Abuja:The Soho24 Foundation is set to host a novelty football match against the National Council for Women Societies (NCWS) with the aim of raising awareness for the empowerment of girls through sports, education, and skills acquisition.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the match will take place on October 8 at the Soho24 Foundation Sports Park in Abuja as part of events marking the 2026 International Day of the Girl Child. The initiative is expected to benefit over 400 girls through sports, education, mentorship, and a two-week skills acquisition program.
Christy Opara, founder of the foundation and Nigerian Olympic medallist, stated in a briefing that the chosen date encourages participation ahead of the official observance on October 11. She emphasized the role of sports in developing discipline, confidence, leadership, teamwork, and resilience among young people.
Opara highlighted that the initiative aligns with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 4, 5, and 10, focusing on quality education, gender equality, and reduced inequalities. She noted that the foundation‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬€š¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬¦¡¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬¦¡¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬€š¬¦¡¬¦¡¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬€š¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬¦¡¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬¦¡¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬€š¬¦¡¬¦¡¬¦¾¢s team would be coached by Grace Opara, its skills acquisition director, and the program theme is ‘Empowerment of the Girl-Child Through Sports Development, Education and Performance.’
The foundation has been expanding its outreach through sports clinics and youth empowerment initiatives in Abuja. More than 400 girls, particularly from Senior Secondary School One (SS1) in various schools and communities in the Federal Capital Territory, are expected to participate.
The two-week skills acquisition program preceding the main event will introduce participating girls to various vocational skills. Louis Udeh, Media Head of the foundation, mentioned that training would include painting, catering, tailoring, and hair braiding, with an exhibition to display their work.
Opara indicated that the foundation also supports boys, housing, feeding, and training over 40 boys daily in football and sports performance. She highlighted funding as a significant challenge for supporting athletes in travel, healthcare, and accommodation for international opportunities.
She appealed to individuals, corporate organizations, and government institutions for support and expressed concern over school dropouts, rising education costs, poverty, discrimination, and early child marriage. Opara urged collective action to protect, educate, and empower girls, emphasizing the importance of investing in girls’ education, talent, and confidence.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and NCWS were announced as new institutional partners, with gratitude extended to the Defence Headquarters and Nigeria Immigration Service for their support in the previous year‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬€š¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬¦¡¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬¦¡¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬€š¬¦¡¬¦¡¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬€š¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬¦¡¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬¦¡¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬€š¬¦¡¬¦¡¬¦¾¢s program.