MIFUMI is a women-led organization, working to end domestic violence. Based in Uganda, they work with survivors and grassroots organizations to increase support and to enable them to become more effective and skillful in promoting women's rights.
MIFUMI is internationally recognized for its successful campaign and referendum against bride price in Uganda, a major contributing factor to violence and women's subordination. In 2007, MIFUMI became very interested in the concept of using sport for women's rights, and they ran exploratory karate training for 30 girls in a MIFUMI primary school.
Encouraged by the positive results, MIFUMI currently is using karate and tae kwon do combined with its "Feel Free" domestic violence training to empower adolescent girls in primary schools in rural Tororo, Uganda. They expect to reach nearly 2,000 girls in 2010.
MIFUMI is actively advocating and sharing the strategy with other partners in its MIFUMI Human Rights Defenders Network in Uganda. An external evaluation was recently conducted of the project, and a summary of results is available here.
"Now that they've brought us karate, we also have the ability to become leaders. We have the courage to become leaders. They've empowered us and now every woman is powerful and is able to lead. Right now I'm not shy, I'm not fearful, so I can lead! This kind of shyness which is a stereotype of girls, I no longer have it, so I can be a leader!"
- Girl in the program