GirlSportWorks
aims to improve the lives of its students by teaching life skills
to girls through athletic education. By teaching these skills,
we equip our students with the ability to challenge existing gender
norms and stereotypes prevalent in Peruvian culture. While boys
in Peru generally earn increased responsibility and freedom through
adolescence, girls are relegated to traditional domestic spheres.
GirlSportWorks challenges this discrepancy at the grassroots level
with a sports program created exclusively for girls. Through the
program’s fun and informal yet directed curriculum, students
experience increased self-confidence, learn to work effectively
in teams, and develop body awareness.
American girls encounter fewer gender barriers than their
Peruvian counterparts; one useful index of this relation is
female participation in sports. Phys Ed, soccer leagues and
afternoon Frisbee games permeate the lives of American girls,
instilling traits and values that American women often take
for granted. Conversely, Peruvian girls receive less than two
hours of physical education a week. Parents generally require
their daughters to return home directly from school to help
with family chores, thus affording them little opportunity for
further athletic activity and time to build positive relationships
with female friends outside of their families. Working as a
team and relying on companions for defense and offence, females
develop relationships not normally experienced in a classroom
setting. A selfless assist, a well placed wall pass, or a game-winning
corner kick might lay the framework for a trust and bond that
will benefit the young women for the rest of their lives.
The benefits of GSW’s program have the greatest impact
on the students themselves, improving classroom performances
and promoting skills that are important for life. However, GSW’s
influence extends beyond the students, affecting the beliefs
and mindsets of the families, friends and communities close
to them; GSW fosters this change by challenging deep-rooted
attitudes towards female capabilities and roles. When an elder
member of the community witnesses a girl score a goal in a soccer
game, his respect for her will rise; when a mother sees her
daughter brimming with pride over a win in a baseball game,
she will encourage her to strive for even greater accomplishments.
GirlSportWorks teaches an extra-curricular athletic class
in four schools in Cusco, Peru. Students aged 9–14 participate
in the classes two times per week, and the curriculum cycles
through seven sports, including football, track and field, volleyball,
and Frisbee. Classes are led by two GirlSportWorks Program Managers
and are conducted in a participatory and interactive manner.
If you are interested
in learning more about GirlSportWorks, please contact
us!
