Sports

With our grant, SAHADAYIZ launched the Sports Grant Programme to help underrepresented groups continue their sports activities and use sport as a tool for empowerment and participation. The programme provides in-kind support—including equipment, facility rental, transportation, and capacity building—to strengthen organisations’ work and remove barriers to access.

It prioritises initiatives that advance inclusion, equal opportunities, and rights through sport, particularly for communities facing discrimination or limited access. In the first funding cycle, four projects were selected, including two from earthquake-affected regions.

The selected projects are:

• “Strengthening Through Sports, Overcoming Barriers” – Bartın Otizmli ve Engelliler Destek Eğitim Dayanışma Sports Club (Bartın)

Supporting children and young people with autism and other special needs, this initiative provides safe and structured access to athletics, table tennis, bocce, shot put, and swimming. The project offers regular, professional training to build confidence, reduce behavioural challenges, and promote equal participation in social life. Through in-kind support for essential clothing, footwear, equipment, and a treadmill, the project aims to ensure safe, high-quality training conditions and reach more children who face barriers to inclusion.

• “Rainbow Team” – Doğaya Dönüş Sports Club (Kırklareli)

This project expands women’s, children’s, and visually impaired individuals’ access to nature-based sports such as running, hiking, camping, climbing, and indoor wall climbing. By creating safe and inclusive entry points into outdoor sports—especially for girls and children from low-income families—the initiative strengthens confidence, solidarity, and equal opportunities. Alongside sports activities, advocacy efforts will highlight the need for accessible sports facilities in Kırklareli, foster local collaboration, and build a long-term network supporting inclusive participation in sports and nature.

• “When the Ball Is Ours, Hope Is Ours” – Iskenderun 6 February Sports Club (Hatay)

Working with girls aged 12-18, this project provides essential football equipment—such as balls, cones, training gear, and tracksuits—to ensure equal access to training and competition. The initiative also combines sport with environmental action through three “plogging” events, where participants collect litter while jogging in forest areas affected by recent fires. By linking personal development with environmental awareness, the project strengthens team solidarity, raises public awareness through local media, and encourages other sports clubs to take part in environmental stewardship.

• “Gökyüzü Şutlayıcıları” – Gökyüzü Şutlayıcıları (Adıyaman)

Formed by women coming together after the February 2023 earthquakes, this women’s football team provides a vital space for solidarity, confidence-building, and promoting gender equality in Adıyaman. The project aims to strengthen the team’s capacity by improving access to regular training, equipment, and team activities, while expanding participation to include more local and refugee women. Awareness events, social media outreach, and community engagement will help increase visibility for women’s football and support social cohesion across the community.

Each £3,500 enables us to support a new team.