Who's In?

Time to give some props to Ashoka for organizing a UNICEF-supported sports-as-development competition. (Incidentally, I gave some props to Ashoka in 2001, as project manager on an editorial team that honored 100 organizations (including Ashoka) for innovation—so I’m glad to see the group is still going strong.) Ashoka bills itself as an association of “social entrepreneurs.” Hats off to UNICEF too. And OK, Nike, which gave money. Honestly, I can’t figure out the exact relationship between these organizations and this effort, and it appears the Women’s Sports Foundation is involved some way too; but anyway, I applaud them all!

According to UNICEF, this year’s competition, “GameChangers: Change the Game for Women in Sport,” aimed to bring together the next wave of innovators eager to catalyze change for women and girls through sport – and to bring real solutions to troubling, gender-specific social problems.

That’s a fancy mouthful to describe a dynamic I’ve been thinking is essential for some time. That is, the transforming effect sport can have on people, especially girls. The more beleaguered and oppressed the population, the more they may benefit from the freedom and empowerment athletic endeavors provide. Obviously, not every individual loves sports or physical activities at all, but everyone should have the opportunity to try them out. Which implies too they should have the requisite peace in their neighborhood and food in their bellies to make that possible.

The Game-Changers winners that Ashoka/UNICEF announced last month are:

3 Sisters Adventure Trekking This organization was started by three Nepalese sisters who saw a need for women guides to serve women trekkers, and dared to break out of traditional roles to offer this service. Now 3 Sisters recruits additional trekking guides from within the country, offering educational and employment opportunities never before known by rural Nepalese women.

Moving the Goalposts This organization in Kenya uses soccer to instill confidence, strength, and decision-making capabilities in girls; to expose them to safe and positive social interactions; to provide health education, and training in organization and management as they learn to run the program as well as play the game.

Team-Up for Youth This U.S. program works to expand after-school sports opportunities for low-income children, encouraging college-age women to volunteer as coaches and role models.