Football serves as the largest social phenomenon on the planet with over 3+ billion fans across the world. Devoid of distinctions of cast, religion, race or culture, football is played by everyone. It is a sport which creates an aura of it’s own which no one can resist. This game binds people together even if they have nothing in common. Football serves as a common language which everyone can speak and use to convey their feelings.
Many people have come together in groups to form their individual football communities. This gives them the chance to unite with a common goal, that is football. At the same time, it also serves as a powerful tool for addressing social change for many.
There is no link between these communities and the renowned football organizations within the world of professional football. But we can establish a link between these football communities, organizations, managers and their billions of fans, to come together as one and help in making a global impact. This can be a powerful force in challenging the evils of society like youth unemployment, gender inequality and dismantling myths related to diseases like HIV/AIDS.
What is the Common Goal organization?
Common Goal is the creation of streetfootballworld. It unites the global football community with the aim of driving social progress. Streetfootballworld supports Common Goal’s members by aligning their donations with selected community-based organizations around the world that generate the greatest impact using football as a tool to accelerate social change.
The charity owes itself to Juan Mata, a Spanish footballer, who proposed to his teammates the idea of donating 1% of their wages to a fund that supports charities. That’s how Common Goal was created. Together, the members allocate this fund to high-impact organizations that harness the power of football to advance the United Nations Global Goals.
How does Common Goal work?
Firstly, anyone can become a member of the Common Goal organization. The members can be supporters and fans of football, professional football players and businessmen.
All those willing to be a part of the organization pledge to donate 1% of their annual salary to the Common Goal central fund. This is then donated to high impact NGOs. All the NGOs that work under Common Goal are part of streetworldfootball.
Common goal has a growing network of 138 high-impact partner organizations that use football to advance the Global UN goals. These organizations work in 200+ communities in 90 countries and serve over 2 million poor children and young people.
These high impact NGOs have so far effectively worked on 6 Sustainable Development Goals out of 17. These are:
- Goal 3 Good Health and Well-being
- Goal 4 Quality Education
- Goal 5 Gender Equality
- Goal 8 Decent Work & Economic Growth
- Goal 10 Reduced Inequalities
- Goal 16 Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions
Impact
1. HIV/AIDS Awareness in Nigeria
Implementing Football NGO : Yedi
In Nigeria, several girls between the age of 13 to 19 face many obstacles in obtaining proper sexual health education. This makes them prone to STDs and early pregnancies. There are many training programs which aim at increasing awareness about sexual health education but these have traditionally been inaccessible to a large number of girls.
That is why Yedi was started. It’s SKILLZ GIRLS PROGRAM is a sexual and reproductive health education initiative, which creates safe spaces for adolescent girls to have a conversation about HIV/AIDS and learn life management skills.
By combining HIV/AIDS education with football training, skillz girls allows its participants to learn and converse in an active, enjoyable environment.
The result of the program is that more and more girls are getting involved, leading to an increase in awareness among adolescent girls in sub Saharan Africa.
2. Tackling Youth Unemployment in UK
Implementing Football NGO : Street League
About 15% of the population between the age of 16 to 24 is currently unemployed and is not enrolled in any educational or training programs (called NEETs). Thus, resulting in a serious issue of youth unemployment in the UK.
This has made young people vulnerable to many negative effects like mental health issues, drug addiction, crime and social exclusion.
Street league is working to end youth unemployment. They have started 8-12 weeks sport and skill work programs, where participants are engaged daily in football and fitness activities. This improves mental health in youngsters and helps them develop different qualifications and personal skills . They are also offered work placement opportunities before moving into colleges or other training programs.
Connected through football, this is how over 200+ Communities are working to end the evils of our society and implementing the Sustainable Development Goals laid down by the United Nations.
