October 11^th 2020 marked the 9^th edition of the International Day of the Girl Child. The theme for 2020 - My Voice, Our Equal Future - presents a poignant reminder that it is high time our societies prioritized the welfare and needs of girls. According to the United Nations, nearly 1 in every 4 girls globally between 15 – 19 years is either unemployed or in school, and 1 in every 3 women globally has experienced physical or sexual violence, which has intensified with the emergence of COVID-19. Therefore, tackling issues such as child marriage, inequality in access to education, addressing gender-based violence and addressing their reproductive health and rights needs should be top priorities among each and every society.

Moving The Goalposts (MTG) has prioritized the observance, protection and realization of the rights of girls and young women since its inception in 2002. Throughout its existence, the organization has harnessed the power of football to create 51 safe spaces in Kilifi, Kwale, Mombasa and Tana River Counties, where over 60,000 girls and young women to date have received the opportunity to play football and learn skills that boost their self-esteem and contribute to their communities. MTG also ensures that girls participating within their programs either attend school and go on to attain employment, or take up entrepreneurial activities to sustain themselves and their families. This commitment has enabled girls and young women unlock opportunities previously unavailable to them, as demonstrated within MTG itself where at least 50% of its staff were once participants of its programs and are now leaders within the organization and in their communities.

Meet Lydia Kasiwa

Lydia Kasiwa is a true testament of the work that MTG does in transforming the lives of girls in the community and empowering them at the same time.

Kasiwa, who is currently the Leadership Development Coordinator at the organization supervising a team of more than a dozen staff members, joined MTG at a time when her life was at crossroads.

She had just finished her secondary education and according to her, the future could not look any brighter. Her parents had passed on earlier leaving her in the care of her elder siblings who could not afford to pay fees for her higher education.

Kasiwa states that her only hope at the time was to follow the same route that her sister took, which was to get married. Fortunately, she came across a sport for development organization (MTG), and since she was actively involved in sports during her school days, she decided to give it a try.  Once she joined, her life took a different turn, and she was introduced to a whole new world of opportunities.

Kasiwa is now focused on building the confidence of young MTG girls and nurturing them into leaders and hoping that they too will benefit from the program as she did. ‘’MTG has not only transformed my life but that of many other girls in the community,” she states.