Currently, our award-winning, inclusive football programme is the widest-reaching grassroots football programme in Cambodia, reaching almost 4,000 children and integrating almost 350 players with a wide range of disabilities. We are committed to increasing access to sports for children and youth with disabilities by delivering football coaching sessions, holding games and activities tailored to their needs.

On Sunday, 24 September 2018 we ran a series of activities for wheelchair users, players living with HIV and able-bodied players at the ISF Sports Ground. The day saw 62 players participate in total with 23% of players being wheelchair users and 45% of players being affected by HIV. Out of the participants, 37% were female and the rest male.

The activities involved lessons we’ve developed with Coaches Across Continents (CAC) who we’ve been working with for over six years to develop the social impact side to our football programme.  CAC is a global leader in sport for social impact, focusing on United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to address issues such as: female empowerment, including gender equity; conflict prevention, including social inclusion; health and wellness, including HIV behavior change; Child Rights; and other life skills.

The day also included handball for players using wheelchairs and Football3 for other players. Football3, developed by streetfootballworld, uses the game of football to focus on fair play, equality and teamwork. The game – focused on fair play, equality and teamwork  – is a game of ‘three halves’ comprising:

1. ‘First half’: Prior to each match, the teams come together to discuss and agree on the technical and fair play rules they would like to play with, which will be added to a number of pre-determined fixed rules. Special rules are selected to tackle relevant social issues, such as increasing female involvement in sports. The discussion is
   facilitated by a trained mediator, e.g. a young leader, coach or teacher. The mediator uses a match form to record the rules players have agreed on.
2.  ‘Second half’: football3 matches usually feature smaller teams (e.g. between five and seven players on each team) and are shorter (e.g. between 10 and 20 minutes). Teams are mixed-gender and matches are played without referees. Players take responsibility for their match and comply with the rules they agreed upon. During the match, they agree among themselves on fouls, free kicks and goals scored. The mediator/coach monitors the match and intervenes only if the two teams cannot come to an agreement on their own.
3. ‘Third half’: Following the match, the teams are brought together by the mediator to reflect on the match and how well they respected the rules. The teams have the opportunity to award their opponents fair play points based on their conduct. The mediator adds the fair play points to the match points resulting from goals scored to determine the final outcome.

People with disabilities are often excluded from Cambodian society and rarely have access to education and sport. Participating in football activities such as ISF’s Community Football League, offers marginalised, young players opportunities to fit in, to feel part of a team and to feel supported.

We’d like to thank our supporters for making events like these possible. In order to provide opportunities to a wide range of disadvantaged and marginalised children and youth around the country, we also work in partnership with more than 50 other local non-profits, schools and organisations.