La Liga to award 22 scholarships to Kenyan female footballers

Twenty-two female footballers, who impress in the La Ligue D' Égalité Kenya female football tournament in Kibera, will earn academic scholarships in Spain.

This will be the second implementation of the 'La Ligue D' Égalité' project, following its successful run in Cameroon aimed at establishing the first formal football league in the country for girls under the age of 17.

LaLiga in partnership with Intern Base League (IBL), aims to support more than 400 girls with an educational league developed jointly with the NGO and IBL.

Speaking to Nation Sport on Tuesday, Laliga delegate to Kenya, Álvaro Abreu, said the project will last six months and 22 teams have confirmed participation.

"We are waiting for materials to arrive from Spain. It may be the end of the month or the beginning of June. The project aims to add value to society and empower many young people and adults who have football as one of their main passions in life," said Abreu.

After a successful tournament, the organisation will award 22 scholarships (one per team) to the girls in the project who are most vulnerable in their families, exhibit the best attitude, and show the most commitment during training sessions and matches.

"The competition will emphasize social responsibility and community engagement, with points being earned not just on the field but also through monthly activities like garbage collection and educational workshops on important issues including teenage pregnancy, menstrual hygiene, and work opportunities," added Abreu.

Fundacion Laliga, which is also a major partner, will provide training for the project's coaches and scholarships for girls at risk of social exclusion, as well as sports equipment for the competition.