Thank you for visiting my fundraising page! This August I will be joining the Soccer Without Borders (SWB) team in Granada, Nicaragua for 10 months as a Team Leader. The SWB Granada program focuses specifically on providing girls (from ages 7-20) a safe space to learn, study, play soccer, spend time with teammates, and grow as an individual.
Why Nicaragua?
In Nicaragua, a Pan-American Health Organization study found that 90% of Nicaraguan girls reported barriers to participation in sports, and only 13% engaged in physical activity in their neighborhoods. There are several obstacles to girls’ involvement in sports, such as lack of safe spaces, parental permission, and material resources. It is especially difficult once outside of Managua, the capital of Nicaragua. These obstacles arise from high levels of income inequality and poverty. About 48% of Nicaraguans live below the poverty line, and there is a 51% dropout rate for primary school (Source: UNDP Human Development Reports). In addition, Nicaragua has the highest rate of teen pregnancy in Latin America (Source: World Bank). Through its year round program, clinics, service projects and special events, SWB reaches hundreds of girls to facilitate learning, soccer play and instruction, team-building, civic engagement and cultural exchange. Our goal is to promote personal development, healthy lifestyles, language development, and academic advancement.
All of my time is volunteer based, and I appreciate any donation (they are tax-deductible!) to help cover work-related expenses like plane tickets, food, and local medical insurance. As someone who has tremendously benefited from playing sports, I am excited to provide girls with the same experiences that I was lucky to have growing up. Thank you so much for all of your help! -Katie