Football equipment was the starting point. The aim was activity, belonging and local capacity that could carry the work forward.
Footies for Smiles · 2016–2020Photos · Philippines 2016–2017
Footies for Smiles was a volunteer initiative started by Øyvind and Malou Nyborg. From 2016 to 2020, the initiative collected football boots, balls and other equipment and prepared it for reuse.
In the Philippines, the equipment became part of organised football activities and collaboration with local coaches. The ambition was to offer children in economically disadvantaged communities a safe, active alternative to street life and gambling while strengthening local coaching skills.
Organised football training in the Philippines, 2016–2017.
From idea to activity
The equipment was meant to be used – not simply delivered.
The project was built as a chain of practical steps, from collecting equipment at home to activity and collaboration on the ground.
01
Collect
Football boots, balls and other usable equipment were collected from donors and local communities.
02
Prepare
The equipment was sorted, cleaned, checked and prepared for transport and a second life.
03
Collaborate
Planning on site was carried out together with local resource people and coaches.
04
Create activity
The equipment was put to use through organised sessions, a football school and coach development.
Collecting equipment in Tromsø.Donated equipment was cleaned, checked and prepared before the journey.
Philippines · 2016–2017
One of the projects – documented from planning to training.
The photographs on this page are from one of the Footies for Smiles projects, carried out in 2016–2017. The travel team brought the collected equipment to the Philippines and continued the work together with local partners.
An important part of the project was helping the activity live on locally. That meant planning and coach development as well as providing equipment.
Planning together with the local coaching team.Football and smiles between sessions.Øyvind coaching during the project.
The people behind it
A shared initiative.
Footies for Smiles was started by Øyvind and Malou. The four-person travel team went to the Philippines, working alongside local partners who were essential to delivering the project on the ground.
Initiators
Øyvind Nyborg and Malou Nyborg
Travel team · Philippines 2016–2017
Øyvind Nyborg · Malou Nyborg · Mikael Isaksen · Torben Bjerre
The travel team during the Philippines project.
What remained
More than equipment.
The point was not for football boots and balls to end as a one-off donation. They were intended to become play, training, community and a structure local coaches could continue to build on.
