope you will make use of the experiences of young Arican women training other girls and women as
football coaches. They are there! In Kilifi there is a group of girls trained as "TOT's". For girls in Kenya it's difficult to become leaders. One of the problems is a lack of rolemodels. Ans see: here they are! Let's give the girls a chance. (Perhaps this is also an answer on Ziba's question. Male footballers in Kenya are no role models for girls. Not only because they're men, but also because male football stars are not famous in Kenya. Once I invited the coach of Harambee Stars, Kenya's national team. And none of the girls knew who he was...!)
I hope we can work together to give women coaches a chance not only as passive benificiaries, but also as leaders who can train other girls/women, be good rolemodels and local specialists who know better what works in a specific cultural context.
On January 5 I've posted a proposal on Changemakers: network to develop football for girls and women in Kenya. Might the KNVB be interested to support this network?
Guys,
Quick clarification - the male football stars were meant to be role models for other boys/ men in the community, not the female players! I think we need both to really bring about societal change around gender relations (gender roles are reinforced by both genders!) This is something that an organization in Brazil, called Promundo, is doing a lot of work on - changing the behavior and role models for men because a lot of societal ills start there!
Would love your thoughts/ debate!
Z
Sorry, I've understood you wrong. Ofcourse male football players can be rolemodels for boys. And you're right: using them might have a big impact and can be a way to behavior change which can benefit girls/society.
Thanks,
Johan,
Psyched to see you up on changemakers! And I love the title of your entry!! Couple of questions for you one -one not related to your entry - have you heard from the kids at MYSA and how are they doing? Obviously the news reports are highly worrying? Now for your entry - do you think there is an appetite among male football stars to participate and get excited about training women? I think it is beneficial on many levels to have female role models serve as coaches, but I also think having male stars involved could help break down many of the stereotypes and resistance to accepting girls as players among family members and the local community who often have more traditional perspectives on the roles of girls/ women.
Thanks!
Z
So far we have not included male stars in the planning. The strong USP for this project I think is that is done by Women for Women and we have some quality to offer there, both from the Dutch input side as from for instance Kenya.
I am not ruling out any involvement from male stars to serve as role models in this project as we go along. I am also sure that the appetite is there. Involvement of local male stars to start with would be best as they are as role models easiest within reach for the girls.
The trouble in Kenya over the past week has affected many of the children involved in our programs, although I did not get any specific information in.
Johan van Geijn
KNVB Academy International Projects
Cocky van Dam
Dear Mr. van Geijn,
Thank you for you input in this competition. The KNVB has done a lot to develop football through conducting coaching and referees courses in Africa in the past, the present and in this proposal I read you've got plans for the future as well. In your new project you focus on girls and women and that's a great initiative.
Meanwhile I hope you will make use of the programmes which have been developed in local organizations in Africa. For instance Moving the Goalposts Kilifi (MTGK), Kenya, developed it's own football training manual for girls/women coaches (in Kiswahili) in which peer led health education has a prominent place. Moving the Goalposts Kilifi had trained more than 200 girls and young women as football coaches in Kilifi district, Kenya. As you mention in your proposal: it's not new!
Also... I hope you will make use of the experiences of young Arican women training other girls and women as
football coaches. They are there! In Kilifi there is a group of girls trained as "TOT's". For girls in Kenya it's difficult to become leaders. One of the problems is a lack of rolemodels. Ans see: here they are! Let's give the girls a chance. (Perhaps this is also an answer on Ziba's question. Male footballers in Kenya are no role models for girls. Not only because they're men, but also because male football stars are not famous in Kenya. Once I invited the coach of Harambee Stars, Kenya's national team. And none of the girls knew who he was...!)
I hope we can work together to give women coaches a chance not only as passive benificiaries, but also as leaders who can train other girls/women, be good rolemodels and local specialists who know better what works in a specific cultural context.
On January 5 I've posted a proposal on Changemakers: network to develop football for girls and women in Kenya. Might the KNVB be interested to support this network?
Guys,
Quick clarification - the male football stars were meant to be role models for other boys/ men in the community, not the female players! I think we need both to really bring about societal change around gender relations (gender roles are reinforced by both genders!) This is something that an organization in Brazil, called Promundo, is doing a lot of work on - changing the behavior and role models for men because a lot of societal ills start there!
Would love your thoughts/ debate!
Z
Cocky van Dam
Hello Ziba,
Sorry, I've understood you wrong. Ofcourse male football players can be rolemodels for boys. And you're right: using them might have a big impact and can be a way to behavior change which can benefit girls/society.
Thanks,
Cocky van Dam
Johan,
Psyched to see you up on changemakers! And I love the title of your entry!! Couple of questions for you one -one not related to your entry - have you heard from the kids at MYSA and how are they doing? Obviously the news reports are highly worrying? Now for your entry - do you think there is an appetite among male football stars to participate and get excited about training women? I think it is beneficial on many levels to have female role models serve as coaches, but I also think having male stars involved could help break down many of the stereotypes and resistance to accepting girls as players among family members and the local community who often have more traditional perspectives on the roles of girls/ women.
Thanks!
Z
Hi Ziba,
Always good to hear from you!
So far we have not included male stars in the planning. The strong USP for this project I think is that is done by Women for Women and we have some quality to offer there, both from the Dutch input side as from for instance Kenya.
I am not ruling out any involvement from male stars to serve as role models in this project as we go along. I am also sure that the appetite is there. Involvement of local male stars to start with would be best as they are as role models easiest within reach for the girls.
The trouble in Kenya over the past week has affected many of the children involved in our programs, although I did not get any specific information in.
Johan van Geijn
KNVB Academy International Projects