The Likoni Community Football League (LCFL) is starting a girls tournament league in Likoni. This is an initiative that the LCFL has taken to empower girls in the community.
This will help girls both in games and socially. In games, football will help them in instilling confidence, team work and on maintaining their health. As we know exercise is very good in maintaining one’s health.
Socially, LCFL is planning to use football drills to educate the girls on different issues in the community. They will be educated about reproductive health issues, about HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Also the coaches will put more emphasis about the importance of education and also train them in financial literacy.
The tournament will involve six teams, with three teams from Likoni. As for the other teams the organizers are considering inviting neighboring communities. To further educate the girls, before they start playing football, they watch educational videos.
According to an administrator, Yusuf Abbas, the girls are really excited about the league. He stated they would really welcome any assistance rendered to them to help in achieving this goals. Assistance can be in the form of mentoring, donation of sanitary pads, football equipment; anything that can be of help.
“Empowering girls is very important to the community and individuals, government or organisations should try and contribute to ensure our girls are successful in future,” said Abbas. “Personally, I love educating the girls while I am coaching them, I feel it has more impact” he added.