The power of sport to educate is nothing new to Nike. So when the Moroccan L’Heure Joyeuse organization approached Nike seeking a way to reach socially excluded children, the answer was obvious; through dance.

L’Heure Joyeuse is a social organization who tackles children’s problems such as education, health and poverty. They wanted to set up a fun program for children that also dealt with health care, vaccination and education. Given the great success of the Moroccan Hip Hop culture, together with Nike it was decided dance would be the best way to reach these children.

Nawal El Moutawakel, is not only the first Muslim and African female Olympic champion, but she is also a modern day hero in her own right. Humble in nature, she is not one to sit back and feed off her success, instead this woman has dedicated her life to inspiring and empowering other women to do the same as she.

The Association Marocaine Sport et Développement (AMSD) was developed by Nawal with the hope of empowering women and youth through sport.

Imagine, as a woman, having to play sport in secret, in fear of the repercussions of your husband finding out. But what may be seem a fictitious scenario for many Westernised women is for several of our Rwandan sisters, in actual fact their reality.

Raised and bred to be working women, serving their husbands and children, many Rwandan women are sadly, neglected of their right to access and enjoy the benefits of sport.

Located in the underdeveloped region of Upper Egypt, The Minya Girls Volleyball Program focuses on advocating gender equality among girls in public schools of the Minya Governorate.

The program is a joint initiative between Ashoka, Nike and Al Tanwir. According to the Rights of the Child (1989 UN Convention), the child has the right to take rest, to have spare time, to practice sports and relaxation that is suitable to her age, and she has the right to participate freely. Magdy Aziz, Ashoka Director, saw that the Egyptian girls were being denied this right and put forth his efforts to rectify that.

Encouraging the integration of women in society through participation in sport is having a profound effect on women in the Aida refugee camp, Bethlehem.

The camp, located northwest of Bethlehem was established in the early 50s to host thousands of Palestinians who were forced to flee their lands. Severe restrictions imposed on their lives have indirectly caused poverty and unemployment. The crowded camp hosts around 5,000 people, 53% of which are women.