The Facts:

Country: Germany
Launched: 2003
Partners: Nike, Germany Foundation for Children and Youth (DKJS)
Objectives: to create a democratic environment encouraging young people to develop self-initiative, entrepreneurial spirit and share responsibility
Program Highlights:

• Providing more than 5,000 girls access to sport through nationwide events and projects
• The program has gained recognition in the National & European
  Education community

• A post-program survey confirmed 70% of the girls feel more courageous and 64% feel more independent

It’s nothing new that engaging in sport strengthens more than just muscles. Often boys play sports, kick balls around, skate or break dance, while girls watch from the sidelines and applaud. However, a joint initiative between the German Children and Youth Foundation (DKJS) and Nike encourages a new trend.

The aim of project MadchenStarken, meaning Girl’s Strength is to provide excluded girls access to unusual sports or sports usually dominated by boys. It includes dance and physical activity as a means of building mental and physical strength. The program works to bring girls off the sidelines and onto the playing field, to actively involve them in decision-making processes. 2007 marks the fourth year of successful cooperation between Nike and DKJS.

MadchenStarken creates opportunities for young girls to gain experience and empowerment that in turn enables girls to play an active role in society, take on community responsibility and learn participatory democracy.

Under the banner of MadchenStarken are 15 separate projects. To qualify each project must adhere to strict criteria and must use a unique approach to develop girl’s strength. Below you can read about four of the MadchenStarken programs:

The Workshop for Girls on the Move combines sport and action with vocational experience for girls in atypical construction vocations. Under the guidance of female artisans, girls create miniature golf courses, swings and various ramps and seesaws for skating and biking. Taking the city by storm, these girls are filling empty areas with equipment and transforming them into places for girls in motion. Training in construction and technical skills provide girls the opportunity to use their minds and bodies to gain confidence in their abilities.

At The Run Leyla Run Festival girls were given the chance to demonstrate their skills in both traditional female sports as well as non-traditional sports; such as American Football, soccer and break dancing. In an adventure oriented atmosphere girls are free to participate without the pressure to choose one sport, or sign up for a team.

The Teltow Girls Capoeira project works to establish regular cooperation between schools and extracurricular organizations. Capoeira, one of the newest sports trends, combines elements of martial arts, dance, play and acrobatics with music and spiritual-philosophical aspects. Capoeira promotes a positive image and a positive attitude towards life. Girls from Teltow elementary schools learn Capoeira basics in weekly training sessions and then participate in an intensive summer training camp. After a few months of training they can demonstrate their accomplishments at city festivals and intercultural events.

The Hey, We’re Smart Too project addresses girls with mental disabilities, a new target group in the Girl’s Strength Program. The project teaches girls self-defense skills and how to apply them in situations requiring self-assertion. The girls learn techniques for expressing and defending themselves verbally and if necessary physically. Selected girls are then trained as mentors who can demonstrate strategies to new participants. The girls really support each other and counsellors receive professional training in order to improve the girls’ support systems.

Visit www.nikewomen.com and vote for Germany – Girls Strength if you think this program deserves a grant from Nike.

To learn more about Girl’s Strength, visit the site here.