English Language Fellow Matthew Jellick has been working in and outside the classroom to support gender empowerment. In Ambo, Ethiopia, he wants to show the female youth that they can find success in many areas, including sports. This past summer, Jellick gave a presentation on behalf of the U.S. Embassy in Ethiopia at Nike World Headquarters on the influence of sports initiatives in Ethiopia, particularly in rural areas, in empowering youth and challenging gender stereotypes.
With a focus on Gender Empowerment Through Football (soccer), and through his connections at Nike Korea and Nike America, Jellick recently arranged for a generous donation package for women soccer players in Ethiopia. Nike shares Jellick’s vision of empowerment and learning through sports, and their Global Football Team put together a $30,000 donation package of equipment, including soccer balls, cleats, shin guards, socks, and jerseys, to support 11 youth teams in Ethiopia.
Jellick has established a partnership with the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa and hopes that his Ethiopian Women’s Football Project will expand its reach across the country, and even to neighboring countries such as Djibouti, creating more opportunities for women in sports in the future.