Scott Skinner

In the summer of 2015, I visited the village of Dima in Kwale County on the eastern coast of Kenya to learn about the inspirational work of sport for development organisation Moving the Goalposts (MTG). The article originally featured in Eleven magazine. Picture credits: Scott Skinner/Cocky Van Dam

Scott Skinner joins sport for development organisation Moving the Goalposts in Kenya to witness a project that is changing girls and young women's lives through football

It is Saturday morning and a mini bus emblazoned with the words ‘Moving the Goalposts’ negotiates the bumpy, dusty roads of Kwale County in South Eastern Kenya before pulling into the village of Dima. Moving the Goalposts (MTG) is an inspiring project that seeks to strengthen the voice, impact and influence of girls and young women by providing opportunities for them to play football, take on leadership roles, learn about their rights – and how to claim those rights – with a focus on sexual and reproductive health and choice.

‘Kilifi and Kwale are among the poorest counties in Kenya,’ says Cocky Van Dam, monitoring and evaluation coordinator for MTG.

‘Poverty rates are high, illiteracy rate among parents are high. Especially for girls, the traditional and cultural values are very disempowering. Boys are being given the first opportunities when it comes to education. Girls and women don't make decisions. Kilifi County has the second highest rate in Kenya of teenage pregnancies, girls drop out of school or are married off when they are too young,’ she adds.

MTG currently has 5,442 girls [2015 figures] in the programme who participate in football practice, leagues and peer education. There is also a school awards scheme that encourages girls to participate in the project. ‘Girls are awarded points when they participate in activities,’ says Cocky.

‘The 100 most active girls receive an award. Girls who are in school receive a contribution towards their school fees while, away from school, girls can get support for setting up or investing in their own business. This system is quite different from all other school support that organisations usually provide. Their support is always for the students with the best academic performance. We recognise that girls can also have other qualities and that those girls also deserve to continue with their education,’ she adds.

Halima Sidi Kadzitu, who leads the session in Dima, started out with Moving the Goalposts as a nine-year-old and has moved through the playing, coaching and peer educational levels to become division coordinator. Under the watchful eyes of parents and community leaders, Halima gathers the girls together before organising and refereeing an under-16s league game. She ensures the players properly warm up and calls out coaching instructions while handling refereeing duties.   

And while the pitch may be slightly bumpy and uneven, and the odd cockerel may wander onto the field of play, the game is played with a real passion and intensity. Players fly into tackles, some try to pick out passes while others simply have an eye for goal. 

The project has not been working in Dima for long and as a result some of the technique on show can be rudimentary but the desire and passion for football is evident in every pass, shot and crunching tackle. The game is a keenly fought encounter with a couple of players — who have already been selected to play for MTG’s ‘homegrown’ football team MTG United – catching the eye with their composure and ability on the ball. In the end, a single goal settles it. 

After the match, Halima leads a ‘Tumanyane’ — a meeting involving the girls, community leaders and parents. It is an opportunity for the village to come together to discuss problems and acts as a platform to discuss sensitive issues. Some of the issues addressed include persuading parents to allow daughters to participate in the football matches, overcoming the idea that football is simply a game for boys and allowing a healthy balance between football and chores. 

Other items on the agenda include what the girls should wear when they play football, how girls should react if they get injured during the game and the importance of peer-to-peer coaching and counselling. This meeting also allows the elders and area chiefs to meet and engage with the young girls in the village and also address matters of security. 

It is also an opportunity for the savings group to update community liaison coordinator, Dorcas Amakobe, on their progress. The group encourages the girls to collectively save money and use the funds to help members pursue small business projects or to help those in times of financial need. It promotes economical empowerment and allows the girls to take control of their situations. On our visit the group had saved 11,000 Kenyan shillings (£67). At the end of each year, the remaining funds are split between the group members and the saving starts once more.

After the group meetings the girls run towards the football pitch for more training drills as Halima organises a match for the under-13s. Moving the Goalposts is proof of the enduring power of football and a shining example of how the beautiful game continues to enrich lives in a remarkable way.

For more information: mtgk.org