Foot for Change
The Foot for Change Programme
Foot for Change is a project to promote athletic and academic excellence for young girls in Guinea. Officially launched in January 2019 by the SMB-Winning Foundation, the objective of the Foot for Change program is to offer young Guinean girls who are passionate about sports and aspire to succeed in their academic careers a double quality education, thus facilitating their socio-professional integration.
Fighting against the prejudices on the female sport is the best way to promote the equality between men and women in the Guinean economic and social life. As a guarantee of openness and inclusion, sport can help break down barriers and free Guinean women from the obstacles that hinder them. Through the values it inculcates, sport is a vehicle for performance and personal and professional development. By training the great sportswomen of today, we are preparing the leaders of tomorrow.
About Foot for Change
- In 2024-2025: +300 selected girls benefited from the sport coaching program
- They are between 6 and 20 years old
- 10 players from the program have been selected by the Guinean Football Federation to participate in international matches
- The SMB-Winning Foundation will cover the school fees of the beneficiary players, which will amount to more than 180 000 dollars in 2024-2025
Message from the Godmother
“It is with immense pride and deep emotion that I take on the role of godmother of the Foot for Change program this year, a flagship initiative of the SMB-Winning Foundation, which has been working for several years to empower and nurture young girls in Guinea through sport, education, and training.
As a woman, and as a professional who has been fortunate to grow up in a supportive and encouraging environment, I fully understand the importance of giving every young girl the same opportunities to learn, thrive, and dream big.
This program is particularly close to my heart because it allows me to meet, listen to, and support girls aged 6 to 20, to share in their aspirations and doubts, but above all, to witness their incredible energy and eagerness to learn. Through our interactions, I hope to inspire them to believe in their potential, to build structure in their lives, to pursue education and training, to express themselves, and to grow into confident, responsible, and independent women.
I hope that this new year will be filled with learning, discovery, and achievements, and that together we can continue to create a strong foundation for the development of these future leaders.
Being a godmother of Foot for Change is, above all, about believing in the transformative power of education, sport, and female solidarity. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to contribute, in my own way, to this beautiful movement of hope.”
– Ramatoulaye Diallo
Le mot de la marraine
« C’est avec une immense fierté et une profonde émotion que j’endosse cette année le rôle de marraine du programme Foot for Change, un programme phare de la Fondation SMB-Winning qui œuvre depuis plusieurs années pour l’émancipation et l’épanouissement des jeunes filles guinéennes à travers le sport, l’éducation et la formation.
En tant que femme, et en tant que professionnelle ayant eu la chance de grandir dans un environnement encadré et porteur, je mesure pleinement l’importance de donner à chaque jeune fille les mêmes chances de s’instruire, de s’épanouir et de rêver grand.
Ce programme me tient particulièrement à cœur, car il me permet de rencontrer, écouter et accompagner des jeunes filles âgées de 6 à 20 ans, de partager leurs aspirations, leurs doutes, mais surtout leur formidable énergie et leur envie d’apprendre. À travers nos échanges, je souhaite les encourager à croire en leur potentiel, à se structurer, à se former, à s’exprimer et à devenir des femmes confiantes, responsables et libres.
J’espère que cette nouvelle année sera riche en apprentissages, en découvertes et en réussites, et qu’ensemble, nous pourrons continuer à bâtir un cadre de développement solide pour ces futures leaders.
Être marraine de Foot for Change, c’est avant tout croire au pouvoir de l’éducation, du sport et de la solidarité féminine pour transformer des destins. Et je suis profondément reconnaissante d’avoir l’opportunité de contribuer, à mon échelle, à ce bel élan d’espoir. »
– Ramatoulaye Diallo
