The program aims to enable the community of Rohingya refugees in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to achieve greater interaction with non-Rohingya communities and to generate a community focal point for Rohingya refugees.The program uses football/soccer as the tool – embodied in The Rohingya Football Club (RFC) – and centres on promoting and supporting the club and its activities. A second phase of the project will look specifically at increasing access and support for sports activities among Rohingya boys and girls.

TKP will be funding the RFC to carry out its functions as community peace ambassadors and aims to use this as a platform to develop community building programs with the Rohingya refugee community in Kuala Lumpur and in Malaysia. Phase I entails kitting out the team, providing training and playing facilities, receiving coaching from a qualified coach and transport via a leased or purchased mini-bus. Phase II will establish a sports community hub (SHUB) where sports equipment can be lent out and develop programs to allow children to play sports safely and securely. We will be looking at developing a culturally appropriate sports program specifically for girls who are often denied sporting opportunities. It is intended the SHIB will become a secure space for Rohingya children in particular. All such measures will make the team's development and outreach much easier, and will extend the range and potential of the club to develop relationships with a wider demographic than would otherwise be possible. We will also be seeking to publicise the team and our subsequent work with the Rohingya community through our channels so as to inform the public, in Malaysia and elsewhere, of their efforts in non-violent outreach and community development. The local Rohingya media group R-Vision, which is the only known Rohingya language media outlet in operation, is a backer of the RFC and has promised the initiative will be well-publicised among Rohingya communities in Malaysia and beyond. Apart from those listed below, the intended goals for the Phase I program include to:1. Increase the number and proportion of games played between the RFC and non-Rohingya teams2. Increase the numbers of spectators (Rohingya and non-Rohingya) at RFC games3. Establish football-related means whereby Rohingya and non-Rohingya children can interact in safety and security4. Increase harmony and good relations with non-Rohingya communities in KL, particularly between children5. Increase participation for children in wider, non-Rohingya society through “football diplomacy”6. Increase favourable media coverage of the Rohingya in KL7. Increase social and community well-being among the Rohingya community in KL, with special emphasis on children8. Contribute to increased levels of safety and acceptance for Rohingya children to attend RFC games and to participate in sporting programs generally.

All programs have been developed in consultation with Rohingya community leaders. The programs are designed to facilitate progress rather than establish our ownership of any momentum we are able to generate. The RFC will be entirely Rohingya-run. We will offer ourselves as consulting directors and expect to be appraised of all significant developments. However, our goal is to empower the community through financial, material and management inputs.We aim to advance the team to a point where permanent funding can be arranged, based on the model we have been able to develop and so the Rohingya refugee community will be able to use the RFC initiative to extend its ability to connect and its profile to advocate not only in Malaysia but elsewhere.

The Kick Project (TKP) is an Australia-registered charity and has numerous governance obligations that need to be applied to this program by way of legal compliance. TKP has enlisted the input of Dr. Gerhard Hoffstaeder to act as an ad hoc expert and advisor. Dr. Hoffstaeder is an anthropologist and SE Asia migration expert from the University of Queensland, Australia. Finally, the program has established a Program Management Committee, made up of two representatives from TKP and two representatives from the RFC. The chair of this committee will be rotated between all members, and no member shall have a casting vote. This is to ensure issues are dealt with through negotiation, not power dynamics. This committee will be required to submit monthly reports to TKP and to the RFC for evaluation and assessment of the outcomes.Phase I is designed to run for a minimum of 6 months, at which time it will be audited and future programs, including Phase II, will be considered based on these outcomes. As such, the success and impact of the program will have a three-level governance mechanism, involving members of the charity (TKP), members of the beneficiary community (RFC) and an external independent advisor to act as liaisons and advisors.

* The Rohingya Football Club * The Kick Project (Registered as Live 2 Give)