Through our social capoeira programmes, sisters Sara, Rima and Nour learn that everyone plays as equals.
In many parts of the world, women and girls face discrimination and gender stereotyping every day. Inequality perpetuates legal and cultural norms, creating gender-based barriers to opportunities such as education, social inclusion, and females to rise as role models. According to the UN, around 50% of the world's refugees are women and girls. However, the needs of migrant or refugee women are often under-prioritised in times of displacement.
Sisters, Sara, 15, Rima, 14, and Nour, 13, left Syria in 2012. After staying in Zaatari Refugee Camp for some time, they moved to Zarqa in 2013 where they are enrolled in an Action Aid initiative to encourage education. This programme is designed to 'support the development of young leaders and youth-led movements in particularly conflict-affected areas'. Despite Action Aid's amazing work to increase participation, the girls described how they initially found it intimidating to partake in the activities. They sought comfort in each other’s company and often stuck together.
It was here that they were offered the opportunity to take part in Capoeira4Refugees’ play-based programmes that helped build their confidence and encouraged them to stay motivated in other aspects of learning. Rima says:
" I was shy at first, but capoeira makes you more confident. I want to speak many languages like Kas (our female trainer) so I work harder in school."
Capoeira4Refugees is one of many organisations working internationally to serve the needs of displaced women. Whether training girls recreationally, through enhancement of life skills or other social cohesion approaches, our programmes are helping to close the gender gap and enabling girls to overcome obstacles to achievement. Our women’s programmes are designed to increase access to learning, raise awareness of women’s rights, promote meaningful engagement in the community, develop female leaders, and address prevention of gender-based violence. It is our policy to implement inclusive learning strategies through music, sport and play to enhance girls’ opportunities.
Through ongoing support, these three girls have transformed into confident young women who have the potential to work for themselves to bridge the gender gap in their country.
“We see the boys playing Capoeira, but sometimes we know moves that they can’t even do. Sometimes we are better than them. It makes us realise that we can be the same or better than them in other things, too” says Sara.
We believe access to play-based learning creates a safe space for girls living through war and conflict. Capoeira is also a powerful tool that shapes young people to become leaders in their own communities.
