The Ghana Football Association (GFA) and the CAF Women Football have partnered to organise the first-ever international football coaching training programme benefiting prison inmates in Ghana.

The Licence D Coaching course is aimed at female inmates at the Nsawam Medium Security Prison, Nsawam, Eastern Region.

Underlining the power of football as a tool for transformation and rehabilitation, the CAF Football for Reform programme was designed to provide female inmates with CAF-accredited coaching qualifications. It is envisioned this would improve the job prospects of beneficiaries and aid their reintegration into society upon their release from prison.

As the GFA Foundation coordinates the training programme, supervision will come from the GFA Technical Department with technical support from CAF.

The training programme will benefit 30 individuals: 25 female inmates and five prison officers.

According to the Ghana Prison Service, its personnel is ready and it will ensure a safe environment for the successful run of the coaching course.

“We are excited to extend an opportunity to the Ghana Football Association to host the CAF Football for Reform Program,” Meskerem Goshime, the CAF Women’s Football Head, said, highlighting the programme will empower women, promote gender equality and foster social rehabilitation.

The seven day programme will begin on Monday, January 27, ending on Sunday, February 2, 2025.

GFA Foundation launched the GFA Foundation-Ghana Prison Project, in 2024.

The initiative, according to the GFA, “seeks to use the power of football to promote the wellbeing, welfare, reformation, rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates of Ghana’s Prisons into society.

“The 3 pillars of the project include the donation of football items and logistics, coaching, refereeing training for inmates and officers and finally advocacy workshops to sensitize the public and the citizenry on the negative impact of discrimination and stigmatization of prisons and prisoners.”