How Volleyball and a Meal Are Changing Girls’ Lives
In the middle of Kibera, Nairobi’s largest slum, there is a school where hope is alive and growing. At Soweto Academy, a group of girls are showing that dreams can take flight, even from the humblest of beginnings.
Stars of the future
The Girls Volleyball Team, proudly called the “Mighty Eagles,” has become one of the most successful in the city. They have won Nairobi championships and competed in national tournaments, with some former players even going on to represent Kenya with the Women’s Volleyball team, Malkia Strikers, at the Paris 2024 Olympics. For the girls, it’s more than sport – it is a path to a better future.
Yet the foundation of their success is something much simpler: good education and a daily meal. Soweto Academy is supported by Feed The Hungry, who provide food for the children every school day. For many, it is the only full meal they receive. This food not only helps them focus in class but also gives them the strength to step onto the court with energy and determination.
The Soweto Academy is a small haven of solace for the pupils who study there. Many students live in the slum, but it’s a place that is often unsafe, particularly for teenage girls. The Soweto Academy has an accommodation block so that vulnerable girls can live on-site.
“We just came back from the East Africa Championship and we managed to be in Position 4!” says Gati (16), one of the volleyball team’s rising stars. “I’m grateful to Feed The Hungry for sending us rice. When I eat the rice, I feel stronger and more focused. It gives me energy to play better on the court, and concentrate in my lessons; it makes me a better player and a better student.”
Give a gift to The Soweto Academy.
The connection is powerful. When someone donates to Feed The Hungry, it may seem like a small act of kindness. But in Kibera, that donation becomes the energy in Gati’s jump, the concentration in her studies, and the hope that carries her teammates through tough matches. It is turning hunger into opportunity and giving young girls the courage to dream of being doctors, teachers – or even Olympians.
In a place where daily life can be a struggle, Soweto Academy’s volleyball girls remind us that hope is powerful. With a ball, a net, and a hot meal, dreams really can rise above the rooftops of Kibera.
Please give to the work of The Soweto Academy in Kibera, Kenya.
