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TIME PERIOD
LOCATION
UK
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When the Taliban decreed, overnight, that the Afghan Women's Development team would face imprisonment or death if they continued to pursue their football dreams, we received an emergency call to action to find a way to support the evacuation of 24 players and their families as they were stuck in Pakistan whilst waiting for the final UK visa approval.
This relief effort coordinated the groups' safe arrival from Pakistan to the UK in November 2021.
Play for Change have supported the team since their arrival in the UK by funding and coordinating both football activities and social & integrational activities, and by working closely with the local council, Home Office and various government organisation to provide intense wrap around support for the team and their families.
We have successfully coordinated with the Home Office and the Refugee Council for the provision of sports clothes, training equipment, access to health, fitness opportunities and bicycles.​
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Bi-weekly training with professional football coaches in local pitch, training sessions with Premier Leagues Football Clubs and FA coaching courses have also been organised. Furthermore we began the process of securing professional coaching programs for some of the players ​
We also provided initial private mental health support for some of the players
Context
"There was an announcement from the Taliban that if the people that supported us continued to support us, if something happened to us, then they would be the ones responsible.
We didn't give up."
Sabriah Nowrozi, Captain