Goals for Girls Travels to Tajikistan

In July, Ian Oliver and Jackie Skinner traveled to Tajikistan on behalf of Goals for Girls to participate in the International Sports Programming Initiative of Tajikistan (ISPIT), a program funded by the US State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and implemented by American Councils of International Education.
They traveled alongside Brian Cognato of Peaceplayer's International and Dr. Iradge Ahrabi-Fard of Northern Iowa University. Together and alongside 8 Tajik sport coaches, they held a 10 day overnight clinic for 38 coaches throughout the country in the town of Khujand.
Session topics included:

• Nutrition


• How to start sports programs from the bottom up


• Fundraising


• Sport-specific trainings


• How sport can bridge cultural and ethnic divides


• Goalsetting


• Teambuilding


• Incorporating lifeskills into sports


• Coaching ethics


• How to increase community support


• Gaining parental support


• Importance of physical education


• And MUCH more

Ian and Jackie focused specifically on increasing the participation of girls in sports throughout the country. They led a session that included a discussion on the benefits of girls participation in sports, followed by identifying the obstacles girls in Tajikistan face that prevent this participation. As a camp, they all further discussed the "how to" behind getting more girls involved in sports.

Zebuniso Rustamova, a three time world champion in archery and a huge advocate of female sports in Tajikistan, furthered this conversation by relating it to the local context.

One camp day, everyone went to observe a "success story" that was implemented at a small school in a rural town called "Girls on the Run." We visited with the coaches and administrators that implemented this program and met with the young girls that were eager to tell us about it. It served as a great model of what is possible with limited funds and passionate hearts. While visiting "Girls on the Run", Zadina, one of our Tajik coaches, led some games with the young girls, and also discussed how she was anxious to implement a similiar program in her region.

If one picture could illustrate the change occuring in Tajikistan, and the opportunity and potential this change is giving girls in relation to sports, it is the one below.

One of the coaches we worked with received notification that he was awarded with a grant that will include creating the first ever girls soccer league (amongst many other things). Goals for Girls is looking forward to working on this project.