OUR IMPACT
Free to Run uses rigorous monitoring, evaluation, and learning to understand the true impact of our work. We seek to learn about the efficacy of our programs, as well as the unforeseen impacts of them on girls, young women and their communities.
2023 IMPACT IN NUMBERS
815
Girls and young women participating in regular, deep impact running and rights-based programs
507
Sports and running sessions
179
Life skills and leadership sessions
75
Community engagement sessions held
FOLLOWING PARTICIPATION IN A FREE TO RUN PROGRAM:
80% more participants see themselves as leaders in their community
29% believe they can make a difference in the world, vs 16% at the start
59% more participants feel comfortable saying ‘no’ in their relationships
88% know of a safe place to go, vs 51% at the start
79% more participants know what menstruation is and 74% more understand how women and girls get pregnant
35% feel they will get the things they want in the future, vs 19% at the start of the program
“Now I have a place to learn something new, discover my abilities, and develop them. As a girl, in [a] society that refuses to give us the simplest rights, I feel overwhelmed being able to run and do outdoor sports. This is how we can show our society and communities that girls can achieve big things and even change society, not just doing housekeeping.”
IMPACT FRAMEWORK: OUR OBJECTIVES
These are the objectives, derived from our Theory of Change, against which we measure progress.
ADOLESCENT GIRLS AND YOUNG WOMEN
A1 Increase leadership and life skills among adolescent girls and young women
A2 Improve social and emotional wellbeing among adolescent girls and young women (with a focus on resilience)
A3 Improve physical and reproductive health among adolescent girls and young women
A4 Advance adolescent girls' and young women's knowledge of and access to their rights
COMMUNITY MEMBERS
C1 Expand acceptance of girls' and women's sport participation
C2 Increase community acceptance of adolescent girls and young women's leadership
C3 Improve intercultural understanding amongst diverse community groups
“As an athlete, it has been so difficult to always be at home for 1.5 years. That’s why this has been important for us. When we do exercises, we are more intelligent and perceptive. When we don’t do sports, we are not complete.”