She dribbles, She schools…
Binti is a Kiswahili word that simply means ‘daughter of’. The Binti Foundation’s mission is to lay a formidable foundation for daughters of Kenya who enjoy soccer as a sport and play it as a way to tackle social challenges in their lives.
The Binti Foundation is an inspiration of both leadership and the status of the girl child. As an Archbishop Desmond Tutu Leadership program fellow (2007), I was inspired to work on a community project that touches on my life in Kenya. I am inspired by the many Kenyan girls and young women that I meet and interact with on the basis of my work with the Young Women’s Leadership Institute (YWLI). BiF is greatly inspired by the work that I am already doing with the YWLI through a girls’ football team that we have- Binti soccer club.
BiF will benefit girls playing soccer who are less fortunate in meeting their secondary school education. The girls will be identified through girls’ community soccer teams in Kenya and will be supported to pursue their secondary school education after completion of the primary level. Most of the girls’ soccer teams in Kenya are founded to create space for girls to deal with issues affecting them but do not have a link to the education of girls. The girls playing soccer are most often from poor families whose incomes do not support the education of their children. Even those that perform well at the national primary school examination do not pursue their dreams for a secondary education for lack of school fees. At times, it is not just the school fees but also the essential items they require for upkeep in school. BiF is about setting a strong foundation of inspired, motivated and thriving girls ready to face the world through the pursuance of their dreams. Read some of these stories from my blog.
BiF is not just about soccer and education but also about introducing leadership at an early age for girls through story telling. Through story telling, the girls will be encouraged to share stories of their lives and of those around them. Story telling will be used as a tool to build their self esteem and assertiveness. It is through their story telling that it is hoped they can reach other girls playing soccer and encourage them to pursue their education even as they maintain their love for the game. This is an opportunity for me as the founder and others interested to mentor these girls. The girls will be encouraged to tell their stories through journaling. They will also be video recorded at the beginning of their participation with BiF, their self esteem be monitored over time through their story telling skills and then be recorded after a specified time to indicate their improvement in assertiveness. This will have an impact on both their school and soccer performance.
My dream is to re-brand the Kenyan girl and create an inspiring picture of hope, success and resilience. The African girl is always portrayed as one that is trapped in cultural bondage that does not allow her to rise to what she aspires for. The Binti Foundation is about the rise of that girl and her different talents, soccer being just one of them. BiF is about unlocking the potential and inner power of girls through education and soccer. My mission is to give service to support the realization of the dream for a society that accords both girls and boys equal opportunities to make choices in life.