GGWCUP team from Malta
Team Sugar Skulls will play for Global Goal 5 Gender Equality
About coach Cynthia Debono
Valletta, Malta
“I am a dreamer with a strong ambition to make beautiful things. Sport is my inspiration, my freedom and my hope for a better future.
Sport made me the person I am today, thought me the values of winning and losing, but most important it gave me the courage and energy to work hard and never give up.
I have worked in the sport sector for over twenty years, including teaching and coaching in various contexts and settings, mainly at local schools and the Malta Sports Council (SportsMalta). Inspired by the beautiful people I met along this amazing journey, five years ago, I founded a non profit organisation for the promotion of sports and culture. MOVE adopts sports and culture as a tool for community engagement. Young people coming from all walks of life, with different cultural backgrounds and identities, are given the opportunity to socialise and be active through street sport and a broad range of culture activities. Together with like minded people I strive to use the power of sports to bring people together across divides.”
MY motivation to be part of this special GGWCup & Erasmus+ Programme project
“The Global Goals World Cup is an amazing opportunity for girls and women with diverse social backgrounds, race, religion and cultures to meet and play together within the same space and environment for a common cause. As a woman and founder of a sports organisation I want to give a chance to other women to challenge their limits, spread their wings and fight for their dreams. This gives them the power to change the world, to unite and inspire.”
Meet the team: SUGAR SKULLS
Playing for Global Goal 5 - gender equality
SUGAR SKULLS believe that sport can be a catalyst for empowering women and girls to be active, to fight for their dreams, stand brave and to keep moving forward no matter what!
The team aim is to use the power of sport to over come the barriers that prevent girls from taking an active role in society. Sport encourages social interaction, improves self-confidence and promotes physical and metal health. It also fosters communication, negotiation and leadership skills, all vital for women's empowerment. Over coming this challenge leaves a positive impact not only on a personal level but can have a ripple effect on the community at large.
The idea for the team name is inspired by the inherent paradox of women in contemporary societies oftentimes still perceived to be the fairer sex as in the idealised female of art nouveau posters such as Alphonse Mucha's and the inner shell underneath the skin which is skeletal to the core and tough, hence sugar skulls.
Artist Lisa Kahler is designing the t-shirts which will be a combination of the above. Our aim is to transmit our message through art and sport.
Meet co-coach Jade Gauci
"I have been coaching for the past 4 years. I have coached handball for 2 years with the Malta Handball Association, football for young children for a year with Little Dribblers and I have currently been coaching triathlon for the past 1 year and a half with Malta Youth Triathlon Academy."
Jade is currently working as a triathlon coach at the Malta National Sports School and she coach triathlon with Malta Youth Triathlon Academy.
Jade have been working on a project targeting young people coming from social difficult backgrounds including migrants and refugees. The project was part of Valletta 2018 Cultural Programme and it engaged young people from different walks of life into various sports activities and also empowered them to be more active in their respective communities.
“My motivation is to empower more girls get active and highly involved in physical activities. Thus tackling head on the issue of gender inequality in sport through coaching, whilst hoping of being of inspiration too many girls who would like to break the barriers and be different!”
Press release
Paola, March 5th, 2019
Maltese women ‘Together for Gender Equality through Sports’
Changing the World One Goal At A Time Through The Global Goals World Cup 2019
The Global Goals World Cup, an alternative football tournament that creates communities and inspires and engages women from all over the world, is an international soccer iniEaEve created by Danish sports organisation EIR Soccer, in collaboration with Save the Children, the United NaEons Development Program (UNDP), and several other partners.
Sending organisation
MOVE (VO/0882) is a non-governmental organisation set up in 2013 with the aim of promoting innovation in sports and culture. Our mission is to inspire a new culture of movement while creating lasting social change through innovative activities within the community.
To reach its goal, move seeks to engage the community through culture, using sport and art as a tool. MOVE provides youth-led innovative activities, including street sports and street art activities, where young people coming from all walks of life, with different cultural backgrounds and identities, are given the opportunity to socialise and become more active while increasing their long-term commitment towards a healthy lifestyle. We also undertake work with young people to improve their employability skills, mainly by introducing them to volunteering, mentoring and peer- to-peer education.
MOVE partners include, Game (Denmark) and Street Games (UK), with whom MOVE collaborate on various levels to provide community projects, targeting mainly young people.
Find more info about MOVE: Movemalta.org and Facebook.
How team Sugar Skulls take action
Women helping Women
”We believe that strong women lift each other up! Our team is composed of girls and women coming form different social backgrounds and of different ages and abilities. The ages vary between 15 and 46 years and the age gap is no coincidence. The point to make being that strong women can help each other grow, and that anyone can play no matter the ability, skill or age.“
Involving men and boys in the process
Gender equality cannot be achieved without the involvement of men and boys. MOVE have therefore involved a male mentor who is working alongside our team to support gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. The team also plan to organise some training sessions with boys to promote friendship and to challenge stereotypes. Moreover, playing alongside with boys helps girls build self-confidence and makes them more resilient.
Involving the media
The media can play a significant role in promoting gender equality. MORE are therefore working closely with various TV Stations, News Papers and Magazines to promote our initiative and to share our story as a team with the aim of inspiring more women and girls to be active, and to pursue their dreams.
Involving Politicians and other Important Stakeholders
MORE believe that the support of Politicians and other important stakeholders is important for the successful implementation and sustainability of the project/initiative. The team have therefore started some discussions with relevant Politicians and stakeholders to help us push forward our agenda that of promoting Gender Equality through sport.
Thank you to our partners
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Meet the Europe Ambassador coaches
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