Gobabis Galz & Goals Football League to be launched Wednesday

REHOBOTH, 17 JUL – The Gobabis Galz & Goals Football League will be launched on Wednesday.
The programme was launched in 2010 by the Namibia Football Association’s Women’s Desk in partnership with United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) to promote life skills and football skills among girls.
The coordinator of the programme in the Omaheke Region, Jeraldo Eiseb told Nampa on Tuesday the Galz & Goals programme is designed to make football accessible for girls between the ages 10 and 20, while incorporating important life skills education to promote healthy life choices.
Eiseb said adolescent girls in Namibia face several inter-related social challenges such as HIV and Aids, teenage pregnancy, domestic violence, alcohol and drug abuse and school dropouts.
“We use football to teach young girls to make better choices and help them become better people in future,” he said.
Eiseb said girls are an important part of football development in Namibia.
“Their involvement, through the Galz & Goals programme, helps to influence social change and development,” he said.
Altogether 90 girls are registered for the league in the region this year. They are from Rakutuka Primary School; Gobabis Combined School; #Khoandaweb Primary School; Nossobville Primary School; Ben van der Walt Primary School and Epako High School.
All schools have Under 13 and U-15 teams.
The chairperson of the league is Hansina Nunuhes and Sharon Sediso is the treasurer, while Charles Neels will focus on life skills.
“We have written to NamPol’s Women and Child Protection Unit in Omaheke and the Ministry of Health and Social Services to support us in this programme,” Eiseb said.
Since 2010, when Unicef began the Galz & Goals partnership with NFA, more than 18 000 girls from nine regions have been assisted. The programme has been an important platform in preparing young girls to take leadership roles within their communities, to respond to the various socio-economic challenges they face, as well as to empower them to make healthy lifestyle choices.
(NAMPA)