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The project Futebol dá força is now officially launched in Mozambique as of the 7^th of April – the Mozambican Women’s Day – at Campo de Costa do Sol in Maputo! We launched the project with a girls’ tournament with 15 (!) teams, all of them coached by our recently educated coaches. Additionally four coaches were there to help out. The motivation and will of these fantastic young leaders is amazing to see and we were all impressed with the work they already have done with their players.

180 girls participated in the tournament with the winning team Escolinha do Tico-Tico taking home the trophy as well as t-shirts donated by the Vietnamese Embassy in Maputo. Associação Cosmos de Barcelona ended up with a well fought for second place. After the prize ceremony the project was officially launched by our counterpart in Mozambique, the Lurdes Mutola Foundation, as well as by our partners: the Ministry of Education and Youth & Sports and the Football Federation. The former national team captain and football hero Tico-Tico was also present and emphasized the power of combining football with life skills and personal development – his sole presence a very motivating factor for coaches and players alike. The Mayor of Maputo (a woman!) ended the ceremony and her speech with a cheer that was heard throughout the whole field – ”Viva Futebol Feminino!”.

Representatives from the Diplomatic Corps (Ambassadors from Vietnam, Sweden, Belgium and Great Britain) were present showing their support as well as representatives from WLSA and UNICEF.

Cultural performances throughout the day – music, dancing and much more – gave the day an extraordinary feeling for the girls and the audience. The official song for the project by the Mozambican band Moticoma (soon available here at www.ffwu.org) highlighted the event as well as music of the traditional marrabenta singer Hortêncio Langa and for the younger crowd by DJ Mandito.

Ending the event, the women’s football teams Paradise and Benfica de Hulene played the final of the 7^th of April Cup. Paradise won with a strong 6-0, showing the younger girls participating in our tournament where they are heading.

We want to thank everyone who have made this possible directly and indirectly. The whole event was sponsored by generous donations from people around the world who has decided to get up from the substitutes’ bench and become an active part in our movement to improve the future of Mozambique’s young women – Thank you!

The 17^th of March our first Futebol dá força-coaches had their second part of their education:
a seminar about sexual and reproductive health. The seminar was held by the youth association Associação COALIZÃO and sponsored by the German GIZ as well as with private donations from our supporters – thank you!    

Our 25 coaches were eager to discuss the different themes that the lecturer Farouk Simango and his two assistants Madalena and Mafalda raised: sexuality, pregnancy, puberty, social pressure etc. What happens when the players reach puberty? What to do if a player becomes pregnant at an early age? How does menstruation affect a player? And most of all, how should they handle these situations as a coach? All 25 coaches agreed that they need to be an extra mother or father for the players, and help the players to get on the right path to succeed well in life.

For a start, the coaches were slightly shy but Farouk Simango managed to engage them all in discussions, group assignments and role play. More discussions about the importance of players’ – and coaches’ - self-confidence and of making your own well-educated decisions followed. The importance of communication and dialog on equal terms was also some of the responsibilities the coaches learned. Switching between Portuguese and the local language Shangana, the lecturer made the seldom discussed themes understandable.    

All this new knowledge and responsibility as coaches – but how are they going to use it on the football field? All coaches agreed that their assignment is not only to develop the best football players but also to develop young and strong individuals that can take care of themselves and their future.

To also give the coaches some knowledge perhaps more for their personal life, the youth association’s activists ended the seminar by demonstrating how to use a condom, which was met by great interest and laugh from the participants. The free condoms we handed out were soon gone.

Even better than the free condoms, was the diplomas and Futebol dá força t-shirts that all coaches received at the end of the seminar. With big letters on the front of the t-shirt one can read: Sim, ela pode! Yes, she can! T-shirts that the coaches will take with them out onto the fields around Maputo where they will start with their work for Futebol dá força – building the future generation of strong and healthy Mozambican girls. The t-shirts work as a motivating and integrating force – all coaches feel part of something bigger. And bigger is on its way, now all coaches will receive basic football equipment to be able to implement the project in their respective communities, schools and football clubs.

For the first time in Mozambique: a coaching course only for girls’ and women’s football.

When we arrive at Campo de 1 º Maio, Maputo, at 7:00 the 9^th of March, the first excited coaches are already there – an hour before the course started at 08.00. The 27 participants were selected to join Futebol dá força out of the vast amount of interested people based on the interviews we did with everyone. A few were indicated directly by the Mozambican Football Federation and some, P.E. teachers, indicated by the Ministry of Education. The majority of the participants were women, which we noted with great satisfaction – role models are desperately needed for young girls in Mozambique.  

The National Committee for Women’s Football inaugurated the course, which was sponsored by the German GIZ. After the opening ceremony, the Principal Instructor, the German Technical Director at the Football Federation, Torsten Spittler, could start with the first theory session together with the former national team captain and nowadays instructor Pinto Barros and Madalena Taju, who works with women's football at the Federation’s technical department. 

The first day was spent talking about the coach as a role model, both on and off the football field. Group work, theoretical and practical sessions followed. The group quickly became a cohesive group where everyone talked to everyone and where coaches, teachers, students and players of both sexes were mixed altogether!

On the nice field - one of the best in Maputo - the coaches experienced real luxury: real grass, plenty of balls, cones and bibs. Unfortunately, conditions that none of them will have on their own football field, however now it served as an incentive that motivated them even more than they already were.

The second day’s last practical session was however back in reality, held on the sand field nearby since the stadium was occupied by a league game. Goals without nets, sand full of sharp stones and broken glass - but at least still with the luxury of having enough balls for everyone. The lesson began with cleaning up the field, picking up large rocks and glass, which actually some coaches suggested themselves when talking about planning a training session in one of the theory lessons.

The third and final day was devoted to how to use football as a platform where you can teach your players other things, for example about HIV/AIDS, etc. The coaches were taught different exercises they can use during their own training sessions to combine football and life skills training. A very good start for next Saturday’s seminar about sexual and reproductive rights/health, puberty, family planning and HIV/AIDS – the second step of the course.

The last day was only half-day and ended with the proud participants receiving certificates and coaching manuals. A big moment for them all, and a slight chaos started when everyone wanted to be photographed with their certificates. View pictures from the course on our coaches’ forum on facebook. 

Now, Futebol dá força has begun: 27 new entusiastic young coaches: Amosse,Chadreque, Virginia, Cândida, Higino, Sofia, Brizilda, Dercia, Célia, Nascimento, Francisco, Valdo, Aurora, Bento, Sualé, Telma, Sónia, Anakleida, Júlia, Sofia M, Francisco J. Gonçalo, Iva, Manuel, Nilsa, Alda and Elias. All dedicated people who will do a fantastic job in their communities, schools or clubs with Futebol dá força. 27 role models! For the first time in Mozambique: a coaching course only for girls’ and women’s football.