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January 14, 2022
In Kwale, Kenya, more than 7,000 women are using soccer to fight gender-based violence (GBV) and campaign for peace as part of the nonprofit Nikumbuke Soccer League. Their women and girls empowerment project, also called Nikumbuke, means ‘remember me’ and engages women 25 years-old and above in two hour trainings on GBV. Through soccer they share experiences on domestic problems, explore ways to tackle depression, address teen pregnancies, early marriage and educate women on their rights and legal protection opportunities.
Nikumbuke Soccer League operates community outreach programs in rural Kenya, providing women and girls the opportunity to participate in sport, receive an education and lead healthier lives. They run a 13-team village league that, since 2013, has supported over 300 women. The GBV initiative also sponsors more than 315 schoolgirls.
The initiative’s project’s manager Benedetta Thomas shared with The Star Kenya that the league aims to counter traditions that marginalize women and girls. “The majority of the women are illiterate and have no clue what domestic and sexual violence are. This is because during their childhood they were never taken to school and some were married off early.”
She continued that by sharing life experiences the women learn and understand what domestic and sexual violence is, and how to report or otherwise handle the issues. The project also promotes the importance of education and seeks to enhance good menstrual hygiene and overall mental and physical health.
According to the UN Women’s 2021 Rapid Gender Assessment on the Impacts of COVID-19 on Violence against Women in Kenya, 52% of women had been physically abused and 1 in 5 women reported feeling unsafe in their household. Participant Juneta Mlongo said that the project helped her overcome domestic challenges. The mother of four children has her children’s education sponsored through the project and she’s a player within the league. The hope for these women is to be able to promote peace, not only at home but to the entire Kwale society.
Assistant director Ann Akoth said that the husbands and men who initially opposed the project, are now encouraging their wives and women to participate after seeing the benefits, which also include leveraging sports ability to address the diseases and health complications accompanied by old age.
The Nikumbuke Soccer League not only works to empower women in rural Kenya, but they also work to empower youth, high school and collegiate athletes in the United States to use their athletic platforms to do good in the world and value community service. The project’s Founder, Brittany Ammerman used the athletic platform she created through playing women’s ice hockey to create the league and empower women as well as youth.
Source: The Star Kenya
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