Kenyan non-profit organisation Horn of Africa Development Initiative (HODI) just won Fifa’s Diversity Award for 2018.
HODI was awarded on Sunday in London for their initiative where they empower adolescent girls through football.”
While delivering the acceptance speech [Program Coordinator Noor Abdulkadir said, “This award is an important recognition and puts the wind behind our sails, It means the work we are doing is important and it gives a lot of confidence to young women in northern Kenya that we are on the right track and that FIFA and the whole football community is behind us,”
Further Fifa praised HODI for using “the power of football to combat social barriers while fostering safety.”
Fifa’s Diversity Award “recognises an outstanding organisation striving for diversity and anti-discrimination.”
The organisation works closely with schools and supports adolescent girls in breaking the silence on issues that affect them.
It also shares information on life skills and creating a safe space for them to learn and play football.
The organisation’s flagship programme Shoot to Score helps to prevent young children from being forced into ethnic rivalry and conflict, providing safe spaces for learning a culture of non-violence through football.
Burundi’s Fifa Council Member and member of the Diversity Award jury Lydia Nsekera was part of the panel that handed over the award.