What we do
Girls and women in Kilifi District, Kenya are some of the world’s poorest and most disadvantaged people.  Low retention in school, early and unwanted pregnancies and vulnerability to HIV/AIDS trap them in a cycle of poverty. Moving the Goalposts Kilifi (MTGK) uses local and youth centred approaches to tackle these issues ensuring girls’ participation as leaders and decision makers. 

The project uses football to develop essential life skills – confidence, leadership, self esteem – of vulnerable young women. Football also provides a unique entry point for reproductive health, human rights and economic empowerment initiatives.

How we started
MTGK started with a sport and development project in Kilifi in 2001.  Many people could see that there were huge gender differences being experienced by men and women and boys and girls in Kilifi in terms of opportunities in school, health, leadership roles and employment.  We thought that if we took a new approach – using football to tackle gender disparities – we might be able to get to the heart of some of the problems faced by girls and women in Kilifi.

So with a small amount of seed funding from the British Council the project was set up with advice and support from Moving the Goalposts UK (a registered charity in the UK).

More girls started to play football in and out of school, participating in tournaments organized by MTGK.  Now, five years on there are close to 3,000 players whereas in 2001 when the project started there were just 120.  MTGK has branched out with a reproductive health rights, HIV and AIDS programme, has established participatory monitoring and evaluation in all projects and is set to launch an economic empowerment project.

Contact us
The Project Coordinator,
Moving the Goalposts Kilifi,
PO Box 605 Klifi 80108,
Kenya
Tel + 254 722 823834
mtgkilifi@yahoo.com

MTGUK Chairperson,
239 College Road, Norwich, NR2 3JD, UK
Tel: + 254 1603 453192
mtg_uk@hotmail.co.uk