Nike presents the project #MADETOPLAY

If girls view themselves as leaders who are able to improve their communities, they feel holistically empowered to lead in all areas of their lives.

Nike's team deeply believes it. That's why, following last year's launch of the Just do it - Nothing can stop us, which inspired the girls to start a daily sports activity, they joined forces with Laureus Sport for Good Italia for a new empowerment project. The goal? To give girls and young women more access to sport, teaching them how to be leaders and motivating them to become changemakers of the future.  

Playing sports and the individual potential that sport can express, are not always accessible to everyone. - Daria Braga, director of the Laureus Italia Foundation, explains - Social exclusion, cultural heritage and educational poverty mean that too often and too soon the doors are closed to sport, even more so for girls.

The first step to resolve this problem is to invest in gender-inclusive education, just like done recently with the publication of the Made to Play Girls' Training Guide, a free resource created to offer coaches the tools to best address the needs and demands of girls. 

The Made to Play program, which involves three sports organizations of soccer, basketball and mixed sports, will see the participation of about 200 children from two elementary schools in Milan suburbs. 50% of participants - including coaches - will be women. 

The girls are strong and make the difference. With sport, we are more independent and confident, able to overcome barriers and obstacles that seem insurmountable. - Said Valentina Diouf, Italian volleyball player and ambassador of Laureus Italia. - As athletes, we have the power to influence girls by continuing to inspire them and helping them reinvent what sport can be for them.

In addition to the school program, Nike will donate sports bras to some of its sports associations in Milan, such as Martinengo, Sportinzona and PlayMore.