Jos Dirkx Kicks Balls!

Jos Dirkx runs Girls and Football SA. Her goal: To give a voice to female football players in South Africa and grant them a chance to share their passion, along with the hardships they have encountered as female athletes, with their communities.

Jos was born in Rio de Janeiro and has since been traveling the world with her parents and brother. She has lived in Brazil, Bangladesh, Spain, Senegal, The Netherlands, Canada, Norway and currently resides in South Africa. Her passion for social justice and gender equality has propelled her participation in projects, debates, fundraising and campaigning for increased public awareness of women’s rights.

She founded Girls and Football SA to encourage girls in South Africa to play futbol as a way to promote body awareness, increase self-esteem and raise awareness of the importance of sport for women.

And so far Girls and Football SA is doing a great job! Check out its accolades in just two years:

• Girls and Football SA was selected as a winner in the 2012 Girl Effect Challenge. 
• Girls and Football SA won “Best Documentary” at the Festival du TV et Cinema in Beirut, Lebanon, which represents the second biggest film festival in the Middle East region.
• Girls and Football SA received the “Best Research Paper” award at the Interdisciplinary Centre of Excellence for Sports Science and Development Conference. 
• The National Committee for International Co-Operation and Sustainable Development, together with Ashoka Changemakers and Nike, awarded Girls and Football SA first prize in the Sport and Business Plan Challenge. 
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Website: http://www.girlsandfootballsa.com/