In our commitment to create an inclusive playing space for all, we sent our coaches on a 5-day blind and visually impaired football training programme in March. Wolf Schmidt from Blindenfussball – FC St. Pauli, Germany facilitated the training and all our ISF coaches as well as nine players also benefited from the programme. The objective of the training was to strengthen the capacity of our coaches to have more skills and techniques in coaching players who are blind or visually impaired. 

In rural Cambodia, there are very few opportunities for children to engage in competitive football and access to grounds is limited. Access for disabled children is almost non-existent. At ISF, we offer players with physical and intellectual disabilities rare opportunities to play football and be physically active.

We believe that sport has the power to combat a myriad of social challenges facing children and young people in Cambodia, such as discrimination, lack of education, unemployment and preventable diseases.

The UN suggests that inequality, in its many guises, threatens long-term social and economic development, harms pov­erty reduction and destroys people’s sense of fulfillment and self-worth. Creating opportunities for Cambodian youth to access physical health, education, team communication and participation and to foster improved confidence and well-being among disabled players is at the heart of what we do at ISF. We believe promoting healthy lives and well-being for all at all ages is important to building prosperous societies.