Girls of Armenia Leadership Soccer

Girls of Armenia Leadership Soccer (GOALS) is a non-profit, non- governmental organization operating in Armenia since 2016. It is the only sports organization in Armenia promoting gender equality through sports- primarily in rural Armenia- and is dedicated to empowering girls and young women across Armenia by promoting health, life and leadership skills through their participation in an all-female soccer league. GOALS’ Theory of Change is rooted in the philosophy that sport can be used as a vehicle for transforming society and expanding the possibilities of its participants. The Theory of Change can be summarized into three core activities: (1) creating safe spaces for young women and children to participate in sport, (2) educating communities and challenging existing stereotypes through sport for social impact curriculum, and (3) fostering strong partnerships with local institutions to lay a sustainable framework for our activities. GOALS provides the infrastructure, coaches, equipment and resources to create girls’ soccer leagues in rural communities across Armenia. Currently over 900 girls from 90 communities participate in the organization’s activities.