Mariah Lee Reflects on Trip to the DRC
Step Up Athlete and professional soccer player, Mariah Lee, talks about her first on-field experience with CAC, advancing gender equality in the DRC.
I have just returned home after spending two weeks in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). While I have been a part of the Choice For Women team for more than a year now, this was my first on-field experience with CAC. For the majority of my time in the DRC, I led trainings on Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Prevention at the Malaika Community Center in Kalebuka as part of a global initiative with EngenderHealth to address UN SDG 5: Gender Equality.
In other words, I used Purposeful Play (i.e., sport/games/play) to teach community leaders about SRHR and GBV Prevention. They will go on to lead sessions in their communities, impacting hundreds of youth across the DRC. Elvis, head of the Malaika Community Center and long-time CAC accredited coach spearheaded the sessions, and together we graduated more than 40 leaders over the course of one week.
Reading and hearing about what CAC does is one thing, but experiencing it firsthand is entirely different. There is something really powerful about experiential learning and using play to spark dialogue and introduce concepts. This could look like a game of tag where taggers represent a sexually transmitted disease and the safe area represents a condom. This could also be a game of soccer or handball where scoring a goal symbolizes pregnancy and goalkeepers symbolize different types of contraception. Each game is designed to stimulate discussion and incorporate participants’ ideas and solutions.
You might think adults wouldn’t be that excited to get outside and play games all day, but the folks we worked with were incredibly enthusiastic! Our cohort had so much energy– we danced and chanted and laughed together every day. We had our share of serious moments, too. During the week we touched on topics such as reproduction, family planning, contraception, HIV/STI protection, reproductive rights, stereotyping, inclusion, opportunity, power dynamics, and safe choices. For many participants, this was their first time broaching some of these subjects.
Fortunately, we were able to create a safe environment where participants were able to ask questions about stereotypically taboo topics. I was able to correct misconceptions participants held about reproduction, contraception, and female athletes. Interestingly enough, the men in our cohort were more accepting of women in sport, and it was the women who were more apprehensive. Most of the women had played soccer when they were younger but eventually stopped because of pressure from their community. They were told playing soccer would make them become infertile, turn into a boy, lose their virginity, lose their breasts, etc. I gladly busted those myths!
Outside of our SRHR and GBV Prevention trainings, I spent the majority of my time running soccer sessions with coaches and players– including girls from the Malaika School and boys from the surrounding community. In the DRC there is no public education. Parents either have to come up with the money for school fees or their children sit at home all day– or for many– at the local football pitch. I coached many boys who had little to no formal education, where football is one of the few pathways to a better life. Malaika is a tuition-free private school for girls founded by international supermodel Noella Coursaris Munsunka. Noella, who is Congolese and Cypriot was born in the DRC, but raised in the UK after her father died. Noella’s mother, like most Congolese women, had no education and could not support her. This reality fueled Noella’s desire to create opportunities for girls and women in her home country.
E-meeting Noella and being welcomed by the administrators at Malaika was incredibly inspiring and further cemented my passion for empowering Black girls. Being able to impact the girls and women of the Kalebuka community is something I will never forget!
World’s FIRST Accredited Coaches in Purposeful Play Announced!
Back in January we announced the launch of our new Accredited Coach initiative. Accredited Coaches are the only coaches in the world equipped with Education Outside the Classroom training to impact the UNSDGs and Safe-Guarding Child Rights through Purposeful Play curriculum and methodology. For more information please visit this blog.
Coaches Across Continents has had the honour of working with and supporting tens of thousands of coaches, teachers and community leaders across the world since our inception in 2008. Amongst our most engaging and enthusiastic partners are our Community Impact Coaches (CIC’s), who are the local leaders in their communities and have the passion to deliver social change through sport. We have designed this initiative to further enhance their skill set and are delighted to announce the first six of them below…
Nico Achimpota – Kigoma – Tanzania
Nico Pota is a Tanzanian CIC and is one of the original members of CAC, contributing to the birth of CAC’s first programme in 2008. Since then Nico has been dedicated to bringing sustainable social change to developing communities in multiple countries in Africa. He truly cares about communities and believes that education is the most sustainable way to help people reach their goals and change their lives. Nico is an inspiring community leader, a respectful teacher, and an all-around sportsman.
Daniela Gutierrez – Juego en tu Barrio – Peru
Daniela Gutierrez Neciosup is a community leader in every sense of the term. She has invested in her city of Lima, Perú through involvement and leadership in many different organizations including her current initiative, Juega en tu Barrio. She has been a CAC Community Impact Coach since we first met her in 2014 and has traveled with CAC all over Perú and to México and Ecuador. Her life motto says it all – “PASSION MADE ACTION: Transform everything you are passionate about into actions that allow us to build a better world”.
Jaspreet Kaur – Rurka Kalan YFC – India
A CIC since 2015, Jaspreet has travelled across India and to Qatar with CAC. Jaspreet is also the Project Manager at YFC Rurka Kalan in Punjab – one of India’s leading youth football academies. A passionate believer in the power of sport and how it can change lives, Jaspreet is a trailblazer in creating and delivering innovative projects that impact children and young people in her community, across india and beyond.
Elvis Nshimba – Malaika – Democratic Republic of Congo
A CIC since 2015, Elvis Nshimba is the Programs and Evaluation Manager at Malaika. Elvis joined Malaika as a teacher in 2012 and in 2014, joined the first on-field training with CAC, where he then got involved in using sport as a tool to educate communities. Elvis’ goal is to ‘tirelessly impact youths and adults from the community center and regional schools towards sustainable development, training and i’m committed in supporting youths to become coaches’.
Saraswati Negi – Naz Foundation – India
A CIC since 2019, Saraswati has delivered programming in India and the Phillipines with CAC and is a champion of womens and girls rights across the world. Saraswati works as Training Coordinator with The Naz Foundation (India) Trust. In her role she is responsible for managing, designing, reviewing, redesigning and conducting all TOT programs in Naz for capacity building of staff. She leads the mainstreaming of Abhayam- Naz Child Protection of children and young vulnerable adults within Naz’s activities. Saraswati derives motivation from young people’s leadership and strives to work for them and with them.
David Mulo – Green Kenya – Kenya
After attending several CAC trainings from 2010-2013, David was inspired to take the leap and start his own NGO in 2013 called Green Kenya. Green Kenya works with schools and runs programmes to use sport for social empowerment with a focus on women’s rights and the environment. David became a CIC in 2017 whilst being Director of Green-Kenya. He has travelled across Kenya and to Malawi with CAC – delivering Purposeful Play programming and David mentioned he now has a burning desire to change the world through play.
Salim Twaha Blanden – Mbarara Sports Academy – Uganda
Salim is the founder of Mbarara Sports Academy in Uganda and was the first ever Community Impact Coach in the country! Salim uses sports and purposeful play to connect with children and young people to create awareness about different issues affecting his community and other communities in Uganda.
Patrina Kaye Nartea Caceres – FundLife International – Philippines
Patrina holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts Degree from the University of the Philippines and is currently pursuing her Master of Arts in Teaching at the Leyte Normal University. She has been a football coach since 2010. She is presently a college instructor of the Eastern Visayas State University and a football coach /mentor of FundLife International. She has been a CAC Community Impact Coach (CIC) since 2015. She pursues her motto of “helping change the world, one class/ football team at a time”.
Benedict Marquis – Sports With A Mission – India
Benedict M, founder of Sports With A Mission teaches life skills through sports, to underprivileged children and youth, using purposeful play and self directed learning. He creates safe spaces for children and youth especially for girls and women to explore and express themselves.
Lina Restrepo – INDER Medellín – Colombia
Lina is a former player for Atlético Nacional and Antioquia Soccer Team. She now is a Psychologist, Specializing in Activity Psychology, Physics and Sports, and currently works as a professor at the Universidad San Buenaventura. In Lina’s words “Since 2015, the experience with CAC in Urabá, Bogotá, Chile and other places of the world, has allowed me to find new directions in my life: to know what is beyond high performance, and that we have the power to be intentional with Sport for the Development in our communities, playing for social purposes from sexual education, mental health, diversity, interculturality, questioning traditional sport, gender violence and much more.”
Psicóloga, Especialista en Psicología de la Actividad Física y el Deporte. Exjugadora de Atlético Nacional y Selección Antioquia de Fútbol. Actualmente, docente de la Universidad San Buenaventura e integrante del equipo Deporte y Convivencia del INDER Medellín.
Desde el año 2015, la experiencia con CAC en Urabá, Bogotá, Chile y otros lugares del mundo, ha permitido encontrar nuevas direcciones en mi vida: conocer que más allá del alto rendimiento, tenemos el poder de intencionar el Deporte para el Desarrollo de nuestras comunidades, jugar con propósitos sociales de educación sexual, salud mental, diversidad, interculturalidad, cuestionar el deporte tradicional, las violencias de género y mucho más.
SuperHero, Elvis Nshimba
After a two week break, our 2020 on-field delivery returned last week and we were delighted to work with our long-term CIC, Elvis Nshimba, in the community of Kalebuka, Democratic Republic of Congo.
Elvis Nshimba reminds us of a SuperHero. In the community of Kalebuka, he is one of the many superstars of our partners Malaika. Malaika provide free primary and secondary education to over 300 girls, run a successful community centre and have recently installed and refurbished 19 wells in their local community – ensuring that over 30,000 people have access to clean drinking water. Amidst this force of change, Elvis spent years building his career as an English teacher and as his skills grew, so did his responsibilities. So much so, that his ‘day job’ is now as part of the Executive Team where he oversees the programmes and the evaluation of initiatives throughout the school.
And like any superhero, Elvis has an alter ego. He is one of the world’s leading #PurposefulPlay Educators! A Community Impact Coach since 2014, Elvis’ energy and enthusiasm are infectious and participants in his training sessions always want more. Elvis has impacted over 10,000 children in his time with CAC, running programmes in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia and most recently, running his own #EducationOutsideTheClassroom programme in the DRC.
With CAC’s support, Elvis delivered a world class programme for teachers, coaches and educators – providing mentorship around Covid-19 safety, CAC SAFE and gender equality.
Today Is Peace Day!
September 21st 2016. Today is Peace Day. This UN recognized day, facilitated by Peace One Day, is a day to promote peace and international cooperation through events and activities. One of the key Peace Day initiatives is One Day One Goal. This initiative uses the power of soccer to unite people, strengthen peace-building efforts and educate about social inclusion. Some of the biggest supporters of One Day One Goal include global sporting ambassadors Gary Lineker, Victor Wanyama and Fabrice Muamba. As part of One Day One Goal over the past few years, we provide a Peace Day resource packet to organizations in over 130 countries. This packet helps them play games to teach youth about understanding forms of violence and avoiding stereotypes. To see a recent example of the reconciliatory nature of the CAC curriculum and sport check out this recent blog from Indonesia which united two conflicting communities. This topic is especially important in the current global climate of ethnic divisiveness often stoked by fear and paranoia. No matter your medium, promoting peace and social inclusion for Peace Day will send an important message of unity.
Today and over the next week organizations will be running events and activities using sport to promote peace. For example, our partners in DRC Malaika, ran sports sessions, dance events and theater at their community center. Training4ChangeS our partner in South Africa ran problem solving games on Peace Day with key community leaders. In Uganda, Soccer Without Borders Uganda had their children, many of whom are refugees; sing songs; play sport; and make crafts. Naz Goal in India ran events to promote peace between their young people. This is just a small sample of the Peace Day activities- there will be many more over the next few days. If you are running Peace Day 2016 events please send the pictures and stories to and we will promote your inspirational work.
Who will you make peace with this Peace Day?
Let us play: Congo Mothers Call for Parity
July 28th 2016. Our third year On-Field with Malaika through the eyes, ears, and words of SDL Coach and ASK for Choice Strategist, Nora Dooley.
“Tomorrow morning we will ask a group of about sixty Congolese men what they are going to do for the women and girls in their communities. What would you like me to tell them on behalf of you, the mothers of Kalebuka?”
—
It was Thursday afternoon and I was sitting in a circle with my teammates and twenty women, all mothers of children who play at Malaika’s FIFA Football for Hope Center near Lubumbashi, DRC. We had just finished the fourth day On-Field with a fantastic bunch of participants. The group was comprised mostly of returning coaches from the two previous years of CAC trainings, the vast majority being older men with clear experience in both playing and coaching football.
Now, to massively understate, I’ve led a few CAC programs where I am in the minority as a woman. I find confidence here – almost as if the strength of all the incredible females I’ve ever met or known is fueling me in this seemingly boundless male-dominated territory. But looking around the circle at these mothers… I’ve never felt so small. I let go of all personal doubts as to what I was doing there and dove in. I had to hear them – and not just because I was selfishly eager to know even a small part of their stories, but because all week long conversations about gender equity and women’s rights were sprouting up from men. It was past time for the woman’s voice to Mingle Mingle.
We laughed, we listened, we danced. And I carefully noted.
The intense week with the coaches charged my emotions in this session. In four days we had explored ideas about different cultural possibilities, different organized religious beliefs (or lack thereof), and new and different ways to venture into these types of vital discussions on the football pitch. The participants were given the opportunity to identify a specific social issue and adapt or invent a game that would create space to discuss solutions. We danced through the struggles and vulnerabilities of coaching for social impact that – in my opinion – inevitably produce more beautiful music. One of the key conversations was unpacking the coaching toolbox that the participants could make use of if they so chose. A particular tool that came up repeatedly on and off the field was the use of a coach’s ears. And how as leaders we have the option to lecture or listen. The movement from the former to the latter over the course of the coaches’ practical sessions was profound. Our model, demonstrated not forced: their choice.
They chose and chose and chose. And we listened. After two years of Child Protection Policy trainings (bearing in mind the bulk of returning participants) and the outspoken passion these men demonstrated as they brought up gender inequalities as problems, it was time to shake things up for some localized policy design.
The final day began with small group discussions:
Imagine a future where women and men are treated equally: what does that look like for you?
What is preventing this future from being reality?
What must we do to achieve this future? What would you include in a policy/action plan for gender equity – for the rights of women and girls in your communities?
They vehemently engaged, discussed, shared, listed, debated, agreed to disagree on some things, unanimously agreed on others. They had big ideas and some steps in mind to realize them. But there was still an essential missing piece. I told them about our meeting the previous afternoon with the mothers. I told them we had something to add on behalf of those women. I asked the men if they wanted to listen.
They chose, once again, to use those brilliant ears and I was given a most humbling and thrilling honor of channeling the voices of these Kalebuka mothers, echoing thousands (millions?), as I read aloud their call for parity.
“We women have all the same rights as you.”
“Come with us, men and women together, into the community to share knowledge about girls’ and women’s rights.”
“Let us play! You need to create space and opportunities for us and our daughters to play. If you get two days on the field… we get two days!”
“Encourage us, and include us!”
“We are strong, too.”
And if I may be so bold to add… We are women, and we ASK for Choice!!!
My Week In Chililabombwe
July 12th 2016. Community Impact Coach Elvis Nshimba wrote about his time with CAC and Malalo Sports Foundation in Chililabombwe, Zambia.
I’m very happy and honored to work with Coaches Across Continents. In 2014, I attended the training of CAC games in Lubumbashi within my organization (Malaika Foundation). The following year I attended the second training with interest and was committed to implement what I was learning.
I realized that working with Coaches Across Continents as a Community Impact Coach is an important thing for my life and for my organization. My application was accepted and I was appointed to go and implement games we learned at Chililabombwe in Zambia.
Being my first time to work as a Community Impact Coach in a foreign country, I felt very excited as my need to travel is growing. I had a great week in Chililabombwe from the 3rd to the 10th of July with a great team: Nora Dooley, Ruben Alvarado, Macie Jones and Nico Achimpota.
I began teaching games that I didn’t know before, but as a Community Impact Coach, I was able to read them once and understand what I could do with local coaches in Zambia. Teaching the first game wasn’t so easy, but the second and the following were great games we taught.
In this trip, I learned many things about people, their lifestyle, different issues they have in their community and I improved my English. Zambian coaches were very kind, friendly and humble. They were good at implementing games we taught them, and committed to positively impact their community by using sport with boys and girls.
I would like to thank very much the Boards of Coaches Across Continents who allowed me, through this program, to go beyond my country, and as a Community Impact Coach, I wish to keep on running On-Field programs with them any where they can send me as a volunteer. I’m also grateful to Ruben and Nora who helped me improve my knowledge in implementing games.
As long as this program keeps on being run, I hope to contribute with my knowledge and my energy to impact the world with positive messages through sports.
