Football as
a gateway to
development.
Football is Life gives young people who are overlooked access to coaching, life skills and new opportunities through local coaches. In Soweto, Malawi, and beyond.
ANBI-certified foundation · Donations tax-deductible · RSIN 868370873
€ 15.000
phase 1 project goal
Our story
The power
of football.
For boys and girls, equal and together.
Malawi has an extremely young population – the average age is around 18 years. Many young people grow up without structure, guidance and perspective.
But on a small field in Soweto, Mzuzu, we saw something extraordinary: dozens of young people, boys and girls, on a field that shouldn't really be called a field. They laugh, they play, they enjoy.
That power is so great that we decided to do something lasting with it. That's how Football is Life was born – with the conviction that football offers a safe entry point to empowerment and education.
We don't communicate that we're 'helping poor children'. We're building with local partners towards future opportunities through football and empowerment.
Our approach
How the model works.
Football is the entry point – coaching and life skills are the content. Local partners are the carriers.
01
Football opens the door
The football field attracts young people and creates a safe, trusted meeting place. This is where it all begins.
02
Coaches build trust
Local young people are selected and trained as coaches. They are role models from within the community itself.
03
Life skills provide direction
Alongside football, there's weekly space for health, collaboration and personal development.
04
Local ownership
Football is Life stays for 2 years. After that, the local team stands on its own, sustainably embedded.
Current project
Community project
in Soweto.
In Soweto, the poorest neighbourhood of Mzuzu, Malawi, we build a football field with local partners, train coaches and bring life skills to young people who need it most.
In collaboration with UNGWERU and St. Patrick – two locally rooted partners who carry the implementation.
€ 15.000
Project goal
2 jaar
Support
60–80
Youth
Local partners
Rooted in the community.
UNGWERU and St. Patrick are not a footnote – they are the carriers of the model.
UNGWERU
Local anchoring & coordination
Deep-rooted knowledge of the Soweto community. UNGWERU ensures local anchoring and carries the daily coordination of the project.
St. Patrick
Community & schools
Makes the connection with residents, coaches and schools in and around Soweto. Essential for support and local trust.
Foto: Candymgiles / CC BY-SA 4.0 — Mzuzu, Malawi
Impact
How we measure impact.
We measure what we promise. The indicators below are the targets for phase 1 of the Soweto project.
60–80
Youth reached
phase 1 target
4–6
Coaches trained
local role models
3×
Trainings per week
per group
Weekly
Life skills sessions
alongside training
2 years
Support
on site
Roadmap
From blueprint to movement.
We start small, thorough and locally rooted. Each project yields knowledge and coaches that form the basis for the next step.
Soweto, Mzuzu
First community project: train coaches, start life skills program, improve field. This becomes the blueprint.
Mzuzu wide
Expansion to other neighbourhoods in Mzuzu with the proven model and trained coaches from phase 1.
Rumphi & Nkhata Bay
Growth to other regions in northern Malawi. The model is proven, the coaches are ready.
National & regional
Football is Life as a model that local teams independently implement in Malawi and beyond.
Follow us
Direct from the field.
Follow our journey on Instagram and LinkedIn for updates, stories and images from Soweto.
Football is Life
Discover more
Everything about Football is Life.
From the training and our partners to financial transparency – everything is open.
Get involved
Build with us in
Soweto.
Every contribution strengthens the local team, the coaches and the young people who participate. Become a partner or make a one-off donation.
Go to donation tools →
€ 10
1 young person, 1 year better guidance
€ 50
Contribution to coach development
€ 100
Training and life skills
Choose your own amount →
For partners and sponsors
ANBI-certified · Donations tax-deductible