
This project aims to reduce the rate of obesity among young Somali girls aged 6-19 years old and encourage them to become fitter by providing opportunities for learning, and providing culturally and religiously sensitive sports and recreational activities. These include learning activities based upon fun, play, action, and group and individual challenges and promoting the development of their confidence, decision making abilities as well as their artistic and creative needs. The importance of our girls club is to create opportunities for the girls to socialize in a safe and comfortable environment that allows them to express themselves in a fun atmosphere.
We run one session for 6-12 year olds and another for 13-19 year olds; that is 2 sessions per week at the African Resource Centre and Mile End Adventure Park, and the duration of each session is 3 hours. The sessions consist of a varied programme of activities designed to meet the broad range of needs and selected in consultation with the girls; including creative active play session, action jumping, aerobic dance, three legged race, tennis, football, basketball, healthy eating workshops, and visits to other projects or places of interest. During school holidays, the timing and days of the sessions are flexible to suit the chosen activities.