Beyond the Game: An Initiative By
Footballer Esse Akida
Football For Good
Beyond the Game
Welcome to Beyond the Game (BTG), a ground-breaking, grassroots initiative by Kenyan footballer Esse Akida. Here, we are committed to leveraging the power of football to create opportunities for severely marginalised girls and youths from communities steeped in retrogressive norms.
The Trailblazer
The Founder
Esse Akida is the first Kenyan to score in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) and the UEFA Women's Champions League. Her rise from a deeply patriarchal and impoverished rural Kilifi to playing pro in Europe, including captaining PAOK FC in Greece, is a remarkable journey of persistence, longevity and leadership on and off the pitch.
All Hands on Deck
Focus Areas
Beyond the Game's work is grounded in the conviction that equity is a collective endeavour. We thus incorporate inclusive approaches that shift societal perceptions by equipping not just girls and women but also boys and men to be proponents of more equitable communities.
Against All Odds
The Memior
In her memoir, Chained, Akida candidly shares the good, the bad and the harrowing of hailing from rural Kilifi as the only girl in a family of four boys, beating insurmountable odds and long-held cultural norms to pursue a professional football career.
Game On
The power of Play
Beyond the Game: stories, insights, and updates from our founder, Esse Akida, and our strides in enabling equity through the power of play.
Partner with BTG
Get Involved
Football has a powerful way of connecting people from all walks of life. If you have potential opportunities for young people or can support our programmes or annual tournament, please contact Beyond the Game.
