Alliance For Community Initiative

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH


UN Women Community Centre for Integrated Development AmplifyChange MenEngage Alliance Cameroon Vision in Action Cameroon UNFPA Cameroon Sonke Gender Justice The Global Fund German Embassy Wellington Rural and Urban Grassroots Business Women Association - Rugbwa Plan International Cameroon FIFA Football

Smiles, notebooks, and teamwork , that’s what our latest *Football for Unity* gathering in Kumba looked like.

At Alliance for Community Initiative we brought together young boys and girls from different communities for a special time of learning and bonding through football.

Facilitators are engaging the kids, who are listening attentively, taking notes, and participating fully.

It was not just about football on the field, but also about life off the field. Through short interactive workshops on mental health, peace building, gender equality and nutrition, we helped the young players understand how to stay strong, live together in peace, respect each other, and take care of their bodies.

What stood out the most was the unity. Girls and boys, younger and older, all seated as one team. Writing together. Learning together. Growing together.

This is what AFCI stands for, using football as a common language to bring young people together, build confidence, and create a more inclusive community.

*One ball. One team. One community.*




MenEngage Alliance Cameroon Ministère de la Jeunesse et de l'Education Civique 237 Vision in Action Cameroon Sustainable Women Organization-SWO Community Centre for Integrated Development UNFPA Cameroon Fecafoot - Officiel Confederation of African Football

Today, we continued our work under the Her Peace, Our Peace Project, in partnership with Community Centre for Integrated Development with support from the German Federal Government.

This time, the peace hut was filled entirely with adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) and what followed was an honest and interactive conversation.

We talked about Gender-Based Violence (GBV).

What it is.
What it can look like.
How it affects girls and women.
How to recognize it.
And, importantly, what to do and where to seek help.

The questions kept coming.

And then came the realization:

So many young women had experienced or witnessed situations that could constitute GBV, but didn’t know that what they were experiencing had a name.

Some had never heard the term Gender-Based Violence before.

Some didn’t know that violence isn’t only physical.

Some didn’t know that emotional and psychological abuse, sexual violence, economic abuse and other harmful practices can also be forms of GBV.

And many simply didn’t know where to turn for help.

That is why awareness matters.

Because you cannot seek support for something you don’t recognize.

You cannot challenge what you have been taught to normalize.

And you cannot always know that you deserve help if nobody has ever told you.

We created space for questions.

Questions about relationships.
Questions about safety.
Questions about consent and boundaries.
Questions about seeking help.
Questions about what happens after reporting.
Questions about the services available to survivors.

And perhaps one of the most encouraging parts was seeing how eager the women were to learn, ask, understand and leave with knowledge they could carry with them beyond the room.

They learned about available support, including psychosocial support, health services, legal assistance, protection and referral services.

Because sometimes, a single piece of information can change how someone understands their experience and can be the first step toward seeking support.

Knowledge is protection.
Knowing where to seek help matters.

Today was another reminder that creating safer communities requires us to keep having these conversations especially with young women and girls.

We Listen, We don’t Judge

Because….
Her peace. Our peace.
UNFPA Cameroon MenEngage Alliance Cameroon UN Women AmplifyChange Sonke Gender Justice Sustainable Women Organization-SWO Rural and Urban Grassroots Business Women Association - Rugbwa

FOOTBALL FOR UNITY: MORE THAN A GAME.
This week Alliance For Community Initiative continues on the pitch.

Where the Pitch Builds People
Before the first whistle, our coaches gather girls and boys in one circle, different jerseys, one message.

In these team talks we don’t just talk tactics.
We talk mental health: Check on your teammate, ò up.
We talk nutrition: Hydrate, fuel your body, rest matters.
We talk peace building: Respect differences, play fp⁰air, win and lose with dignity.
We talk gender equality: The field is for everyone, girls lead, boys listen. We grow together.

Sports becomes a tool to build confidence, healthy habits, peaceful communities, and equal opportunities.



Fecafoot - Officiel The Global Fund MenEngage Alliance Cameroon Community Centre for Integrated Development Sonke Gender Justice Ministère de la Jeunesse et de l'Education Civique 237

FOOTBALL FOR UNITY IN ACTION

Where the Game Brings Us Together

At Alliance for Community Initiative we use football to bring people together, to strengthen our community, and to give young people a place where they can grow on and off the field.

Right here in Kumba something bigger than football is happening

These young people are running, passing, and playing side by side. And when they pause, you’ll see them resting on the sidelines, sharing water, catching their breath, and talking with teammates and coaches.

Football for Unity is about creating that space. A space where female youth come together, push each other to be better, and build friendships that go beyond the final whistle. It’s discipline in the game. It’s care in the break. It’s belonging.

Because the real win isn’t just the score. It’s the unity we build along the way.




Sustainable Women Organization-SWO FIFA Football
MenEngage Alliance Cameroon Ministère de la Jeunesse et de l'Education Civique 237 CARE Cameroun FIFA Football Community Centre for Integrated Development Confederation of African Football AmplifyChange The Global Fund Fecafoot - Officiel Sonke Gender Justice

From the 22nd -25th July 2026, Alliance For Community Initiative under the Her Peace Our Peace project in partnership with Community Centre for Integrated Development took part in an intensive 4days training on Residential foundational training of young women peace Ambassadors on leadership, protection
and community peacebuilding.The training
prepares participants to serve as peer leaders supporting peace huts, community mobilization, intergenerational dialogue and Safe referral. core areas that were covered during this training for women, peace and securty under the
UNSCR: united nation security councel and resolution included Gender-Based Violence (GBV),Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), safegharding,PSEA, confidentiality and self-care Reflection, digital advocacy and impact Storytelling and Ambassador action planning.
Her peace our peace becomes real when she
moves without fear,speaks and be heard Learn and access health information Live free from violence and harmful practices


German Embassy Wellington Sustainable Women Organization-SWO AmplifyChange UNFPA Cameroon UN Women Vision in Action Cameroon MenEngage Alliance Cameroon