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July 8, 2022
Four-time African footballer of the Year and FC Barcelona Femení striker, Asisat Oshoala has teamed up with Nike Football and Women Win to launch an academy for young Nigerian girls. Asisat Oshoala Academy (AOA) will provide access to football and life skills for marginalized schoolgirls in Lagos.
The new academy builds upon Oshoala’s long-time mission to improve education and provide access to sport for girls in her community. She also wants to provide a platform for young talent to rise to the top, especially from the grassroots level from which she emerged to become a football star. In 2019, Oshoala became the first African woman to win the UEFA Champions League.
“I have always strived to give back to the girl child in my community and I believe this football academy will provide opportunities for more girls to excel through the combination of sport and education. I want to thank our partners Women Win and Nike for helping bring this platform to life. Together we can go further and achieve a lot more,” she said.
AOA is the extension of the Asisat Oshoala Foundation, which was established in 2015 to give young girls in Lagos the opportunity to play sports and have access to education, leadership and empowerment programs. Born from Oshoala’s passion for mentoring young girls to embrace education while aspiring for success through sports, the Foundation has frequently collaborated with partners in Nigeria and abroad including the Lagos state government and the African Children’s Talent Discovery Foundation (ACTDF). It also holds an annual ‘Football4girls’ tournament in Lagos, which features mentorship sessions, medical health training and life skill coaching.
The academy will provide girls – aged 12 to 18 – with access to football training three times a week. In addition, AOA will host four ‘She Plays’ events each year to broaden the reach of the academy’s activities. The program will be accompanied with life skill education, which will include teachings on women’s rights in the areas of gender-based violence, sexual and reproductive health and economic empowerment. Program graduates will be encouraged to use their leadership skills to make a positive impact in their communities.
“Women Win is very proud and excited to be partnering with our long-time partner Nike, Asisat and the Asisat Oshoala Academy to leverage the power of sport to support girls in Nigeria to become better equipped to exercise their rights. This partnership and program will be key in ensuring girls can thrive as they face the most pressing issues of adolescence and realize their inherent leadership potential,” said Women Win Brand Director, Yvonne Henry.
The Foundation will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the academy. Women Win, a global non-profit that uses sport to empower girls and young women to know and use their rights – and a past Beyond Sport Global Award winner – will help build the academy’s development programs.
Source: Premium Times
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