Kick4Life has significantly marked the international 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence, reflecting our strong focus on this critical topic in Lesotho.
The campaign began on Monday, November 25th, with our Community Programmes team’s visiting Thetsane High School where they conducted gender education sessions. The sessions focused on two topics: ‘Managing Conflicts, which provides participants with practical tools for resolving disputes peacefully, fostering respectful and non-violent communication in relationships, and ‘Gender Race’ which is designed to equip participants with knowledge of their legal entitlements and protections against GBV, enabling them to take informed actions when faced with violence or discrimination.
Later in the afternoon, K4L staff, volunteers and players gathered to discuss views on ‘Corporal Punishment in Lesotho Schools’ to raise awareness on the persisting form of violence that can lead to traumatic repercussions for students. Our visitor, Mr. Axel Bernhardt of the SOL Foundation, also shared his insights on this issue contributing observations from other parts of the world.
On Tuesday, November 26th, the Community Programmes team visited the St. Bernadette Resource Centre for the Blind, where they conducted similar sessions aimed at encouraging young people to take action against GBV.
To broaden the campaign’s reach, Kick4Life has also been using its social media platforms to raise awareness. Staff and players have shared educational videos on GBV, offering advice and sharing personal experiences. Additionally, quotes from Kick4Life’s male staff members about GBV have been posted daily, promoting the importance of men and boys as ambassadors for challenging gender discrimination. The media team also included GBV awareness messages in football match highlights with our football teams using match days to spread the messages further.
In alignment with this year’s theme, ‘Unite to End Violence against Women and Girls’, Kick4Life partnered with the Mountain Runners Athletics Club for a special run on Saturday, November 30th, as part of Kick4Life’s weekly Run4YourLife initiative. The event included a new 21KM route for runners, alongside the regular 6 and 10km walk/run options. After the run, the programmes team held a ‘Know Your Rights’ session to educate participants on how to protect themselves and to combat GBV. The session proved to be enlightening, with people from various backgrounds sharing their perspectives and experiences on GBV.
With the 16 Days of Activism coming to an end, at Kick4Life we will continue working hard to challenge gender discrimination and gender based violence, and to promote a society where everyone can live safely and achieve their potential in all walks of life.
