Global IRTS Inspiring Examples - Applications 2025 by International Sport and Culture Association

INSPIRING EXAMPLES

Global IRTS Awards Applications 2025

Introduction

The ISCA Global IRTS Awards were created to recognise, support and give visibility to initiatives and individuals who use sport as a powerful tool for the inclusion and integration of refugees. Since 2016, Integration of Refugees through Sport (IRTS) has been a core part of ISCA’s mission, reflecting our belief that sport can promote belonging, dignity and equal opportunities – even in the most challenging circumstances.

Category 1: IRTS & Community

This category celebrates initiatives that bring people together through sport and physical activity, strengthening bonds, creating a sense of belonging, and building inclusive spaces where everyone feels valued. Sport has the ability to unite people across different backgrounds, cultures, and experiences, providing opportunities to connect in ways that go beyond words. These initiatives help individuals develop trust, mutual respect and friendships, often bridging gaps between communities that might not otherwise interact. By encouraging participation, teamwork, and shared experiences, these programmes contribute to more open and cohesive societies. Whether through local sports clubs, community-driven activities, or nationwide programmes, these initiatives highlight the power of sport to shape more connected and engaged communities. At its core, it’s about community collaboration, connection, and shared joy.

Sanctuary Runners

Winner Ireland

Sanctuary Runners is an Ireland-based charity that uses running and walking as a powerful tool to bring refugees and host communities together on an equal footing, promoting solidarity, friendship and respect. Founded to address the lack of inclusive, non-charitable integration initiatives, it operates free, open, mixed-ability running groups where refugees and locals participate side-by-side, improving physical and mental well-being while transforming local attitudes toward migration. The project Global Solidarity Run and its international expansion aims to scale this proven community-integration model globally through an annual worldwide solidarity run and the development of a “Sanctuary Runners-in-a-box” toolkit in partnership with World Athletics. Impact studies show the model’s strong integration outcomes, including increased public engagement on migration issues, strengthened cross-community friendships, and significantly improved belonging and health among refugee participants. Led inclusively with refugees serving as organisers, leaders and board directors, and supported by national sporting bodies and its patron, the President of Ireland, Sanctuary Runners is expanding internationally. In 2024 it launched Sanctuary Runners GB and mobilised thousands worldwide through its flagship Global Solidarity Run, which took place across 75 countries with support from Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs and the European Commission. https://sanctuaryrunners.ie/

Fédération Sportive et Gymnique du Travail (FSGT)

Shortlisted Candidate

France

The Fédération Sportive et Gymnique du Travail (FSGT) is a French sports federation committed to promoting inclusive and emancipatory sport. Working in partnership with the Palestinian Ministry of Education, local municipalities and civil society organisations, the FSGT has, since 2015, implemented long-term initiatives that use sport as a tool for social integration, intercultural exchange and collective empowerment, particularly for communities facing marginalisation. One of its flagship projects focuses on Palestinian refugee camps such as New Askar, Aida and Al Amari, using sport to break isolation and fragmentation by connecting camps with each other and with surrounding towns across the West Bank. It trains over 100 young refugees as community sport facilitators who lead inclusive activities for children, youth, women and people with disabilities. Through inter-camp tournaments, exchanges with municipalities and sports clubs, and the collaborative development of inclusive local sports policies, the initiative enables refugee communities to reclaim public spaces, strengthen social ties and build resilience and dignity amid challenging conditions, while ensuring refugee voices are embedded in grassroots action and public policy alike. https://www.fsgt-palestine.org/

Cheza

Shortlisted Candidate

Uganda, South Sudan

Simon Peter Tumukunde is a social innovator, cultural advocate and sports leader with over a decade of experience in sports development, creative strategy and community engagement. As Founder and President of Cheza, a youth-led organisation established in 2014, he has led efforts to revive, evolve and globalise traditional African sports as tools for inclusion, education and social change. Cheza works across Africa with schools, community groups and partner organisations, redesigning traditional games into structured and globally recognisable formats while preserving cultural heritage. At the centre of this work is the modernisation of Kwepena, Africa’s most popular traditional game, which Cheza has transformed into a scalable sport used to engage particularly girls, refugees and displaced communities. Through initiatives such as the Boru Boru Championing Girls Programme in South Sudan, Kwepena for Financial Literacy in Uganda, cultural festivals, school game days and youth facilitator training, the project uses play-based, community-designed methods to address gender equality, financial literacy, mental well-being and peacebuilding. Implemented in partnership with local and international organisations, the project has reached over 100,000 young people, empowered girls in IDP and resettlement communities, strengthened youth leadership and positioned African cultural sports as powerful platforms for social impact at both local and global levels.

https://chezafoundation.org/

Other Inspiring examples of Category 1: IRTS & Community

Your Foot, My Foot Foundation

Ilinois, USA

Your Foot, My Foot (YFMF) Foundation is an NGO founded in 2023 by professional footballer Maya Neal, who currentlyserves as its director. Inspired by the positive impact of sport on youth development and society, the foundation was created to expand equitable access to opportunities in football for young people in underserved communities. Since its founding, YFMF Foundation has impacted hundreds of young people across multiple communities in Africa and the United States, drawing on Maya Neal’s lived experience as an elite athlete and her understanding of sport’s potential to shape confident, capable global citizens. The foundation’s core work focuses on addressing key barriers to football participation, namely infrastructure, equipment and apparel and skill development, by providing youth with the tools, spaces and training necessary to succeed both on and off the field. Through partnerships with organisations such as Good Sports, Nike, the University of Tennessee and Laureus Sport for Good, and collaborations with groups including Boys and Girls Club of America and the Liberia Football Association, the project delivers a holistic, threefold approach that uses football as a healthy outlet for personal growth and opportunity. Supported by a network of advocate athletes and community leaders, and amplified through social media and community engagement events, the initiative builds awareness, mobilises resources and creates sustainable pathways for youth development through sport. https://www.yourfootmyfoot.org/

Strilky Village Council

Ukraine

Strilky Hromada is a rural territorial community in western Ukraine, uniting 21 mountain villages in the Carpathian Mountains near the Polish border and home to around 14,000 residents. Guided by its Village Council, the hromada has prioritised quality education, culture and sport since 2021 as key drivers of social cohesion and development, a strategy that has gained particular importance following the arrival of internally displaced persons (IDPs) due to the war. Building on this vision, Strilky Hromada has developed a comprehensive sports-based initiative to integrate 209 IDPs and strengthen community bonds through accessible, inclusive physical activity. Through annual Health FEST events, the Active Parks programme, school sports clubs and related projects, more than 1,000 residents annually locals and IDPs alike participate in sports such as volleyball, football, cheerleading, rugby-5 and other innovative activities. IDP youth, including Sofia Kholod and Maksym Balanchuk, have become active contributors and successful competitors at regional, national and international levels, reflecting the project’s integrative impact. Supported by partnerships such as the Ukrainian-Swiss “Acting for Health” project, local educators and coaches, and civil society organisations, the initiative

has enabled the renovation of sports facilities, expanded programming and fostered a strong culture of participation. This holistic approach, combining sport, health and community engagement, has positioned Strilky Hromada as a model of resilience and inclusion, earning it recognition as the “Most Sporty Hromada of Lviv Oblast.”

https://www.actforhealth.in.ua/

UkraineActive

Ukraine

Tyachiv is a border community in Zakarpattia, Ukraine, which before the war had a population of around 20,000 residents and, since 2022, has welcomed over 3,500 internally displaced persons, including more than 500 children and adolescents. Faced with reduced population, limited infrastructure and widespread psychological strain, the community sought inclusive responses to support social cohesion and well-being. In partnership with the NGO UkraineActive, Tyachiv launched a series of sports and psychosocial initiatives as part of the ABC Mental Health programme under the IRTS framework, using physical activity as a tool for integration and recovery. Through exercise sessions, tournaments, active walks, family events, mixed activity groups for IDP and local children, and the creation of a Health Route for walking and cycling, the project has engaged over 1,300 residents and strengthened everyday connections between newcomers and long-term residents. Implemented with the involvement of teachers, healthcare professionals, volunteers and community leaders, and supported by ISCA, Erasmus+ and the Zakarpattia Department of Education, the initiative has been embedded into local education and youth policies, enabling activities to continue sustainably and positioning Tyachiv as a model of resilience and unity through sport.

https://ukrainian-active.org.ua/

Te Aud Romania Foundation

Romania

Te Aud România Foundation is a nationally recognised NGO established in 2014, dedicated to breaking cycles of disadvantage by combining non-formal education and sport to promote inclusion and equal opportunities for every child. Working across Romania, the foundation has become a leader in sport for social impact, guided by values of equality, compassion, and empowerment, and focused particularly on children and young people in vulnerable situations. Through strong partnerships and community-led approaches, it has helped thousands of children to build skills, confidence, and a sense of belonging. Building on this experience, Te Aud România implements targeted initiatives that use sport to support the integration of Ukrainian refugee children into host communities. These initiatives create safe and structured environments where children connect with peers, develop life skills, and feel welcomed through intercultural sport activities, educational workshops and engagement with families and teachers. By combining sport, learning, and community collaboration, the work contributes to lasting inclusion, changed mindsets, and stronger, more cohesive communities.

https://www.teaudromania.com/

Republic of Türkiye, Ministry of Youth and Sports

Türkiye

The Republic of Türkiye’s Ministry of Youth and Sports is the national authority responsible for developing and implementing inclusive, innovative and sustainable youth and sports policies, guided by the “Century of Türkiye” vision. The Ministry promotes a widespread sports culture and works to empower young people through science, culture, arts and sport, with a strong focus on resilience, social cohesion and equal opportunities, including for those affected by forced displacement. Within this framework, the Ministry implements the “Sport for Solidarity” project, which uses sport as a tool to strengthen social cohesion between refugee and host community children and youth across Türkiye. Delivered in partnership with the Olympic Refuge Foundation and implemented alongside UNHCR Türkiye, the Turkish Olympic Committee and civil society partners, the project provides inclusive, gender-sensitive afterschool sports courses for children aged 7–18, complemented by awareness-raising seminars, festivals, youth camps and coach training. Implemented in six-month cycles with balanced participation of refugee and host community members, the initiative fosters empathy, mutual understanding and peaceful coexistence while applying a protection-sensitive approach that enables trained coaches to identify and refer children in vulnerable situations. Active participation of refugee youth and families in feedback and design processes ensures relevance and cultural sensitivity. Since 2022, the project has reached over 12,400 children from 30 nationalities in Türkiye’s seven largest cities, demonstrating measurable improvements in wellbeing and social cohesion and earning recognition as a good practice at the 2023 Global Refugee Forum in Geneva.

Creating Chances

Australia

Creating Chances is an Australian youth development social enterprise and registered charity that empowers young people through sport-based life skills and leadership programs. Working with more than 100 NSW Department of Education schools, the organisation reaches over 10,000 young people each year, many from First Nation, refugee, migrant and lowsocioeconomic backgrounds, through evidence-based pathways that build confidence, resilience, inclusion and active citizenship. Building on this foundation, Creating Chances delivers Girls United, a female-focused initiative developed in partnership with Football Australia to address the barriers faced by girls and young women from refugee and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds in accessing sport and community life. Delivered between October 2023 and June 2024 across Western Sydney and the Illawarra, Girls United has provided safe, culturally responsive football environments that combined technical skill development with social-emotional learning, leadership and wellbeing. Through 18 programs in schools and community settings, the initiative has engaged over 350 young people, 65% of whom were girls, and trained refugee-background and CALD coaches who brought lived experience into delivery. Supported by Football Australia, Football NSW, local football associations, schools and community organisations, the project encouraged confidence,

belonging and continued participation in sport, demonstrating strong improvements in connection, motivation and leadership among participants.

https://creatingchances.org.au/

FUDELA (Fundacion de las Americas)

Ecuador

FUDELA is an Ecuadorian NGO that for over 20 years has promoted social, educational, and economic inclusion for children, adolescents, youth, women, and families in vulnerable situations, focusing on prevention, protection, and rights-based development. Building on this experience, FUDELA implements Community Champions, an initiative that creates safe and positive spaces for children and adolescents both Ecuadorians and refugees or migrants through innovative methodologies such as sport and recreational activities for development. The project fosters integration, social connection, and risk prevention while strengthening participants’ soft skills, socio-emotional capacities, and life skills. Activities include soccer, basketball, baseball, table tennis, dance, and music, complemented by educational workshops on financial literacy, rights awareness, and environmental care, involving parents, community leaders, and local stakeholders in co-design and implementation. Supported by UNHCR and partners such as IOM and the International Table Tennis Foundation, Community Champions has enhanced social cohesion, empowered children as agents of positive change, and promoted inclusive attitudes in the local population, with visibility amplified through social media, radio programs, and community advocacy initiatives.

https://fudela.org.ec/

Glasswing Panamá

Panama

Glasswing Panama is a nonprofit organization with over 12 years of experience in education, health, community development, and volunteerism, reaching more than 15,000 individuals directly and over 50,000 indirectly. Its programs prioritize experiential, community-based education tailored to local realities, supporting inclusive development and migrant integration. Building on this experience, Structured Recess fosters the holistic development of children aged 4–12 in public schools in Panama City, many of which serve migrant populations. The initiative transforms recess into a guided, play-based learning space, led weekly by trained volunteers, to promote physical activity, social-emotional skills, teamwork, and integration. Complementing this, quarterly Community Cafés engage teachers, parents, and community stakeholders in dialogue about play as a right, a pedagogical tool, and a driver of inclusion. Participatory diagnostics ensure children, including migrants, shape activities that encourage ownership, empathy, and intercultural understanding. Key partners include Glasswing International, municipal councils, school communities, local volunteers, and community leaders. The initiative has benefited over 600 children, created new play spaces, strengthened peer bonding, and improved the integration experience for migrant students, while building awareness of play and inclusion as fundamental rights.

https://glasswing.org/glasswing-panama/

Reclaim Childhood

Jordan

For over 15 years, Reclaim Childhood (RC) has used sport and play to create a sense of community for local and refugee girls in Jordan, providing opportunities for participation regardless of nationality or refugee status and encouraging friendships across different cultures and backgrounds. RC runs year-round programmes, including after-school sports seasons, teen leadership cohorts, and summer camps for girls aged 5 to 18 from eight countries across four hub sites. The organisation focuses on long-term engagement, building relationships with participants and their families while combining sports, team-building, and life skills education. Activities are designed to bring together diverse communities, with coaches emphasising inclusion and addressing discrimination that may affect participants, while also providing female-only spaces led by coaches from Jordanian and refugee communities. Around 20% of coaches are alumni, creating leadership pathways and sustaining community impact. RC works closely with local organisations and families, incorporating their feedback into programme design, and ensures the safety of girls through private facilities and supervised transport. The organisation also adapts to cultural and structural barriers, such as limited access to public spaces and legal restrictions on refugees, and maintains engagement despite declining resources in the region. In the 2023–24 programme year, RC served almost 1,000 participants and delivered over 900 hours of activities, with recent outcomes showing that 100% of mothers reported improvements in their daughters’ physical and mental health, 99.8% of participants felt safe with RC coaches, 93% felt a sense of belonging and acceptance, and 87% of non-Jordanian participants said RC helped Jordan feel more like home. https://www.reclaimchildhood.org/

Free Movement Skateboarding

Greece

Since 2017, Free Movement Skateboarding (FMS) has used a mobile skatepark to bring inclusive skate sessions to underserved neighbourhoods in Athens, providing safe spaces where local and displaced youth can participate regardless of background and develop a sense of community. Between September 2024 and June 2025, FMS reached 658 young people from 52 nationalities, 67% of whom were displaced and 37% girls, through 200 sessions that combined skateboarding with discussion-based and non-verbal activities designed to encourage respect, teamwork, and cultural pride. The organisation also runs community events, online advocacy, and media work to raise awareness of issues affecting refugee youth, while enabling participants to take leadership roles, including paid coaching and programme design, with some former participants establishing their own initiatives abroad. FMS collects regular feedback through surveys, debriefs, and inclusive exercises to ensure programming meets participants’ needs. In September 2025 it was due to launch a youth and community board to integrate participants’ perspectives into organisational strategy. Recognition such as the 2022 Erasmus+ Breaking Barriers Award highlights the effectiveness of FMS’s model, which combines access, youth leadership, and resilience in challenging conditions, supporting wellbeing,

empowerment, and social cohesion. Despite declining attention and funding for refugee support in Greece, FMS continues to provide consistent, community-based programming and seeks to use international platforms to strengthen its model and build pathways for refugee leadership in sport.

https://www.freemovementskateboarding.com/

Association ENERGY

Bulgaria

Since 2024, Energy Association, a non-profit based in Varna, Bulgaria, has run a Chess Club at the Compass Community Center, part of the national COMPASS Protection and Inclusion network supported by UNHCR, creating a safe and inclusive space where refugee and local children meet, learn, and connect through chess. Led by Boris Hristov, an experienced chess educator and former national athlete, the club provides weekly sessions that go beyond teaching openings and endgames – they also help children develop critical thinking, emotional resilience, patience, and mutual respect. The programme was designed in response to consultations with families and children seeking structured, calm, and intellectually engaging activities, and provides an alternative to team sports, supporting those who are shy or need a quiet space to concentrate. Since its launch, the club has engaged over 50 children from refugee and local communities, encouraging cross-cultural connections, improving school engagement, and reducing anxiety, while enabling parents to observe and support their children’s development. Energy Association promotes the Chess Club through social media, photo stories, testimonials, and a forthcoming short film produced by UNHCR, highlighting the impact of the initiative. By combining intellectual challenge with social inclusion, the club demonstrates how chess can act as a tool for integration, building bonds across diverse backgrounds, teaching problem-solving skills, and providing a reliable, welcoming environment where children can grow, belong, and thrive.

https://new.abea-bg.org/

Sport and Citizenship

France

Sport et Citoyenneté is a European NGO that works to promote sport as a tool for social inclusion, citizenship, and community engagement, with a strong focus on policy influence, capacity building, and knowledge sharing. Through collaboration with national federations, NGOs, and grassroots actors, the organisation supports sustainable approaches that enable sport to contribute to social cohesion and equal participation. Its work bridges research, practice, and advocacy, strengthening the role of sport organisations in addressing social challenges across Europe. Football and Refugees: Together on the Field is an initiative led by Sport et Citoyenneté in partnership with the French Football Federation and the NGO Kabubu to support amateur football clubs in welcoming displaced people. The project provides free online training, tailored mentoring, and practical resources to help clubs design inclusive, community-based football projects. Through engagement festivals that combine football

activities with educational workshops, the initiative creates structured and welcoming environments that support the integration, personal development, and active participation of displaced young people within local clubs.

https://sportetcitoyennete.com/

Umoja Sport Foundation

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Umoja Sport is a NGO that uses sport to promote social cohesion, education, and community development, including the integration of refugees. Founded by Ashoka Fellow Elvis Nshimba, it combines sport with education on health, literacy, vocational skills, environmental awareness, and social issues, while also organising tournaments and community dialogue to build teamwork and resilience. Umoja Sport has reached over 54,000 beneficiaries, reintegrated outof-school youth, supported women to start businesses, and improved confidence, social cohesion, and gender awareness. Programmes are designed with input from participants and delivered in partnership with schools, local organisations, and international NGOs. The organisation also addresses critical health needs, distributing reusable menstrual cups to underprivileged women and girls. Visibility is ensured through social media, community events, and coverage on platforms such as Ashoka and Business Beat 24. https://www.umojasport.org

Palestine Sports for Life

Palestine

Palestine Sports for Life is a leading Palestinian NGO established in 2011 that works across the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem, using sport as a tool to support education, psychosocial wellbeing, gender equality, community resilience, and youth empowerment. The organisation focuses on engaging marginalised communities, particularly women, girls, and young people, by creating inclusive spaces for learning, healing, and personal development through sport. Its work is grounded in local needs and delivered in partnership with schools, communities, and international actors, with a strong emphasis on long-term social impact and youth leadership. The PS4L Tulkarem Community Program builds safe and inclusive spaces for refugee and marginalised youth from Tulkarem and Noor Shams camps and surrounding areas through regular sport-based activities. The project combines physical activity with life skills and psychosocial support to strengthen trust, social cohesion, and confidence, especially among girls and young women in a conservative context. Through gender-sensitive sessions, peer mentoring, and community engagement, the program supports young people to challenge social barriers and take active roles within their communities.

https://ps4l.org/

Fundación Real Betis Balompié

Spain

Fundación Real Betis Balompié operates as an NGO committed to using sport as a tool for social transformation, inclusion, equity, and wellbeing within local communities. Through partnerships with public institutions, international organisations, and civil society, the foundation delivers programmes that address social exclusion, inequality, and the needs of vulnerable children and young people. Its work combines sport, education, and community engagement, with a strong emphasis on sustainability, youth participation, and measurable social impact. Deporte por Refugio is one of the foundation’s flagship initiatives, co-led with Fútbol Más Spain and the Spanish Commission for Refugee Aid, and implemented in highly vulnerable neighbourhoods of Seville. The project supports refugee, migrant, and local children and adolescents through a community-based sport-for-development methodology that integrates physical activity with emotional, social, and civic learning. By promoting social cohesion, gender equity, and youth leadership, Deporte por Refugio strengthens community networks and contributes to the wellbeing and inclusion of young people in marginalised urban contexts.

https://www.realbetisbalompie.es/

Waves for Change (Take 5)

South Africa

Waves for Change is an award-winning South African NGO that works to promote community health and wellbeing among displaced and vulnerable children through creative, evidencebased approaches. The organisation partners with international NGOs and government ministries responsible for arts, culture, and sport to train and support coaches and peer educators, strengthening their ability to build safe, supportive relationships with young people. Its work is delivered across multiple regions, with programmes currently implemented in several countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, and supported by growing international recognition, including collaboration with UNICEF. The Take 5 model is a community health promotion approach developed by Waves for Change to create safe spaces where children feel heard, respected, and protected. Using a simple, structured teaching routine based on song, movement, play, and recreation-based activities, the project encourages children to build confidence, resilience, and positive peer relationships while strengthening self-regulation skills. Evaluations show that Take 5 improves facilitators’ relationships with children and contributes to improved emotional wellbeing, resilience, and relief from negative thoughts and feelings, supporting its continued scale through government, INGO, and UNICEF-led initiatives.

https://take-5.org/

Sport for Life Society

Canada

Sport for Life Society is a Canadian NGO and a recognised global leader in long-term

development, quality sport, and physical literacy, working since 2002 to strengthen sport and physical activity systems. Through evidence-informed frameworks and strategic partnerships with governments, sport organisations, schools, and community groups, the organisation influences policy, builds capacity, and promotes safe, inclusive, and effective sport experiences for people of all ages and backgrounds. Its work emphasises sustainable practices, lifelong participation, and improved athlete and participant experiences, supported by research, evaluation tools, and knowledge sharing at national and international levels. The New-toCanada Long-Term Development in Sport and Physical Activity Pathway is a key initiative that provides practical guidance for organisations working with newcomers to Canada. The project supports the inclusion and long-term development of New-to-Canada participants by addressing barriers such as cultural differences, access, and understanding of sport systems. By aligning settlement goals with the social, health, and community benefits of sport and physical activity, the pathway strengthens social cohesion and contributes to a more inclusive sport sector.

https://sportforlife.ca/

Stichting KLABU Foundation

The Netherlands

KLABU Foundation is an Amsterdam-based non-governmental organisation that builds and operates community-led sports clubhouses in refugee camps, settlements, and urban contexts to support refugees in rebuilding their lives through sport and community. Its clubhouses are welcoming hubs that provide access to sports activities, equipment, TV, music, and Wi-Fi, and are designed, led, and managed together with local refugee and host communities, with a strong focus on inclusion of women and girls. Currently, KLABU runs eight clubhouses across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and South America, offering sustained spaces for play, wellbeing, learning, and connection. In Amsterdam, KLABU’s Amsterdam Spirit programme brings newcomers and local residents together through weekly, inclusive sports and movement activities such as yoga, dancehall, running, and community games. By creating joyful, lowthreshold opportunities to participate, the initiative reduces isolation, builds friendships, and fosters mutual understanding between refugees, undocumented migrants, and Amsterdammers. Supported by strong local partnerships and funders, Amsterdam Spirit demonstrates how long-term, community-led sport initiatives can strengthen resilience, promote social inclusion, and build more connected and welcoming neighbourhoods.

https://klabu.org/

PlayMore!

Italy

PlayMore! is an NGO based in Milan that uses sport as a tool for social inclusion, with longstanding experience working with refugees, asylum seekers and local communities in one of Italy’s main reception hubs. Since 2015, the organisation has worked with a wide network of municipal services, third-sector organisations, volunteers and professionals to address barriers

linked to language, discrimination, segregation and access to opportunities. Through a multidisciplinary team of coaches, social workers, psychologists and cultural mediators, it creates safe and accessible spaces where diversity is valued and participation is free of charge. The project uses sport to bring refugees and local residents together through regular training sessions, mixed tournaments and community events at its sports centre in Milan. Each year, over 400 participants from more than 60 countries take part in football, basketball, volleyball and fitness activities that encourage interaction, language learning and relationship building. The project also includes awareness workshops in schools and companies, as well as internships and volunteering opportunities that support skills development and social inclusion. By combining sport with education and real pathways into the local community, the project contributes to integration and more cohesive neighbourhoods.

https://playmore.it/

Refugees Rock

United Kingdom

Refugees Rock is a UK-based NGO that provides free climbing sessions for people fleeing war, persecution and exploitation, using climbing to create safe and welcoming spaces for connection and belonging. Founded in 2021, the organisation has grown rapidly and now runs eleven groups across England, Scotland and Wales, supported by a strong network of around 100 volunteers and partnerships with local climbing walls. Through its community-led approach, Refugees Rock addresses isolation and exclusion by bringing migrants and local residents together around a shared activity that overcomes language and cultural barriers. Refugees Rock delivers free, regular climbing sessions that connect vulnerable migrants with local climbing communities in an informal and supportive environment. Over the past year, more than 500 people have taken part, developing confidence, wellbeing and meaningful relationships that often extend beyond the climbing wall.

https://refugeesrock.org.uk

ChezaCheza

Kenya

ChezaCheza is a grassroots NGO based in Kenya that supports the social and emotional wellbeing of children and young people in refugee and marginalised communities through dance and movement. Founded on the belief that every child deserves a safe space to express themselves and feel a sense of belonging, the organisation works with trained local role models from refugee and host communities to deliver inclusive, community-led programmes. Its approach is grounded in Social-Emotional Learning and recognises movement as a powerful and accessible way for children to communicate, build confidence and develop empathy in contexts where trauma and instability are common. ChezaCheza delivers daily afterschool dance sessions for children aged 10 to 18, transforming dance into a tool for emotional expression, trust-building and connection. Through participatory activities that combine movement, reflection and play, children develop stronger peer relationships and a greater

sense of self-worth. The project creates safe and welcoming environments where children feel seen and valued, offering a low-cost and culturally relevant response to the gap in mental and emotional support in refugee settings.

https://chezachezadance.org/

Football Federation of Armenia

Armenia

The Football Federation of Armenia is the official governing body for football in Armenia and uses the sport not only to develop professional and grassroots football, but also as a tool for education, community development, and social inclusion. Committed to values of inclusion, diversity, and equal access, the federation works with public authorities and NGOs to promote health, wellbeing, and social cohesion, recognising football’s potential to unite communities affected by displacement. Its work is aligned with national grassroots strategies that emphasise the right of every child to participate in sport in a safe and supportive environment. Play Together for Integration is an initiative launched in 2021 in partnership with UNHCR Armenia and with support from UEFA to support refugee, displaced, and local children through football. The project has established grassroots teams across multiple regions, bringing together children aged 8 to 15 in regular training sessions, matches, and community events. By creating inclusive football environments and training both local and refugee coaches, the initiative strengthens wellbeing, belonging, and positive relationships between refugee and host communities.

https://www.ffa.am/

Cox's Bazar

Bangladesh

UNHCR Bangladesh works with government bodies, NGOs, and community partners to protect refugees and support their long-term wellbeing, with a strong focus on inclusion, resilience, and peaceful coexistence between refugee and host communities. Through coordinated protection approaches, the organisation promotes access to services, community engagement, and opportunities that strengthen social cohesion and self-reliance, particularly for young people. Its work recognises sport as a practical and accessible means of supporting psychosocial wellbeing, inclusion, and positive interaction in complex humanitarian settings. The Sports for Protection and Social Cohesion project in Cox’s Bazar uses sport and physical activity to bring together refugees and host community youth aged 13 to 24. The initiative improves access to inclusive sports spaces, supports local sports clubs, and increases participation of women, girls, and persons with disabilities. Through community-led activities, capacity building, and partnerships with local organisations, the project strengthens social inclusion, improves wellbeing, and supports refugees to connect more fully with their surrounding communities.

https://unhcr.org/bangladesh

Youth Sport Uganda

Uganda

Youth Sport Uganda is an NGO founded in 2012 that works to support vulnerable children and young people across Uganda through sport-based education, health and life skills programmes. The organisation works closely with refugee hosting communities, schools, community coaches and local leaders to strengthen social support networks and promote gender equality, inclusion and community ownership. Supported by partners including UNHCR, the Olympic Refuge Foundation and the International Olympic Committee, YSU delivers scalable and cost-effective programmes using locally available resources. Through its sports programmes in refugee and displacement-affected areas, YSU brings together refugee and host community youth aged 5 to 30 to build relationships, confidence and practical skills. Activities combine sport with learning on mental health, reproductive health and rights, livelihoods, drug abuse prevention and access to water, sanitation and education. By creating inclusive spaces for regular participation, the project improves wellbeing, encourages peaceful coexistence and supports the integration of refugees into community life.

https://youthsportuganda.org/

Football Association of Montenegro

Montenegro

The Football Association of Montenegro is the national governing body responsible for promoting, developing, and protecting football across the country, with a strong commitment to its social role within communities. Recognising football as a powerful tool for inclusion, the association actively supports initiatives that use sport to empower marginalised groups and strengthen social cohesion. Working in partnership with national and international actors, it seeks to ensure that football is accessible, inclusive, and impactful beyond the pitch. Building on this mandate, the association implements Sports for Unity, an initiative designed to support the integration of refugee, asylum-seeking, and stateless children into Montenegrin society through football. The initiative brings together displaced and local children through local sports festivals, a national tournament, and complementary cultural activities that encourage mutual understanding and community connection. By offering free access to training and shared sporting experiences in supportive local environments, the initiative contributes to meaningful inclusion, participation, and a stronger sense of belonging.

https://fscg.me/

Alhalimun

Egypt

Alhalimun is a humanitarian NGO founded and led by IOC Young Leader Sara Moamen Abdelsamie, using sport as a vehicle to support refugee and marginalised children and young people aged 8 to 17. Backed by the IOC Young Leaders Programme and Olympism 365,

Alhalimun creates safe, community-centred spaces that promote physical and mental wellbeing, social inclusion, and the development of essential life skills. Since its launch in September 2024, Alhalimun has reached 150 registered participants from Egyptian and refugee communities, empowered youth to become trainers and organisers, and built strong partnerships that strengthen its grassroots impact. The project focuses on expanding Alhalimun’s reach through strategic collaborations that align with its vision of empowering displaced youth through sport. Following the presentation of Alhalimun at the Olympism365 Summit in Lausanne, the project seeks to scale its activities, strengthen long-term sustainability, and deepen international cooperation, particularly with partners such as the Olympic Refuge Foundation. Through this initiative, Alhalimun aims to amplify sport as a powerful platform for healing, belonging, and creating meaningful pathways towards brighter futures.

https://www.instagram.com/alhalimun2024/

PPG Sports

Pakistan

PPG Sports is a Pakistani NGO dedicated to driving social change through football, guided by the belief that sports participation is not only a right, but also a powerful tool for personal and community transformation. Working in contexts where girls face strong cultural restrictions, the organisation creates safe spaces that enable girls to build confidence, leadership, and a sense of dignity through sport. Its work is deeply rooted in community collaboration, engaging families, schools, and local leaders to ensure trust, relevance, and long-term impact. The project they applied with, A Goal to Dream, was launched in the remote Yasin Valley of northern Pakistan, where it established the first girls’ football academy in the region. Through regular training led by local female coaches and supported by international expertise, the project has enabled girls to play sport openly, gain educational opportunities, and shift family and community attitudes. In the remote Yasin Valley of Pakistan, where girls are rarely allowed to dream of playing sport, “A Goal to Dream” is rewriting the rules. Through a female football academy, the project has created a safe and inspiring space for girls to train, grow, and believe in themselves. More than just football, this is about dignity, freedom, and hope. With families now cheering from the sidelines and female local coaches leading the way, the project is planting seeds of change – and preparing to grow with new academies and local tournaments. A dream that’s just begun.

https://ppgsportspk.com/

Fútbol Con Corazón

Colombia

Fútbol Con Corazón is a Colombian NGO founded in 2007 that uses football as a pedagogical tool to build safe, inclusive spaces and strengthen social cohesion in communities affected by poverty, violence, displacement, and migration. Through an innovative play-based social education model, the organisation has supported more than 300,000 children, young people, and families across Latin America, the United States, and Europe, while training over 400

community coaches to promote values, equity, resilience, and socio-emotional skills. Rooted in community participation and strong partnerships with local and international actors, Fútbol Con Corazón has demonstrated a proven capacity for scale, adaptation, and long-term impact. The project they are applying with builds on this methodology by delivering structured football sessions that integrate reflection, dialogue, and experiential learning to strengthen life skills and positive decision-making. Implemented in vulnerable environments, the project engages children, families, and community leaders to create trusted spaces where young people can thrive and develop leadership. Through trained local coaches and a flexible approach adapted to each context, the project aims to deepen social bonds, improve wellbeing, and contribute to more cohesive and resilient communities.

https://www.fcc.futbol/

Save the Children

Sweden

Save the Children Sweden is a children’s rights NGO and part of the global Save the Children movement, with all its work grounded in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. The organisation focuses on promoting inclusion, wellbeing, and participation for children in vulnerable situations, particularly those with refugee and migrant experiences, through rights-based advocacy, direct support, and community engagement. Working closely with municipalities, schools, and civil society actors, it prioritises child participation, partnerships, and long-term systems change to ensure every child’s rights are realised. The project they are applied with, TeamUp, is a structured movement-based psychosocial support method designed to strengthen social bonds and promote inclusion among children with refugee experiences. Delivered in refugee housing facilities and schools, TeamUp uses play, movement, and body language to support emotional regulation, connection, and a sense of belonging without requiring a shared language. By creating safe and joyful spaces and training local facilitators, the project supports children’s long-term integration into school and community life while contributing to improved wellbeing and social cohesion. https://www.savethechildren.net/country/sweden

Yoga and Sport with Refugees (YSR)

Greece

Yoga and Sport with Refugees is an NGO that has been active since 2017, initially responding to the emergency situation in Greece by creating healthy and safe community spaces for people on the move. Now operating across four locations in Greece and France, the organisation uses yoga and sport as tools for social development, inclusion, and long-term change, with free activities led by refugees and rooted in meaningful community participation. Embedded within strong local NGO networks, YSR provides not only opportunities for physical and mental wellbeing but also a sense of belonging, skills development, and access to wider support. Building on this approach, YSR delivers inclusive sport and yoga programmes that bring people from different backgrounds together and remove barriers to participation. Designed around a

Sport for Development theory of change, the initiative responds to ongoing displacement realities in Europe by creating welcoming spaces where community members can connect, grow, and shape activities together. Through structured sessions, shared decision-making, and collaboration with partner organisations, the work strengthens community bonds and contributes to more inclusive and resilient societies.

https://yogasportwithrefugees.org/

South Rockies Baseball5 Club

Kenya

The Community Baseball5 initiative is a community-led collaboration between youth leaders in Kakuma Refugee Camp and the South Rockies Baseball5 Club, a grassroots NGO based in southern Kenya that uses accessible sport to empower young people in marginalised settings. Rooted in youth leadership and local ownership, the organisation promotes inclusion, gender equality, psychosocial wellbeing, and social cohesion through low-cost, scalable sports models supported by national and international partners. Working across refugee and host communities, it strengthens skills, confidence, and connections while creating safe spaces for participation and shared decision-making. Building on this foundation, the Baseball5 programme delivers regular training sessions, friendly matches, and community tournaments that bring together refugee and host community youth in mixed-gender teams. The programme uses Baseball5 as a powerful vehicle for unity, resilience, and positive social change in resource-limited contexts.

https://www.linkedin.com/company/south-rockies-baseball5club/?originalSubdomain=ke

Beyond Hoops

Africa, Kenya & Canada

Beyond Hoops Africa is an NGO working in Kenya and Canada that uses sport as a platform for education, empowerment, and inclusion among underserved and marginalised young people. Grounded in a strength-based approach and aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals, the organisation creates safe and inclusive spaces that promote mental wellbeing, gender equality, environmental responsibility, and youth leadership. Through partnerships and youthled governance, Beyond Hoops centres young people’s voices and builds resilience, confidence, and a sense of belonging across diverse communities. Its programmes combine purposeful play, life skills training, and digital storytelling to support young people in preparing for adulthood. Activities include mental health sports camps, inclusive sport for youth with disabilities, menstrual hygiene initiatives, environmental actions, and girls’ empowerment through sport. In Canada, the work also uses sport as a platform for anti-racism campaigns and community dialogue, strengthening social cohesion. Together, these initiatives aim to nurture hopeful, resilient young leaders and create positive change within their communities.

https://www.beyondhoopsafrica.com/

BONYAN

Syria

Bonyan is an NGO operating in Türkiye and Syria, dedicated to supporting vulnerable communities affected by conflict and displacement through protection, education, and development programmes. With strong experience in humanitarian response, the organisation works closely with refugees and host communities to promote social cohesion, safety, and longterm resilience, while maintaining high standards of compliance, monitoring, and accountability. Through strategic partnerships with public authorities, international organisations, and donors such as the UEFA Foundation for Children, Bonyan has established itself as a trusted actor in complex and fragile contexts. Building on this foundation, the organisation delivers sport for development initiatives that use structured sporting activities as an entry point for protection, psychosocial support, and skills development. These initiatives combine the rehabilitation of sports spaces, training of teachers and coaches, and communitybased events that engage children, youth, and families. By integrating sport with safeguarding, participation, and livelihood-oriented pathways, the work contributes to improved wellbeing, reduced tensions, and build more inclusive and peaceful communities.

https://sgi.ngo/ar

IMAGINE Academy South Sudan

South Sudan

IMAGINE Academy South Sudan is a national NGO founded in 2024, working to empower young people in remote and post-conflict regions through a holistic model that combines elite sport, education, and sustainable development. Operating in Chukudum, Torit, and Aweil, the

organisation prioritises inclusion, with a strong focus on girls, community participation, and youth leadership, while promoting peacebuilding and long-term resilience. Through close engagement with families, schools, and local authorities, IMAGINE creates safe and structured environments where young people can grow as athletes, learners, and leaders. Its core programme provides daily athletics training alongside academic support, life skills education, and values-based leadership development for youth aged 12 to 25. Integrated into this approach is the IMAGINE Farm Plan, which strengthens food security and teaches practical agricultural and vocational skills while supporting nutrition for participants. he programme prepares young people for national and international competition while contributing to social cohesion and positive change within their communities.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/imagine-academy-south-sudan-245a9532a/

Impact Academy Egypt

Egypt

Impact Academy Egypt is a Cairo-based NGO founded by Australian-Egyptian coach Sally Hassona that is dedicated to empowering underserved and refugee girls through sport, education, and leadership development. Led by an award-winning physical educator and researcher, the organisation uses boxing and football alongside academic and STEM mentorship to challenge gender norms, support girls’ education, and expand opportunities in marginalised communities. Impact Academy creates safe and structured spaces where girls build confidence, skills, and agency through purposeful sport. Building on this mission, Her Fight for H2O engages refugee and local girls from Nile Basin countries in Egypt through a programme that combines sport with water conservation education and leadership training. Through sports camps, STEM workshops, and hands-on environmental activities, participants learn practical solutions to water scarcity while strengthening teamwork and problem-solving skills. By linking sport, sustainability, and girls’ leadership, the project positions young participants as active change-makers within their families and communities, driving social and environmental impact from the ground up.

https://beyondsport.org/2025/02/07/the-impact-academy-empowering-girls-womenthrough-stem-sports-sustainability/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

LALIGA

Spain

LALIGA is one of the world’s leading football organisations, representing Spain’s top two professional divisions and delivering social impact programmes through its international network, including across the Nordic region. Through education and community engagement, LALIGA uses football to promote respect, inclusion, and positive social values among young people beyond the professional game. As an example, LALIGA VS is an initiative delivered in schools across Sweden that uses football as an entry point to address racism, sexism, bullying, and homophobia among children. The project has reached 4,000 students in multiple cities

through interactive seminars adapted to local contexts and age groups. By involving schools, educators, and Swedish professional players, the initiative encourages dialogue, empathy, and understanding at an early stage of life. Its scale, partnerships, and measurable outcomes demonstrate how football can support inclusive communities and lasting social change. https://www.laliga.com/

Category 2: IRTS & Mental Health

This category recognises programmes that use sport and physical activity to support mental health, build resilience, and empower participants to enhance their well-being. Sport is not just about physical fitness; it plays a crucial role in mental health by providing structure, routine, and a sense of achievement.

Many refugees face stress, trauma, and uncertainty, and these initiatives offer a space where individuals can regain confidence, manage emotions, and find moments of relief. By integrating movement with social interaction, these programmes create supportive environments where participants can develop coping strategies, rebuild self-esteem, and experience personal growth. The benefits extend beyond the playing field, helping individuals navigate daily challenges with a stronger mindset and a renewed sense of purpose. These initiatives highlight the vital role of movement in promoting balance and healthier lives.

Palestine Sports for Life Winner

Palestine

Founded in 2011, Palestine Sports for Life (PS4L) is a leading NGO using sport as a tool to support education, psychosocial wellbeing, life skills, and gender equality for marginalised communities across Palestine, particularly refugees, displaced persons, children, young people, and women. Working in close coordination with local schools, grassroots organisations, and humanitarian actors, PS4L delivers community-based programmes aligned with global development and protection standards. The Gaza Mental Health Program uses sport to support the mental wellbeing of refugee and internally displaced children and youth affected by repeated displacement and ongoing violence. Through trauma-sensitive games, movement, life skills activities, and counselling support, the programme creates safe spaces where participants can express emotions, reduce stress, and regain a sense of routine. Delivered by trained coaches and counsellors in shelters and community settings, the initiative provides accessible psychosocial care in contexts where traditional services are limited. Since late 2023, the programme has reached over 150,000 children and youth, demonstrating sport’s role as a vital and trusted approach to mental health support in crisis settings.

https://ps4l.org/

Fundación de las Américas para el Desarrollo, Partners of the Americas

Shortlisted Candidate

Ecuador

FUDELA is an NGO with more than 20 years of experience promoting social inclusion, protection, and holistic development for people in vulnerable situations, particularly refugees, asylum seekers, migrants, and host communities. Through the integration of sport, education, art, and emotional development, FUDELA has supported over 20,000 people across Ecuador, working closely with public institutions, international agencies, and community actors. A Ganar is one of FUDELA’s long-standing sport for development initiatives, using structured sport activities to strengthen mental health, emotional wellbeing, and protective environments for children, adolescents, youth, and families affected by human mobility. The initiative provides safe spaces, psychosocial support, and emotional skills development to address risks such as violence, school dropout, social isolation, and poor mental health. Delivered across several provinces, the project combines community sport, psychological support, and inclusive methodologies tailored to local needs. In 2024 alone, A Ganar reached more than 2,000 participants, exceeding its targets and demonstrating the lasting role of sport in supporting resilience and wellbeing. https://fudela.org.ec/

Community Support center /CSC-Asbl

Shortlisted Candidate

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Founded in 2016, Community Support Center (CSC-Asbl) is a grassroots NGO based in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, that supports children and young people affected by conflict, displacement, and trauma. Rooted in dignity, humanity, and solidarity. Play4Peace and Mental Health (P4PM) is CSC-Asbl’s flagship programme, using mixed-gender sport and local games to support the mental wellbeing, safety, and social connection of internally displaced and refugee youth. The programme provides trauma-informed activities, emotional support, and leadership opportunities in conflict-affected communities, delivered by trained local coaches, many of whom were once participants themselves. Since 2022, P4PM has reached over 1,000 children and trained 10 coaches, 40 per cent of them women, despite operating in highly insecure settings. In 2025, its youth-led mobile initiative, Play4Peace Mobil, received international recognition for its role in promoting resilience and peace, and the programme is now preparing to expand into refugee camps such as Lusenda. https://www.csc-drc.org

Other Inspiring examples of Category 2: IRTS & Mental Health

Squash Dreamers

Jordan

Funded in 2017 in response to the education and protection challenges faced by refugee and underserved girls, Squash Dreamers is a charitable NGO based in Amman. Working in a context of overcrowded schools, poverty, and high dropout rates, the organisation supports girls from Syria, Sudan, Palestine, and Jordan through a long-term, community-informed approach that promotes education, gender equality, and personal development. The Squash Dreamers programme works with 50 girls aged 8 to 18 through a holistic model built around academics, sport, and wellbeing. Through regular after-school sessions and intensive holiday programming, the project supports girls to complete secondary education, improve academic performance, strengthen physical and mental health, and build confidence and leadership skills. Squash and other sports are combined with English instruction, academic tutoring, wellbeing support, and access to nutrition and healthcare. The programme also identifies and supports pathways to international scholarships, helping girls avoid early marriage and expand their future opportunities.

https://www.squashdreamers.org/

Fundación Crisalida Internacional (Glasswing Costa Rica)

Costa Rica

Glasswing Costa Rica is a regional NGO that promotes strategic social investment to generate sustainable social change, working closely with communities affected by inequality and exclusion. Through a collaborative and rights-based approach, the organisation supports migrants, refugees, asylum seekers, and host communities, with a strong focus on gender equality, participation, and long-term community development. Integrémonos is implemented in the canton of Desamparados, one of Costa Rica’s most diverse and densely populated areas, where migration has significantly shaped local realities. The project supports people in human mobility and host communities through economic inclusion, legal guidance for migration regularisation, therapeutic movement, and the creation of safe community spaces. It addresses emotional well-being, access to work, and social participation while responding to barriers such as xenophobia, legal insecurity, and limited access to services. Designed and delivered with active community participation, Integrémonos combines psychosocial, economic, and legal support to strengthen social cohesion and shared responsibility. Through this integrated model, the project contributes to more inclusive, supportive, and resilient communities. https://glasswing.org/es/glasswing-costa-rica/

IIISSS Institute/Sport4Impact

Italy

Founded by the International Institute for the Study of Sport Society, SPORT4IMPACT Forum is an NGO based in Milan, working globally to advance the social role of sport through research, partnerships, and action-oriented projects aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Since 2017, the Forum has brought together universities, UN bodies, NGOs, and private sector actors to design, support, and scale initiatives that use sport to strengthen communities, inclusion, skills development, and social innovation across more than 80 countries. The BUILDING FUTURES project focuses on improving the social and physical well-being of refugees living in severely overcrowded camps in Cyprus, particularly in Pournara and Kofinou. It uses regular sport and physical activity sessions to create safe spaces where refugees can connect, rebuild routines, and improve mental and physical health. A central element of the project is training refugees as peer educators, enabling them to lead activities and take active roles within their communities. Through this approach, BUILDING FUTURES supports social cohesion, integration, and life skills development in contexts where living conditions and access to services are extremely limited.

https://www.iiisss.it/

Devon and Cornwall Refugee Support

UK

Devon and Cornwall Refugee Support is a grassroots NGO based in Plymouth in the South West of the UK, supporting asylum seekers and refugees through immigration advice, housing assistance, social work, and a wide range of wellbeing services. For over eight years, the organisation has worked in a trauma-informed and holistic way, recognising the role of physical activity, community connection, and practical support in helping people recover from displacement and rebuild their lives. Its sports and physical activities programme supports the mental wellbeing of asylum seekers and refugees by helping them settle into the city, discover local walking paths and safe cycling routes, and build confidence through shared activity. The programme brings local residents and refugee communities together while developing life skills through swimming and cycling lessons. It operates through a triangular model, offering inclusive activities for all alongside volunteering and training pathways for those seeking greater responsibility and professional opportunities. A close partnership with NHS asylum seeker and refugee mental health services enables direct social prescribing into activities, ensuring participants receive appropriate, accessible support. Through this integrated approach, the programme strengthens wellbeing, social connection, and longer-term opportunities for people rebuilding their lives.

https://dcrs-plymouth.org/

UkraineActive - TORV

Ukraine

UkraineActive is a Ukrainian NGO working to improve physical health, mental recovery, and community connection through accessible urban initiatives. Founded to respond to the social impacts of war and displacement, the organisation brings together local residents, internally displaced people, civil society actors, and international partners to create inclusive spaces that support everyday wellbeing in challenging contexts. TORV is an open public active space created in 2024 on Kontraktova Square in Kyiv as a direct response to the need for safe, welcoming places for recovery and connection. Developed with local activists and international partners, the project offers free access to sport, movement, creative activities, and community events in the heart of the city. It provides opportunities for physical activity, quiet recovery, and social interaction, with particular attention to internally displaced people, veterans, families, and people with disabilities. Through trained facilitators and regular programming, TORV supports integration, emotional wellbeing, and a renewed sense of belonging. The initiative has quickly become a recognised urban hub for mental, physical, and social recovery and is now being prepared for replication in other Ukrainian cities.

https://ukrainian-active.org.ua/

UkraineActive - Act-Belong-Commit

Ukraine

UkraineActive is a Ukrainian NGO working to strengthen physical health, mental well-being, and community resilience, particularly in contexts affected by war and displacement. Since 2023, the organisation has collaborated with schools, local authorities, and international partners to support children, youth, and educators whose lives have been disrupted by conflict, including internally displaced families across several regions of Ukraine. The ABC Mental Health programme applies the Act–Belong–Commit model to embed mental well-being into everyday school and community life. It supports psychological recovery through physical activity, social connection, and purposeful action, responding to anxiety, loss, and social fragmentation. The programme delivers trainings for teachers, school-based activities, community events, and small collective actions that encourage participation and mutual support. Implemented across more than 200 schools and 70 communities, it has reached over 24,000 children and young people, many of whom are internally displaced. By integrating mental health into education and local culture, the programme contributes to longer-term recovery and stability for communities under pressure.

https://ukrainian-active.org.ua/

European Culture and Sport Organization

Italy

The European Culture and Sport Organization is an NGO based in Rome, active since 2017 and committed to social development through culture and sport, with a strong focus on youth

inclusion, mental health, and grassroots participation. The organisation delivers national and European projects and works through a multidisciplinary team of psychologists, coaches, educators, and researchers, promoting cooperation between sport, health, education, and civil society. SAME – Sports Activities for Mental Enhancement is a community-based, EU co-funded project supporting the mental and social well-being of young refugees living in Rome. The project uses inclusive team sports combined with psychological support to address trauma, strengthen resilience, and encourage positive social relationships. Activities are delivered by coaches trained in mental health awareness and cultural mediation, alongside direct access to mental health professionals. Young participants are actively involved in shaping activities, ensuring relevance and engagement. Through local delivery and European knowledge sharing, SAME contributes to more inclusive communities and provides a model that can be replicated across Europe.

https://www.ecos-europe.com/

FUNDACION DEPORTIVA ELINA MORALES

Colombia

ALAS is delivered by a community-based NGO working with migrant and displaced women through a gender-sensitive, trauma-informed and participatory approach. The organisation focuses on improving emotional wellbeing, social inclusion and economic independence by combining sport, mental health support and skills development, while placing women at the centre as active contributors and leaders. Through strong partnerships with grassroots migrant groups, trainers, psychologists and community centres, ALAS ensures culturally responsive delivery and long-term community impact. The ALAS project empowers migrant women through women’s football, community mental health activities and certified vocational training in sports massage. Football is used as a space for connection, confidence and emotional recovery, while vocational training opens pathways to income generation and entrepreneurship. Participants co-design activities, take on leadership roles and build solidarity networks, enabling ALAS to redefine sport as a practical tool for healing, empowerment and inclusion.

https://www.facebook.com/p/Fundacion-Deportiva-Elina-Morales-61555843812669/

Terre des hommes (TDH)

Egypt

Terre des hommes Egypt is an NGO and part of the global Terre des hommes Foundation, delivering long-standing programmes in child protection, access to justice, and mental health and psychosocial support for refugees and asylum seekers. Its work is grounded in dignity, participation, and equity, with strong partnerships across UN agencies, national institutions, local NGOs, and refugee-led networks. Through Integrated Refugee Trauma Services and wider mental health programming, the organisation provides culturally appropriate and traumainformed support to refugee children, youth, and families. The initiative combines communitybased mental health activities, specialised referrals, safe spaces, and psychoeducation to

address psychological distress linked to forced displacement. Refugees play a central role as trained facilitators, peer supporters, and co-designers, strengthening trust and relevance within communities. By integrating clinical expertise with community leadership, the programme improves coping skills, reduces stigma, and expands access to care. This inclusive and scalable approach reaches more than 20,000 refugees each year and positions Tdh Egypt as a leading actor in refugee mental health response in the region.

https://www.tdh.org/en/our-impact/middle-east-north-africa

Laureus Sport for Good Foundation Germany

Laureus Sport for Good is a global NGO that uses sport to improve the lives of disadvantaged children and young people, working through strong cross-sector partnerships and evidencebased approaches. Within the “Ich spreche Chancen”programme, the foundation acts as overall coordinator, bringing together local partners across Germany, guiding impact measurement, and ensuring quality, safeguarding, and long-term sustainability. The organisation focuses on making outcomes measurable and visible while supporting partners to deliver inclusive, childcentred practice in community settings. “Ich spreche Chancen” is a European Union co-funded programme that supports refugee children and young people by combining physical activity, language learning, and social integration in safe, low-threshold environments. Delivered at 13 locations across Germany, the initiative uses movement-based activities to reduce language barriers, strengthen social skills, and support mental well-being. Sport and play provide an accessible space where participants can build confidence, resilience, and a sense of belonging outside formal education. Through strong local partnerships, continuous monitoring, and the training of multipliers, the programme achieves sustainable impact and measurable progress in social inclusion.

https://www.laureus.com/sport-for-good/germany

Soccer Without Borders Bay Area (SWB Bay Area)

USA

Soccer Without Borders Bay Area is an NGO that has worked for nearly two decades to support newcomer youth through sport-based, trauma-informed programmes that strengthen social connection, wellbeing, and educational engagement. Operating across low-resource schools, the organisation delivers free, year-round football and learning activities, supported by trusted coaches who act as long-term mentors and reflect the cultural and linguistic diversity of the communities they serve. Its approach prioritises equity, youth participation, and community trust, with a strong track record of positive educational and social outcomes for refugee and migrant young people. Meet Me on the Pitch is a community-based behavioural health initiative developed by Soccer Without Borders Bay Area in partnership with the University of California, San Francisco, designed to improve access to mental health support for newcomer youth. The project integrates sport, school, and behavioural health by training football coaches to deliver culturally responsive mental health sessions that address social and emotional needs and wider

social determinants of health. Co-designed with young people, the model uses football as a shared language to reduce stigma, overcome structural barriers to care, and strengthen emotional wellbeing. Initially supported through a multi-year research grant, the programme continues to be delivered and expanded within the Soccer Without Borders network as an innovative and inclusive response to unmet mental health needs. https://www.soccerwithoutborders.org/bay-area

Stichting KLABU Foundation

Netherlands

KLABU is an Amsterdam-based NGO that builds and operates community-led sports clubhouses in refugee camps, settlements, and urban settings, using sport as a way to support health, connection, and dignity for people displaced by conflict. Its approach centres on codesign and local ownership, with refugee and host communities leading the management of welcoming spaces that provide access to sport, media, music, and connectivity, with particular attention to the inclusion of women and girls. Through a growing global network of clubhouses, KLABU creates hubs that encourage participation, skills development, and a sense of belonging. Boa Vista Spirit is KLABU’s programme in northern Brazil supporting the mental and physical well-being of indigenous Venezuelan refugees living in and around the Tuaranoko Refugee Shelter. The project provides a safe and inclusive clubhouse where residents can take part in regular sport and community activities that help reduce stress, ease isolation, and strengthen emotional resilience. A locally trained volunteer team from the shelter leads daily operations and activities, ensuring cultural relevance and trust. By creating consistent opportunities to move, connect, and belong, the programme supports recovery and community cohesion for refugees facing prolonged displacement. https://klabu.org/

United Partners for Humanitarian Welfare

Burundi

UPHWO (United Partners for Human Welfare Organization) is a grassroots, youth-led NGO based in Burundi that has been active since 2017 in refugee camps and displacement sites, working to promote dignity, recovery, and social reintegration through sport, psychosocial care, and gender equity. Embedded in camps such as Kinama, Musasa, Musenyi, and Gateri, the organisation combines long-term presence with participatory, trauma-informed approaches, engaging refugees as leaders, facilitators, and co-designers of activities. Through close collaboration with partners including PLAY International, UPHWO addresses stigma around mental health, strengthens community trust, and supports integration between refugees and host communities. Its flagship initiative, Healing Through Playing, uses structured games, football, and dialogue-based activities to support mental health, resilience, and social connection among displaced populations. The programme places particular emphasis on adolescents and young women, integrating gender-based violence prevention, leadership development, and safe spaces into sport-based programming. In 2025 alone, more than 26,000

children and adolescents benefited from mental health activities in transit centres, while over 18,000 refugees from the DRC took part in daily programming at Musenyi camp. By positioning sport as a tool for healing, inclusion, and empowerment rather than recreation alone, the initiative contributes to lasting well-being and community cohesion in highly fragile contexts. https://uphwo.org/

FAME Foundation for Girls and Women Empowerment

Nigeria

FAME Foundation is a gender-focused NGO based in Nigeria that works to advance gender equity and social inclusion through advocacy, education, and community-led action, with a strong focus on women, girls, displaced populations, and underserved youth. Drawing on the unifying power of sport in a diverse national context, the organisation creates safe and transformative spaces that address inequality, stigma, and limited access to opportunity, while working closely with communities and partners to ensure relevance and sustainability. Its flagship initiative, PLAY it DREAM it, launched in 2019, uses sport and physical activity as structured tools to strengthen mental well-being, resilience, and leadership among vulnerable girls and boys. The programme combines regular physical activities with emotional literacy, mentorship, and gender equality education to address challenges such as trauma, early marriage, disrupted education, and social exclusion. Designed to be trauma-informed and culturally sensitive, it is delivered in refugee camps, informal settlements, and underserved communities across multiple Nigerian states. Participants actively shape the programme and many progress into peer leadership roles, strengthening local ownership and long-term impact. Aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals, PLAY it DREAM demonstrates how sport can support healthier lives, improved education outcomes, and more inclusive communities. https://famefoundationwg.org/

Swiss Academy for Development

Switzerland

The Swiss Academy for Development is an NGO with long-standing experience in conflictaffected contexts, working alongside its refugee-led partner the Community Psychosocial Support Organisation to strengthen psychosocial well-being, education, livelihoods and social cohesion in South Sudan and northern Uganda. Grounded in participation, local capacity building and the use of sport and play for development, the organisations work closely with communities, schools and local leaders to address trauma, inequality and instability in fragile settings. Building on more than a decade of collaboration, they launched the project Peace in Motion to respond to the needs of refugees, returnees and host communities living in border regions affected by conflict and displacement. The project promotes peaceful coexistence and mental health through culturally appropriate psychological counselling, community awareness activities, and sport- and play-based sessions that encourage dialogue, trust and resilience. It

also supports safe learning environments through school renovation and play-based education, while offering technical and entrepreneurial training that creates income opportunities and long-term prospects for young people. Through this holistic approach, Peace in Motion contributes to stability, self-reliance and peace by addressing psychosocial, educational and economic needs in an integrated and accessible way.

https://sa4d.org/

Japan Karate Association

Pakistan

The Japan Karate Association Pakistan Chapter is an NGO that has been promoting karate and youth development across the country since 2000, working through an inclusive national structure that spans all provinces and Islamabad. The organisation focuses on using sport to support youth development, women’s skill-building, community development, and positive mental health, while collaborating with sports bodies, educational institutions, communitybased organisations, NGOs, INGOs, and international partners. Through regular championships and tournaments, it provides young people with opportunities to develop technical skills, leadership, confidence, and resilience, while maintaining a strong commitment to monitoring impact and improving practice despite financial and resource constraints. Building on this experience, the project responds to the severe psychosocial challenges faced by Hazara women and girls living as host and refugee communities under prolonged stress and insecurity. It uses karate tournaments as an entry point to engage young Hazara girls in a safe and empowering environment, followed by structured counselling and psychosocial support sessions. By combining physical activity with communal psychological assessment and guidance, the initiative addresses vulnerability, trauma, and isolation among participants. The project aims to help young Hazara girls recognise the power of sport as a practical tool to cope with real-life challenges and strengthen their mental resilience.

https://jkapakistan.org/

Football Beyond Borders

Football Beyond Borders is a UK-based NGO that works with young people from low-income backgrounds who are disengaged from school and facing multiple barriers to learning. All participants are eligible for free school meals, with many experiencing exclusion, additional educational needs, and the effects of inequality. The organisation is built on long-term, trusted relationships between young people and adults in school settings. Its approach combines lived experience within its staff team, trauma-informed practice, and close collaboration with schools and families to support emotional wellbeing. The programme uses football as a meaningful entry point alongside a structured Social and Emotional Learning curriculum delivered in classrooms, on the pitch, and through one-to-one mentoring. Sessions focus on emotional regulation, self-awareness, relationships, and decision-making, with consistent adult support providing stability over several years. Operating across London, the North West, and the West

Midlands, the project has reached thousands of young people and demonstrated measurable improvements in school attendance, behaviour, mental wellbeing, and academic outcomes, showing how sport can support lasting personal and educational change. https://www.footballbeyondborders.org/

Dream Big for Inclusion and Antiracism

Italy

Dream Big is a refugee-led NGO founded in Italy in 2024 that uses grassroots sport as a driver of social inclusion, anti-racism, and community well-being. Rooted in lived experience, the organisation works with migrants and marginalised communities to address discrimination, isolation, and mental health stigma through accessible, community-based approaches. By combining local sports activities, psychoeducation, youth engagement, and partnerships with institutions and community leaders, Dream Big creates inclusive environments that strengthen connection, trust, and collective resilience at neighbourhood level. The initiative centres on community football tournaments integrated with psychoeducation workshops and facilitated discussions that introduce mental health topics in accessible and culturally sensitive ways. Participants are actively involved in shaping activities, supported by refugee leaders, cultural mediators, and mental health professionals working together. Through this model, sport becomes a gateway to dialogue, mutual understanding, and personal empowerment.

https://dreambigfi.org/

Hobby Lobby

Austria, Germany, Romania

Hobby Lobby is an NGO working across Austria, Germany, and Romania to provide free weekly sport and movement-based activities for children and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, including refugees. Operating in 14 cities, the organisation focuses on accessibility, inclusion, and long-term relationship building, working closely with schools, youth centres, municipalities, and other NGOs. Its youth-centred approach prioritises mental health, self-esteem, and social connection, while actively involving participants in shaping activities and developing leadership pathways through peer-led models. The initiative delivers more than 150 regular courses ranging from football and dance to yoga and fitness, creating safe and traumainformed spaces where young people can build routine, confidence, and social skills. A central element is the Youth Leaders programme, which trains former participants to lead courses themselves, strengthening empowerment and community ownership. Through consistent engagement and inclusive delivery, the project supports improved wellbeing, reduced isolation, and lasting positive impact for thousands of young people.

https://www.hobbylobby.co.at

EmpowerVan

Greece

EmpowerVan is a grassroots, women-led NGO founded in 2023, working across Greece and along European migration routes to address gender-based violence and promote safety, wellbeing, and agency among displaced women and nonbinary people. Rooted in direct experience within refugee contexts, the organisation operates through a mobile and flexible model that enables access to isolated camps and shelters, while upholding feminist, inclusive,

and trauma-sensitive principles. Its work centres on empowerment, bodily autonomy, and community connection, responding to gaps in protection and support faced by people on the move. The EmpowerVan initiative delivers free empowerment and self-defence seminars and weekly classes directly in refugee camps and community spaces using a fully equipped van. Through a holistic approach combining communication skills, intuition practices, coping strategies, physical self-defence, fitness, yoga, and movement, participants strengthen confidence and reclaim control over their bodies. By meeting women where they are and creating accessible, supportive spaces, the project contributes to improved mental wellbeing, personal safety, and collective resilience. https://www.empowervan.org

Category 3: Refugee-led initiatives

This category celebrates the courage and creativity of refugees who lead initiatives to rebuild lives and promote inclusion through sport.

Refugees are not just participants in these programmes they are leaders and changemakers who understand the challenges of displacement firsthand. Their initiatives offer others in similar situations opportunities to engage in sport, develop skills, and build new social networks. These individuals create pathways to personal and professional growth. Their efforts go beyond the immediate benefits of physical activity, contributing to long-term stability, independence, and stronger communities. Their work demonstrates resilience and the power to create new opportunities for themselves and their communities.

ACSA Cultural & Sport Association Winner

Canada

ACSA Cultural & Sport Association is a refugee- and women-led NGO based in British Columbia, Canada. Founded by Afghan-Canadian refugee Masooma Sayed Hashim its goal is to support refugees and newcomers through sport, entrepreneurship, and community engagement. Grounded in lived refugee experience, the organisation works with women, youth, and families from diverse backgrounds to promote inclusion, mental wellbeing, leadership, and economic participation, collaborating closely with local authorities, community centres, and settlement partners. Its approach is community-led, culturally responsive, and designed to create safe spaces where newcomers can build confidence, belonging, and social connection. The initiative focuses on sport-led integration and empowerment, combining women-only and youth sport programmes with entrepreneurship training, leadership development, and peer support. Activities are co-designed with participants and delivered in accessible formats and languages to ensure relevance and trust. Through this integrated model, the project supports physical and mental wellbeing while enabling refugees, particularly women, to move from isolation towards active participation and leadership within their communities. https://acsaorg.ca/

UkraineActive

Shortlisted Candidate

Ukraine

UkraineActive is an NGO working across Ukraine to support community recovery, inclusion, and wellbeing through sport, in close cooperation with local authorities and grassroots initiatives. The organisation provides strategic guidance, partnership development, training access, and visibility support to help local projects grow sustainably in challenging post-conflict contexts.

One such initiative is the Phoenix football teams in Hostomel, established in 2022 by internally displaced parents and activists following the end of occupation. The project offers free football training to more than 70 children aged 6 to 14, most of whom are internally displaced, with regular sessions, equipment, and participation in matches and tournaments. Beyond physical activity, Phoenix contributes to psychological recovery, rebuilding trust, and strengthening social bonds, with families actively involved in training and events. Inclusive by design, the initiative welcomes children from diverse backgrounds and, with support from UkraineActive, is now connected to national programmes and international opportunities, including participation in the Erasmus+ Youth and Sport for Resilience programme. https://ukrainian-active.org.ua/

Soccer Without Borders Uganda (SWB Uganda)

Shortlisted Candidate

Uganda

SWB Uganda is an NGO established in 2008 and recognised as a leader in sport-based youth development in Uganda and East Africa. It operates from a Refugee Youth Centre in Kampala, a city home to nearly 160,000 refugees. Led by Congolese refugee Mayele Jules Murhula alongside a diverse leadership team, the organisation delivers free, trauma-informed programmes that combine education, football, youth leadership, and gender equality for some of the most vulnerable urban refugee communities. Working year-round, SWB Uganda reaches thousands of young people annually and plays an active role in strengthening inclusive practice across regional sport and youth networks. Its flagship programme provides daily English and maths education alongside structured football training for out-of-school refugee youth, creating a stable pathway back into formal education and community life. Participants attend regular classes and multiple weekly training sessions led by trained coaches who integrate safeguarding, restorative practice, and language development. Complementary initiatives include youth-led community leagues, education scholarships, and strong gender-focused programming such as nationwide girls’ leagues and weekly empowerment hubs. Through this integrated approach, the project supports improved educational access, social inclusion, gender equality, and long-term opportunities for refugee and host-community youth in Kampala and beyond.

https://www.soccerwithoutborders.org/uganda

Other Inspiring examples of Category 3: Refugee-led initiatives

EDNAE

Romania

EDNAE is a women-led, refugee-founded NGO established in 2024 in Suceava, north-eastern Romania by Ukrainian refugees with lived experience of forced displacement. Closely connected to the local refugee community, the organisation has quickly become a trusted community hub and a key stakeholder, working in partnership with NGOs, civil society actors, and UNHCR to promote inclusion, wellbeing, and social cohesion. Drawing on first-hand understanding of displacement, EDNAE designs activities collaboratively with refugees and host communities, responding to evolving needs through accessible sport, social, and recreational initiatives. Its flagship Rising Together projects use football and fitness activities to support children and families from refugee and host communities, strengthening physical wellbeing, teamwork, and mutual understanding. In 2024, the project reached children and families through inclusive sport sessions, creating meaningful opportunities for connection beyond the pitch. Building on this success, Rising Together: Voices Across Generations continues in 2025, engaging children of different ages in regular activities that encourage friendship, confidence, and community connection through sport.

Support Group Network Deutschland e.V.

Germany

Support Group Network Germany is a migrant-led NGO based in Stuttgart, working to support the integration of migrants and refugees across Baden-Württemberg and Europe. Founded and run by people with lived migration experience, the organisation delivers a wide range of community-based projects in partnership with local, regional, and European actors, addressing areas such as language learning, labour market access, youth leadership, women’s empowerment, education, and democratic participation. A strong participatory approach ensures that migrants are actively involved in designing and delivering initiatives, strengthening belonging, self-determination, and community leadership. The initiative submitted builds on this model through inclusive projects that support social participation and integration, particularly for young people, women, and families. Activities include mentoring schemes, youth-led leadership programmes, cultural and educational initiatives, and wellbeing-focused events that respond directly to community needs. By combining peer support, skills development, and cross-cultural exchange, the project supports confidence, social connection, and equal access to opportunities for migrants and refugees. Through sustained collaboration and community ownership, it contributes to stronger cohesion between migrant and local communities.

https://www.sgn-d.de/

Creating Chances

Australia

Creating Chances is an Australia-based NGO and registered charity that empowers young people through sport-based life skills and leadership programmes, working with schools and communities to reach thousands of young people - many from refugee, migrant, and marginalised backgrounds - each year. With a long-standing focus on inclusion, wellbeing, and active citizenship, the organisation delivers evidence-based pathways and community sport initiatives that use football as a tool for social connection, confidence building, and leadership development. Building on this expertise, Creating Chances developed Arezo, a refugee-led football initiative designed specifically for Afghan-Australian girls and women. Co-designed with Afghan-Australian women and funded by Migration Council Australia, the project responds to barriers linked to early settlement, including social isolation, limited access to education and employment, and cultural exclusion from sport. Through weekly footballprogrammes, inclusive tournaments, and a national leadership and coaching pathway, Arezo has so far engaged over 100 girls in football for the first time and supported women to take on leadership roles within their communities. To date the project has trained 35 coaches and enabled 20 women to complete a national leadership programme, strengthening confidence, resilience, and belonging through sport. By centring lived experience and community leadership, Arezo demonstrates how values-based sport initiatives can advance inclusion and empower refugee women and girls.

https://creatingchances.org.au/

Bayine Sports Activities

Egypt

Bayine Sports Activities is an NGO founded by social entrepreneur Adebayo James Adegboye to address inequalities in access to sport for school children in underserved and refugee communities across Egypt and Nigeria. Migrant-led and community-rooted, the organisation works closely with schools, education authorities and local partners to create safe, inclusive spaces where children can engage in organised sport as part of their development. Its approach combines youth participation, volunteer training, and strong community collaboration, with a clear focus on wellbeing, gender equality, and social inclusion. Through this work, Bayine has become a trusted grassroots actor, recognised for its child-centred and locally responsive model. The initiative they applied with focuses on integrating structured sports activities into refugee schools that lack facilities by transporting children to nearby sports complexes for regular sessions. The project delivers weekly training, inclusive inter-school games, and educational workshops that support life skills, leadership, and positive social interaction. To date, it has reached over 2,000 refugee school children, improved school engagement, and trained youth volunteers and educators to sustain long-term impact within the communities.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bayine-sports-activitiesab7b9b233/?originalSubdomain=eg

Breaking Grounds – Social Change through Sport

Austria

Breaking Grounds – Social Change through Sport is an Austria-based NGO that has worked since 2015 to support inclusion, education, and empowerment through football for young people from refugee and socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds. Reaching more than 6,000 participants, the organisation provides accessible sport and learning opportunities that strengthen personal development, community engagement, and social participation, with a strong commitment to youth involvement in decision making. Its Youth Leader Programme builds on this approach by supporting young people with refugee and migration backgrounds to become active leaders within their communities through football. Over the past five years, around 80 youth leaders have taken part in hands-on leadership roles, including organising inclusive tournaments, leading weekly community trainings for children, and contributing to workshops on anti-racism and gender equality. Through these experiences, participants develop confidence, leadership skills, and a sense of agency while gaining access to new educational and professional opportunities. The programme also creates positive ripple effects, as youth leaders act as role models and create safe, inclusive spaces that benefit hundreds of other young people.

https://www.breaking-grounds.at/en

Hope of Children and Women Victims of Violence (HOCW)

Uganda

Hope of Children and Women Victims of Violence (HOCW) is a refugee-led, women-driven NGO based in Uganda, working at the intersection of humanitarian response and sustainable development to support refugees and host communities affected by violence, displacement, and poverty. The organisation focuses particularly on women, children, and youth, combining community-centred approaches with strong accountability to ensure its programmes respond to real needs. Within this context, Teganyi Olivier leads the development of a participatory Monitoring and Evaluation initiative designed to strengthen programme effectiveness, inclusivity, and transparency. The initiative applies community-led and digital tools such as focus group discussions, community scorecards, storytelling, and real-time data collection to ensure marginalised voices, especially those of refugee women and children, are heard. Beneficiaries are actively involved in defining priorities, indicators of success, and programme adaptations through reflection and feedback processes. As a result, the initiative has contributed to more responsive programming, improved service delivery, and tangible improvements in education access, psychosocial support, food security, and women’s leadership across communities.

https://www.hopeofchildrenandwomen.org

Stichting KLABU Foundation

Netherlands

EDNAE (Everyone Deserves Non-Violence and Equality) is a refugee-led NGO founded in 2024 in Suceava, Romania, working to promote dignity, inclusion, and healing for refugees, with a strong focus on children and young people. Led by individuals with lived experience of displacement, the organisation creates trusted community spaces that rebuild connection, identity, and wellbeing through empathy, equality, and non-violence. EDNAE’s work is rooted in close relationships with refugee families and strong collaboration with local and international partners. Its flagship project, Rising Together, launched in 2024 with support from UNHCR Romania and continues in 2025 in response to high demand and clear impact. The project delivers weekly football and fitness sessions for refugee children and teenagers, providing a safe and inclusive space for integration, emotional recovery, and personal development. Led by refugee coaches from Mariupol, the sessions combine sport with care and consistency, helping children process trauma, build confidence, and connect with peers from both refugee and host communities.

https://klabu.org/clubhouses/m-bera

Skateistan

Germany

Skateistan is an award-winning global NGO that has used skateboarding as a tool for education and social change since its founding in Kabul in 2007 which today supports programmes in 42 countries, reaching more than 10,000 young people. Working through long-term partnerships with locally led initiatives, Skateistan focuses on inclusive access to sport and creative learning, with a strong emphasis on girls and young people facing discrimination, displacement or limited opportunities. One of these initiatives is the Lead and Skate programme in Tehran, Iran, led by Noorzai Ibrahimi, a former Skateistan student and coach who experienced displacement himself after leaving Afghanistan in 2021. The programme brings together Iranian and Afghan children through skateboarding, art, and leadership workshops, offering a shared space at a time of growing pressure and hostility towards Afghan refugees. Despite initial resistance and restrictions, community engagement helped secure support from local authorities, allowing the programme to grow and operate openly. Since its formal launch in 2024, more than 65 children, over half of them girls, have taken part, building confidence, friendships, and a sense of belonging, with plans to expand further in the future.

https://skateistan.org/location/tehran

Kick4peace Organisation

Somalia, France

Kick4Peace is a community-based NGO founded in 2015 that works across France, Somalia, and other contexts to support youth and refugees through football, education, and leadership development. Led by former Somali FIFA referee Hassan Hagi, the organisation draws on lived

experience to create inclusive spaces that strengthen confidence, social connection, and civic engagement, while promoting gender equality and nonviolence. Its work brings together coaches, educators, young leaders, and artists to address exclusion and support young people navigating displacement and marginalisation. The initiative it applied with uses football as an entry point for structured learning, leadership training, and peer mentoring for refugees and underserved youth. Through free training sessions, leadership camps, and youth-led activities, participants gain life skills, take on responsibility, and grow into positive role models within their communities. By combining sport with dialogue, creativity, and education, the project supports integration, encourages peaceful coexistence, and enables young people to contribute to positive change in their local contexts.

https://kick4peace.org/

Impact Academy

Egypt

Impact Academy is a women-led, grassroots NGO based in Egypt that uses sport as a tool for education, empowerment, and gender equality, with a strong focus on marginalised girls and young women, including refugees and those from informal settlements. Rooted in community participation, the organisation delivers safe and inclusive programmes that challenge gender norms, strengthen leadership, and expand access to opportunities through boxing and football. Its work is shaped through close collaboration with participants, ensuring activities respond to lived realities and support long-term agency and confidence. The project it applied with, Her Fight for H2O, combines sport, STEM education, and environmental justice to equip young women with skills and leadership around water conservation and climate resilience. Delivered in Cairo and expanding to Alexandria and Fayoum, the initiative engages girls aged 16 and above through confidence-building sport sessions, accessible climate education, and practical water-saving skills. Girls co-designed the programme, led peer activities, and implemented local awareness actions, positioning them as leaders rather than beneficiaries. Through this approach, the project has strengthened confidence, environmental responsibility, and community leadership, while addressing the intersecting challenges of gender inequality, displacement, and climate vulnerability.

Girl Power

Denmark

Girl Power is a refugee-led NGO that empowers women and girls, with a strong focus on refugees and minorities across the EU and in marginalised communities globally. Through sport and gender-transformative education, the organisation creates safe, inclusive spaces that support mental health, leadership, and social connection, while addressing barriers such as discrimination, lack of role models, and limited access to opportunities. Since 2014, Girl Power has worked in 14 countries, reaching tens of thousands of women and girls, with refugees making up the majority of participants and playing an active role in programme design and delivery. The initiative it is applying with centres on using football and leadership development

to support young refugee and displaced women aged 16–25 to build confidence, skills, and a sense of belonging. Through regular sport sessions combined with workshops, mentorship, and pathways into education and employment, participants are supported to become community leaders and role models. Refugee women are placed at the heart of the work as peer leaders and organisers, ensuring relevance, ownership, and sustainability. By combining sport, education, and lived experience, the programme strengthens integration, visibility, and longterm opportunities for young women facing displacement and exclusion. https://www.girlpowerorg.com/

Refugee Brotherhood

Kenya

Bayine Sport Activities is a refugee-led, community-based charitable initiative based in Cairo, Egypt, dedicated to supporting refugee and African migrant children through sport. Founded to respond to the lack of safe play spaces and structured physical activity in community-run schools, Bayine uses sport as a tool to protect children from street exposure, support mental wellbeing, and help them cope with the trauma and instability caused by conflict and displacement. Operating in contexts where sports are often excluded from school curricula due to limited space and resources, Bayine organises regular activities in rented sports facilities and helps schools create or access outdoor play areas. Over the past few years, more than 2,000 refugee children have participated in a wide range of sports, building physical skills, confidence, discipline, and social connection. The initiative has also supported schools to integrate sporting activities into their educational programmes, shifting how sport is valued within these communities. Bayine works with a team of 57 coaches and volunteers, many of whom come from refugee and African communities themselves. This peer-led approach strengthens trust, creates positive role models, and provides employment and leadership opportunities for refugee coaches. Several coaches have progressed into international development pathways, including programmes such as KNVB World Coaches, further reinforcing community ownership and sustainability.

https://www.refugeebrotherhood.org/

The Refugees Basketball Initiative

Kenya

The Refugees Basketball Initiative is a refugee-led NGO founded in 2020 in Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kenya, created by young refugees and local changemakers to address the lack of safe, supportive spaces for displaced youth. Grounded in lived experience, the organisation works with both refugee and host communities, using sport to promote inclusion, leadership, mental wellbeing, and educational opportunity. Its community-rooted approach places young people at the centre of decision-making, with participants actively shaping programmes and stepping into coaching and leadership roles. At the heart of its work is a basketball-based initiative that combines regular training with mentorship, life skills education, mental health support, and leadership development for boys and girls. The programme also includes tournaments, camps,

and educational guidance, helping young people build confidence, resilience, and a sense of belonging. Despite operating in a challenging camp environment, the initiative has supported hundreds of participants, trained youth leaders, enabled access to scholarships, and strengthened connections between refugee and host communities through sport.

https://therefugeesbasketballinitiative.carrd.co/

BONYAN

Türkiye

BONYAN is a humanitarian NGO working in Turkey to protect and support refugees and displaced communities, with a strong focus on inclusion, dignity, and long-term social participation. Led by professionals with lived experience of displacement, the organisation collaborates with local authorities, schools, sports clubs, and international partners to respond to the needs of refugee children and youth. Its work centres on community-based approaches that strengthen social cohesion, gender equality, and access to opportunities for marginalised groups. Within this framework, BONYAN has implemented sport-based initiatives that use football and other activities as tools for integration and personal development. The Sport for Development programme, funded by the UEFA Foundation for Children, created inclusive spaces where refugee and host community children can learn, play, and build confidence together, while increasing girls’ participation in football. Alongside this, advocacy actions linked to major sporting events raised international awareness of refugee inclusion through sport. Building on this experience, the current Adidas Foundation–funded project supports refugee children’s integration into local communities through structured, participatory sports activities that promote belonging and positive social connections.

Category 4: Role models in IRTS (citizens' choice)

This category shines a spotlight on individuals whose leadership and dedication have driven meaningful change in inclusion through sport and recreation. These role models stand out for their passion, commitment, and ability to inspire others, using sport as a platform to create opportunities for those who need them most. They may be coaches, mentors, athletes, or community leaders who have dedicated their time and effort to ensuring refugees have access to sport and all the benefits it brings.

Their impact extends beyond the sports field, shaping lives, building confidence, and strengthening communities. By leading by example, they demonstrate the lasting influence one person can have in transforming lives. These role models prove that sport is a universal language one that uplifts communities and creates lasting impact.

Arabinrin Aderonke

Winner

FAME Foundation for Girls and Women Empowerment, Nigeria

Arabinrin Aderonke is a passionate and fearless leader who has spent nearly two decades using media, policy, and sports to drive real change. Through her work at FAME Foundation, she has reached girls in IDP camps, slums, and rural communities using football as a tool to build confidence, teach life skills, and promote inclusion. She has stood up for the rights of female athletes, influenced national conversations on gender equality, and built programs that give women and girls a voice. Her work is not only inspiring but impactful and continues to open doors for those who need it most.

Arabinrin Aderonke is not just a role model. She is the Executive Director/Founder of FAME Foundation for Girls and Women Empowerment. She is a tireless force for inclusion, equity, and transformation through sport. With nearly two decades of experience across media, governance, and advocacy, she has consistently used sport as a tool for social change. Her most impactful contribution is the Play It Dream It initiative, which she conceived, launched, and continues to lead through her organization.

Play It Dream It is a curriculum-based program that uses football to empower underserved girls and young women, including those with disabilities and those living in IDP camps and slums in Nigeria. It was launched in 2019. Through monthly bootcamps, life-skills sessions, mentorship, and sports tournaments, the initiative helps girls/women build confidence, learn teamwork, and discover paths to leadership, education, and well-being. It is not just a sports program. It is a movement designed to break cycles of poverty, earlymarriage, and marginalization and combat

gender-based violence by offering a safe space where girls can dream, play, and succeed.

Since its launch, Play It Dream It has reached over 19,650 girls directly across 18 states in Nigeria, Aderonke ensures that every activity is holistic. Sessions combine football training with life skills education, emotional intelligence workshops, menstrual hygiene awareness, digital skills training, and advocacy for girls’ rights. The program even provides transportation, meals, and sporting kits to remove all barriers to participation. For many of these girls, this is the first time anyone has invested in them without asking for anything in return.

What makes Aderonke’s work truly unique is how she brings dignity and visibility to communities often ignored. Through Play It Dream It, para-soccer tournaments for people with disabilities have been organized. The initiative also produced a handbook titled Success Tips for Internally Displaced Girls in Sports, which was distributed across camps and learning centers. In 2016, she led the PayFalcons protest to the Presidential Villa after Nigeria’s female football team was denied their allowances despite winning the African Women's Championship. Within 48 hours of the protest, the athletes received their payment.

Her leadership is not performative. Aderonke is often present on the field with the girls, mentoring them one-on-one, helping them set goals, and involving them in planning. She believes that every girl should see herself as a leader, and she models that leadership with humility, strength, and courage. She trains her team, engages volunteers, and ensures that the initiative adapts to community needs.

Her dedication is best reflected in the longevity and evolution of the Play It Dream It project. What started as a weekend outreach in IDP camps has become a national program that influences local and international conversations around girls in sports. She continuously innovates by integrating peacebuilding, mental health, STEM education, and advocacy into sporting activities. Whether she is hosting stakeholders from the diplomatic community or helping a shy girl score her first goal, Aderonke brings the same vision and heart to everything she does. She is trusted by local communities, international donors, policymakers, and young people alike.

Through Sport, Arabinrin Aderonke’s contribution stands out for its originality, depth, and reallife results. She is not simply organizing events. She is building a pipeline of future leaders, bridging the gap between policy and practice, and creating space for young girls to take ownership of their stories.

Her work deserves recognition because it is ongoing, scalable, and impactful. She embodies leadership not in words, but in action. Through FAME Foundation, she is giving girls across Nigeria a reason to believe in themselves and a platform to grow. Recently, the organization signed MOUs with organizations in Ghana and Cameroon to extend our impact." https://arabinrinaderonke.com/fame_foundation/

Farid Walizadeh

Shortlisted Candidate

Portugal / Afghanistan

Farid Walizadeh is a refugee, an Olympic athlete, a university student, and, above all, a role model for inclusion through sport. Born in Afghanistan, he was separated from his biological family when he was just one year old. He spent his childhood in displacement, moving through Pakistan, Iran, and Turkey, often alone. In Turkey, he found solace in taekwondo and kung fu, which helped him cope with trauma and build resilience in the face of deep uncertainty.

In 2012, at the age of 15, he arrived in Portugal with no family, limited resources, and significant cultural and language barriers. Yet within a year, he became the Portuguese National Boxing Champion in the -57kg category. His remarkable journey earned him the Human Rights Medal from the Portuguese Parliament. Since then, he has trained intensively under coach Paulo Seco and was selected as a member of the IOC Refugee Olympic Team for Paris 2024, representing not only athletes but the hope and resilience of displaced people.

Beyond his athletic success, Farid has built a life grounded in perseverance and purpose. While managing an intense training schedule, he pursued higher education and worked in multiple roles - from hotel receptionist to ergonomic technician - demonstrating a tireless commitment to self-reliance. Farid is currently studying architecture, a decision deeply tied to his childhood memories of destruction in Afghanistan. He dreams of rebuilding, not only cities but livesstarting with his own and extending to the communities he serves. In 2019, after more than two decades of separation, Farid was finally reunited with his biological family in Portugal. This emotional milestone reinforced his commitment to help other refugees rebuild their lives with dignity, safety, and hope.

Farid’s impact reaches far beyond Portugal. In December 2019, he was invited by UNHCR to speak at the Global Refugee Forum in Geneva, one of the most influential international gatherings on forced displacement. There, he joined world leaders, institutions, and civil society representatives to advocate for the rights of refugees through sport. He shared his personal journey and called for increased recognition of the potential within displaced youth. His presence was not just symbolic - it was a declaration that refugees can and must be at the center of designing the solutions that shape their futures. His intervention was covered by the global media and praised by senior UN officials for its authenticity and power.

Farid works closely with coach Paulo Seco and organizations like Social Innovation Sports to support an inclusive boxing-based initiative. Through this project, newly arrived refugees are welcomed into the gym, where they receive physical training, emotional support, and practical guidance to navigate life in Portugal. The initiative also promotes access to employment and education, especially for Afghan and other crisis-affected refugees. Farid is not simply a participant - he is a daily presence, a mentor, and a leader. The gym is not just a training facility - it is a family. Farid ensures that each person who enters feels seen, safe, and empowered.

He is also frequently invited to share his story in public forums. At the Cascais Summit at Nova SBE, he spoke to 400 high school students and local leaders about the transformative power of sport and the importance of empathy. His story has been widely shared across national media, including CNN Portugal, Diário de Notícias, RTP, Observador, and A Mensagem, contributing to greater awareness and normalization of refugee success in the public eye.

What makes Farid’s work unique is that it is grounded in lived experience. He doesn’t wait for formal programs - he takes action. His example - training, studying, working, mentoringdemonstrates the transformative potential of sport, persistence, and compassion. His efforts have directly impacted hundreds of people through the Paulo Seco gym, and reached thousands more through international forums, media engagement, and public speaking. Farid is building a model of refugee inclusion that is sustainable, scalable, and profoundly human.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/farid-walizadeh-2a0585178/?originalSubdomain=pt

Zainab Hussaini

Shortlisted Candidate

Skateistan,

Germany

Born a refugee in Iran, Zainab eventually returned to her home country Afghanistan. Through her passion for sports and determination, she has impacted the lives of thousands of children over the years.

Her journey began in 2009 at Women for Women International, where she empowered women in conflict-affected regions, laying the groundwork for her future impact. A pioneer and powerful ambassador for women’s sports and education in Afghanistan, Zainab made history in 2015 by becoming the first Afghan woman to run a marathon in her own country, taking incredible risks to break taboos and change social norms around girls’ and women’s participation in sport. Her impactful contributions earned her the Franco-German Afghan Woman of the Year Award in 2016. Zainab is an outstanding role model to Skateistan’s students, staff members, and women worldwide.

Through her struggles, she became passionate about helping others enjoy sport, especially women, which eventually led her to become the Skateistan Afghanistan Director.

Zainab has been working with Skateistan for over 12 years. In 2020, she was promoted to Country Manager and led operations across three Afghan locations (Kabul, Mazar-e-Sharif, and Bamyan). Having been a strong advocate of women’s rights in Afghanistan, she had no choice but to flee her country after the Taliban takeover in 2021. Now based in the U.S., she continues her work as Skateistan’s Afghanistan Director and remains one of the few Afghan female leaders recognized by the de facto authorities. Notably, in a country where women face so many

restrictions, over 50% of her team are women.

While Zainab has worked tirelessly to dismantle barriers and create safe environments for Afghan girls through education and sports, her life path has brought her new challenges. When she herself was still settling in Rochester, USA her new home she felt the urge to support other Afghan refugees to integrate into their new community. In a matter of months, Zainab co-founded the ROC Rolling Resettlement project with a former Skateistan employee and support from other Afghans who had also arrived in Rochester.

The project provides after-school skateboarding workshops for youth, primarily refugees and new American youth. Built on the refugee experience of the Rolling Resettlement team, the project quickly connected with local families and has grown through partnerships with the City of Rochester to serve multiple neighborhoods. The ROC Rolling Resettlement has become an outlet and integration path for newly arrived Afghan families in Rochester.

Building on the experience of establishing a skateboarding program for refugees in her new home, Zainab played an important role in advising and helping her colleague Noorzai Ibrahimi launch another program for Afghan refugees in Iran. The project, led by Noorzai, was formalized in 2024 and combines skateboarding with art classes and leadership workshops. Through the activities, vulnerable Iranian and Afghan migrants and refugees learn to share the space, develop their social and personal skills, and establish deep friendships.

Meanwhile, Zainab has also seen the situation in Afghanistan change with increasing security concerns, political shifts, and societal restrictions. The programs adapted to ever-changing challenges, ensuring that children and youth continue to have access to sports, education, vocational training, and leadership opportunities. Program operations were tailored to accommodate the growing number of internally displaced people (IDP) in Afghanistan. More recently, the number of returnees, mostly coming from Pakistan and Iran, has risen enormously. They are faced with communities already undergoing economic and security challenges and need to rebuild their lives. IDPs and returnees are, in fact, refugees within their own countries. Over 40% of the participants at Skateistan Afghanistan are IDPs or returnees. This number is expected to keep increasing, and Zainab spares no effort to make sure they have access to education and an opportunity to shape their lives.

One of her most recent impactful achievements is securing licenses for nonprofit schools in Afghanistan, allowing Skateistan programs to legally provide formal education and sports for girls, even under restrictive conditions. This has allowed girls to continue both academic studies and sports education. 55% of current participants are girls.

Beyond numbers, Zainab Hussaini is a transformative leader and role model who exemplifies courage, vision, and commitment to social justice through sport and education. Her work continues to change lives from Kabul to Rochester and stands as a testament to the power of resilience and community-driven change. https://www.linkedin.com/in/zainab-hussaini-74821a119/

Other Role models in IRTS candidates

Gabriela Cristina Popescu

Fundația Te Aud România, Romania

Gabriela Popescu is the founder of the Te Aud România Foundation and a leading figure in the field of sport for social impact in Romania. Following a successful international career in finance, she made the deliberate decision to return to her home country to develop a sustainable model for inclusion and personal development through sport. Since establishing the foundation in 2014, Gabriela has pioneered initiatives that integrate education, psychological support, and physical activity, with a particular emphasis on supporting children from vulnerable backgrounds. Her work has positioned her as a national role model in the realm of sport for social change.

Gabriela formally began addressing the sport-for-social-impact paradigm in 2017 with the launch of the Rugby for All program. This initiative supports young rugby players aged 14 to 18 in developing their potential both on and off the field. Recognizing the transformative power of sport from an early age, she expanded her efforts by creating a network of schools that promote rugby values among children aged 6 to 14. Through the Mini Rugby for All initiative, she empowered physical education teachers to deliver sport-based social impact programs in their communities. This initiative uses rugby as a tool to prevent school dropout and foster social inclusion among children: Mini Rugby for All.

In 2018, as a natural extension of these programs, Gabriela founded Rugby Club Gura Humorului the first privately funded senior rugby club in Romania where she also became the country’s only female rugby club president: Rugby Club Gura Humorului. Her leadership in this traditionally male-dominated field is both groundbreaking and inspirational.

What distinguishes Gabriela’s work is her holistic approach to sport as a vehicle for social transformation. She has redefined rugby often perceived as a physically intense sport into a medium for character development, self-confidence, and community cohesion. Her initiatives bring together private enterprises, public institutions, and civil society to form a replicable and sustainable ecosystem for social change.

In 2022, Gabriela authored and published Sport for Change Guide – Rugby for All: A Practical Guide from Idea to Full Program, the first Romanian guide dedicated to sport for social impact. This publication promotes best practices and encourages other leaders to initiate similar programs: Sport for Change Guide.

Following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, Gabriela swiftly adapted the foundation’s infrastructure to respond to the refugee crisis. She employed sport as a key tool for the shortand medium-term integration of Ukrainian children and mothers fleeing the conflict. In 2022,

she organized an international swimming tournament involving over 100 children, including Ukrainian participants, and hosted two sports camps for 98 children 50 Ukrainian and 48 Romanian facilitating meaningful intercultural exchange and integration within the Suceava community.

Between April and July 2023, Gabriela further promoted intercultural dialogue by organizing 36 sports activities for 231 Ukrainian refugee children and youth, alongside Romanian peers. These efforts culminated in the Inclusion and Sport Festival, which brought together over 130 Ukrainian and Romanian children in a celebration of unity, resilience, and community.

Gabriela’s work exemplifies visionary leadership, unwavering dedication, and innovative thinking in the field of sport for social impact. She has transformed crises into opportunities for solidarity and inclusion, using sport not only as a physical activity but as a bridge for emotional support, education, and long-term integration. Her ability to mobilize diverse stakeholders and create scalable, impactful programs makes her a true changemaker.

Te Aud Romania, under her leadership, has so far supported over 9.994 children and youth via sport. These children and youth developed their social skills through the sports programs by fostering teamwork, discipline, and resilience.

But above all, her work is about thousands of stories stories of small steps taken on rugby fields, of timid hands raised during counseling workshops, and of eyes that have learned to dream again. As we recall the journey of Alin Conache, a former program participant who went on to play at the Rugby World Cup not only as an athlete, but as a symbol of hope and the transformative power of belief. Gabriela helped Ukrainian refugee children smiling once more, having found a place where they were welcomed with open arms. She supported teachers to evolve into mentors and communities growing into extended families, united by compassion and shared purpose.

Through her courage, strategic vision, and deep humanity, Gabriela Popescu continues to change lives one child, one team, and one community at a time. Her work stands as a powerful testament to the role of sport in building a more inclusive and equitable society. https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabrielapopescu1/?originalSubdomain=ro

Shegofa Hassani

Chances, Australia

Shegofa Hassani is a powerful advocate for gender equity, inclusion, and youth leadership through sport. After arriving in Australia as a young Afghan refugee, she overcame cultural and social barriers to pursue her passion for football. Shegofa has since co-founded a football team for Afghan girls, led national programs that support wellbeing, resilience, and leadership, and mentored young women to thrive in their communities. Through her work with Creating Chances, she now designs and delivers programs that create safe, empowering spaces for

young people, especially girls from refugee and migrant backgrounds. Her journey reflects the power of sport to challenge norms, open doors, and drive lasting social change.

Shegofa Hassani’s journey in inclusive and transformative sport is a story of resilience, hope and profound community impact. Arriving in Australia in 2005 as a young Afghan girl, Shegofa overcame cultural barriers and societal misconceptions to become a powerful advocate and leader for inclusion, gender equity, and empowerment through sport.

Her football journey began informally, playing alongside her father and brothers in the park. Despite early discouragement from pursuing sport due to gender norms, Shegofa found strength and support in her family, particularly her father, to continue following her passion. Her entry into the Football United program in 2009 as a shy, talented 13-year-old marked a turning point. Football United, one of the founding programs of Creating Chances, uses football as a vehicle for social inclusion and youth development, working with young people from refugee, migrant and marginalised communities across Australia. The program offered Shegofa a safe and empowering environment to grow, first as a participant, then as a youth leader, coach, and facilitator.

Shegofa’s leadership journey quickly gained momentum. In 2014, she was selected to represent Australia at the prestigious FIFA Football for Hope Festival in Brazil, an international gathering of young leaders using football to drive social change. Nominated by her peers as team captain, Shegofa’s participation on the global stage deepened her commitment to giving back. Upon returning home, she co-founded the Sydney United Girls team alongside members of the Afghan community. The grassroots team created a culturally safe space for Afghan girls and young women, many of whom had never previously been allowed to play, to engage in football, find friendship, and build confidence.

Sydney United Girls rapidly grew in size and significance. Under Shegofa’s guidance, the team participated in National Afghan tournaments across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide. Beyond football, the team became a social network and source of pride for young Afghan women and their families. Shegofa’s ability to mentor and manage players while navigating cultural sensitivities has made her a trusted community figure and role model. What makes Shegofa’s impact truly unique is the authenticityand consistency of her leadership. She is not a distant program coordinator, she is a mentor, peer, and role model who has lived the journey of the young women she supports. Her work is grounded in cultural understanding, humility, and a deep belief in the power of sport to build agency, confidence, and hope.

Over the years, Shegofa has continued to grow within the Creating Chances organisation. Now a Head Facilitator and Events Coordinator, she plays a central role in program delivery, staff mentoring, and large-scale event coordination. One of her most significant achievements has been her leadership of the Arezo Project, a values-based football initiative co-designed with Afghan-Australian women and funded by Migration Council Australia. 'Arezo', meaning "hope" in Dari, was created to build resilience, confidence, and a sense of belonging among Afghan girls and women.

As Project Manager, Shegofa coordinated the delivery of the program across two key components: football and social-emotional learning in schools and communities, and a national leadership training that supported emerging Afghan female leaders through mentoring, designthinking, and growth mindset training. The project was delivered alongside qualified, Darispeaking female coaches and role models, with Shegofa’s leadership ensuring its cultural relevance, safety, and success.

In 2023, Shegofa played a key leadership role in events management for Festival23, an international Sport for Good Festival organised by Creating Chances during the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Sydney. The event brought together 70 young women from 35 countries, creating a powerful space for connection, learning, and leadership through sport. Having once been a participant in a similar global festiva (in Brazil), Shegofa came full circle, now helping design, coordinate, and deliver the experience for others.

Shegofa continues to use her voice, experience, and leadership to shape programs that empower young people, especially women from refugee and migrant backgrounds. Her work breaks down barriers and creates meaningful pathways for others to thrive.

Her journey is a testament to the power of sport to shift mindsets, open doors, and transform lives, not only her own, but those of countless others across communities and generations." https://creatingchances.org.au/

Andrii Boliak

UkraineActive, Ukraine

Andrii Boliak is the President of UkraineActive (Ukraine) and the leader of the national program for the integration of refugees, including internally displaced persons, through sport. Amidst a brutal war, he has adapted the IRTS experience to Ukraine, marking an important step in supporting displaced people during difficult times.

Together with his team and supporters, Andrii implements innovative ideas and effective projects in communities across the country. His work has helped thousands of children and adults fleeing the war feel happy and welcome in their new communities.

Andrii Boliak is a leader who transforms communities through sport by personal example. His systematic approach and innovative solutions have earned him authority and trust within Ukrainian society, enabling him to implement bold ideas at both local and national levels.

In Ukraine in 2022, according to UN data, the number of internally displaced persons (refugees) reached approximately 7–8 million people. In response to this challenge Andrii initiated integration-focused online physical education lessons that united thousands of children from different parts of the country (a total of 986 lessons were conducted). He directed the efforts of

partner organizations and foundations to support physical activity and mental health, thanks to which educational institutions serving refugees were provided with sports equipment.

He organized numerous webinars, online lectures, workshops, and community-based physical activity festivals. In 2023, he initiated a nationwide flashmob, which by 2025 united 48,000 participants from over 1,000 schools more than 6,000 of them were refugees. This event was recorded in the Ukrainian Book of Records. During MOVE Week in Ukraine, 550 schools took part, engaging 50,931 children and 3,787 teachers, including 5,645 refugees (internally displaced persons).

Andrii is the author of an educational program that has trained 450 specialists. He introduced recommendations for working with refugees into scientific and methodological seminars, webinars, conferences, and "Active Forums." In total, he has organized 52 educational and scientific events featuring the theme of refugee integration through sport.

April 14–16 a comprehensive event was held with representatives of 27 communities from Lviv, Dnipropetrovsk, Poltava, Kirovohrad, Zakarpattia, Odesa, Kyiv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Ternopil, Rivne, Khmelnytskyi, Cherkasy, Volyn, and other regions;

May 14–17 in Uzhhorod, Mukachevo, and Tyachiv with representatives of 39 communities of Zakarpattia region;

In 27 communities hosting refugees, Andriy has developed and implemented various sports and educational initiatives. He improved the festival format of sports events, significantly enhancing their integrative potential. For example, 350 students and 25 teachers, along with refugees from their communities, participated in Active School Games without identifying winners or appointing referees, promoting communication and interaction. He held Health Fests in Strilkivska, Lubenska, and Zdolbunivska territorial communities.

Andriy initiated and coordinates national and international programs such as Global IRTS, ABC Mental Health, and Active School Games, with more than 70 public events taking place so far.

His work is unique in its scale of impact, sustainable partnerships, and community involvement in shaping solutions. Amid war, he demonstrates unwavering dedication and a vision that inspires hundreds of coaches, educators, and young people.

Thanks to his efforts, the integration of refugees through sport has become a significant focus at the national level. Andrii is an example of an innovative leader who inspires hundreds of coaches, educators, and youth. He ensures the institutional sustainability of projects by integrating them into community plans, educational institutions, and ministry policies. His vision is supported both nationally and internationally by ISCA, TAFISA, Erasmus+, UNICEF, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, and the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine. https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrii-boliak-15308843/

Nigara Shaheen

Canada

Nigara Shaheen’s journey from Afghanistan to the Olympic stage is a powerful example of courage, resilience, and the transformative impact of education and sport. A two-time Olympian, Nigara came to Canada in 2022 through the Refugee Athlete Stream (RAS) of WUSC’s Student Refugee Program (SRP) to pursue her postgraduate studies in International Development at Centennial College while continuing her training in judo.

In the summer of 2024, Nigara proudly represented the Refugee Olympic Team for the second time at the Paris Games, showcasing her exceptional talent and determination on the world stage. Her commitment to sport, education, and refugee advocacy has inspired communities across Canada and beyond.

Outside of competition, Nigara continues to give back mentoring young Afghan girls online through English and judo sessions, helping them build confidence and stay connected to their mission in life. Her work reflects the spirit of WUSC’s vision: creating inclusive, lasting opportunities for displaced youth to thrive.

Nigara’s leadership, lived experience, and unwavering dedication make her an outstanding role model and a strong ambassador for refugee inclusion through sport. https://www.linkedin.com/in/nigara-shaheen/

Ibrahim Hourani

GAME, Lebanon

Ibrahim Hourani has led GAME Lebanon with vision, courage, and heart for over 17 years. A true champion of Inclusion through Sport, he has built a powerful, youth-led movement that unites Lebanese, Palestinian, and Syrian communities through street sports and civic engagement. From responding to crises like the Beirut bombing and the 2024 war, to realising a decade-long dream with the opening of the GAME House Beirut, Ibrahim leads with authenticity, resilience, and innovation. He is not only a trusted leader, but a mentor and source of strength for his team and community. His story is one of lasting impact turning challenges into opportunities, and vision into legacy.

For over 17 years, Ibrahim Hourani has been a dedicated force within GAME, rising to become an extraordinary leader in the field of Inclusion through Sport a foundation of the IRTS Awards. As Country Director of GAME Lebanon, Ibrahim has not only shaped one of GAME’s most impactful national programmes but also built a thriving community of youth Lebanese, Palestinian, and Syrian united through street sports, volunteerism, and a shared belief in inclusive spaces.

Ibrahim’s achievements are deeply rooted in the values of equity, youth empowerment, and resilience. Since taking leadership of GAME Lebanon, he has led the growth of a movement that now reaches hundreds of young volunteers and thousands of children across the country. Under his guidance, the local Playmaker volunteer programme has flourished, ensuring that even the most marginalised communities whether in refugee camps or under-resourced neighbourhoods have access to sports-based learning and a safe place to belong. His leadership goes far beyond day-to-day operations. Ibrahim has demonstrated strength and clarity during times of national crisis. In 2020, when the Beirut blast devastated large parts of the city, he and his team mobilised quickly to offer support—not only cleaning and rebuilding public spaces but also providing psychosocial relief through street sports for affected children. During the 2024 war, Ibrahim remained in Beirut, navigating complex security challenges while ensuring his team’s safety and the continued support of youth communities. His calm composed leadership during wartime inspired both colleagues and volunteers.

Perhaps his most tangible achievement is the creation and opening of the GAME House Beirut in May 2025 a youth-led hub for inclusion and sport located in the heart of the city. This House is more than a building; it is the result of a ten-year journey that began in 2013 when GAME’s youth first shared their dream of a safe space for street sports. Since then, Ibrahim has steered the process through political instability, economic collapse, and two national crises. He advocated tirelessly with local authorities, built cross-sector partnerships, secured funding, and led campaigns such as “Where’s Our Space?” to claim youth’s right to public sports facilities. His belief that “when there is a will, there is a house” became a unifying motto one that inspired youth to believe in their power to create change.

As Simon Prahm, CEO of GAME, reflects: “Ibrahim has shown immense persistence and creativity to address the local needs for more public space for sports a fight for facilities where local youth can meet across divides and play sports no matter whether they are citizens or refugees. From the first workshop at The Mayflower Hotel in Beirut back in 2013, where the volunteers first voiced their dream, to the new house opened last month, Ibrahim has been there all along steering the process and navigating the countless challenges we’ve faced. To build support, he and his team have run city-wide campaigns, cleaned up after the 2020 blast in Beirut, provided humanitarian support to the displaced during last year’s war, and even hosted a national election. And all along, Ibrahim kept reminding everyone that ‘when there is a will, there is a house.’ Ultimately, he was right.”

What makes Ibrahim’s work truly unique is his authenticity and ability to lead from within the community. He is not just a director behind a desk he is a hands-on leader who leads by example, a mentor, motivator, and role model who knows volunteers by name and shows up to coach, support, and celebrate their growth. His leadership style is deeply participatory and grounded in trust and mutual respect. He also brings a forward-thinking, solutions-oriented mindset, staying current with technology and efficiency tools traits that strengthen his leadership in a youth-driven, innovation-focused environment like GAME. Above all, Ibrahim is a consistent source of support. Whether navigating tight deadlines, personal challenges, or

national crises, his team knows they can count on him.

In the field of IRTS, Ibrahim has pioneered approaches that respond directly to local needs. These include integrating life skills into sports drills, using public space activation as a method for peacebuilding, and organising inter-community sports events that bridge sectarian and social divides. His vision for the GAME House was to create a space not only for play but also for youth-led programming, job readiness, and civic engagement a place where sport becomes a tool for systemic inclusion.

In recognition of his long-standing commitment, unshakable integrity, and remarkable contributions to youth and community development, Ibrahim Hourani exemplifies what it means to be an IRTS Role Model. His story is not just about leadership it’s about legacy: building not only a house, but a home for inclusion, resilience, and hope in one of the world’s most complex contexts.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ibrahim-hourani-b21a3537/

Timothy Kajja

Young African Leaders in Sports Forum, Uganda

Timothy Kajja is a sports lawyer, a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK), a badged safeguarding officer and a licensed FIFA agent.

Timothy is currently serving as a lecturer at Kyambogo University, Uganda Christian University and Kampala International University where he inter-alai lectures Sports Law. He is also the chairperson of the Young African Leaders in Sport (YALS) Forum, and a founder at Discovery Sports.

He has worked with a number of local and international sports bodies such as, the FA English Premier League, the African Union Sports Council, the Uganda Premier League, the Pool Association of Uganda, El Cambio Academy, Kampala Capital City Authority Football Club, etc.

Timothy is also the author of the first book on sports law in East Africa.

While at Uganda Christian University, he served as the founding president of the Uganda Christian University Law Society – Kampala Chapter (UCULS-KC). UCU KC is located in Mengo, Kampala, neighbouring a slum and refugee hosting community. Under his stewardship, the UCULS-KC built a still-progressing relationship with neighbouring communities. More specifically, he coined the UCU for Peace Program where a semester offers free counselling, legal advice and material support to conflict-forced migrants.

He also served as Prime Minister at the Law Development Centre, Uganda (LDC Mbarara Campus). As the second class to study at LDC Mbarara, pockets of violence took place between locals and students at the center. He led the delegation that engaged the communities and security forces to calm the situation. He volunteered at the Federation of Uganda Football Association and offered part-time services at the Uganda Premier League and Kampala Capital City Authority Netball and Football Clubs. In this context he led peace through sports programs where games were organised in prisons that encouraged rehabilitation and nutured talent. for mostly-young inmates – many of whom still actively participate in sports and have turned into ambassadors of peace through sports.

He currently serves as the chairperson of the Young African Leaders in Sports Forum (YALS), an entity that brings together young people who use sport as a tool of change in their communities. YALS has since established a working relationship with the African Union Sports Council, SportandDev, and other stakeholders. It organizes webinars and workshops to improve youth skills in the sports sector. As a FIFA agent and sports lawyer, he also offers probono legal advisory and representation to young athletes, especially from migrant communities who wish to practice their professional sports skills across the globe. He represented the first Ugandan player to win a case at FIFA against a European Club. https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothy-kajja-0b2175157/

Mohamed Sanusi Jalloh

Indigenous minority Fulani-Mbororo community (IMF-S), Sierra Leone

Mohamed Sanusi Jalloh (Activist-Jalloh) is an award-winning young leader with notable contributions toward the inclusion of disabled persons and indigenous minority peoples in public policy at regional and global levels. He is currently a fellow at the global disability leadership academy in Nairobi, Kenya, here he advocates for disability justice and human rights for African indigenous people.

As the alumnus of the UNAOC Global Sports Program on Security of Major Sporting Events and Preventing Violent Extremism, he used this opportunity to articulate how sports can serve as a dynamic platform for forging intercultural dialogue and mutual understanding. During this engagement, he devoted time to shedding light on how sports can be harnessed as a powerful tool for effective intervention. Additionally, he urged the international community to focus on the pressing issue of labor migration within Africa, which has exacerbated economic and social hardships, subsequently fuelling xenophobia in North Africa a formidable obstacle to the continent's integration and peace efforts.

The driving force behind his actions stems from a profound passion for employing innovative approaches, such as dialogues and conflict mediation, to advance the vision of a peaceful and inclusive community where diverse cultures and backgrounds co-exist harmoniously through sports.

https://www.facebook.com/100069850554704/posts/pfbid02tajx7NXbpRYogfDhJaWXB UpkNpDUaak3ynQF7bkkvqcQEQcXVDAYrRGzQX6Hy6hZl/?app=fbl

Kupakwashe Desmond Mukurumbira

DOMINION SPORT, Zimbabwe

Kupakwashe is a dedicated and impactful Safeguarding in Sport consultant, speaker, and trainer, whose extensive global safeguarding working is building sustainable safeguarding frameworks, developing practical strategies, and building a safe sport culture within sports organizations worldwide. His collaborative work with national, regional, continental, and international sport organizations has directly contributed to the shaping of policies and initiatives that prioritize the safety and well-being of athletes and participants across diverse sports.

He is actively involved with the FIFA Foundation's Safe Football Unit as an Advisory Board Member where he has actively influenced safeguarding policies and initiatives at the national, regional, and international levels, directly contributing to the prioritization of athlete safety and well-being. Furthermore, his contribution as an Independent Panel Member for the FIFA Guardians Diploma Program has helped create a globally relevant safeguarding curriculum,

empowering safeguarding professionals worldwide.

His role as an Advisory Board Member for the UNICEF UK Initiative on Safeguarding Children in Sport underscores his commitment to aligning sports practices with the highest standards of child protection. As a Safe Sport Consultant for the Council of Europe, he contributes to the development of safeguarding systems, strategies, and policies within the European sport ecosystem, ensuring a safe and respectful environment for all participants. He has also provided invaluable insights and direction as an Advisory Board Member for Safe Sport International and Safe Sport Allies, shaping the future of safe sport practices worldwide.

His work as a Safe Sport Consultant for the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee and the Sports and Recreation Commission involves training initiatives and the development of national frameworks for safeguarding in sport, empowering sport federations to create safer environments for their athletes. His diverse experience and global reach position him as an exceptional mentor, inspiring action and leaving a lasting impact on the lives of athletes and participants worldwide.

https://www.safesportinternational.com/about-us/team/advisory-council/ https://www.coe.int/en/web/sport/trainers-consultants

Project is funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.