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.
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
Derived from our Theory of Change (below), these are the objectives against which we measure progress.
INDIVIDUAL LEVEL
A1 Increase leadership and life skills among adolescent girls and young women
A2 Improve the mental health of 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
A5 Increase access to and participation in public (sport) spaces for adolescent girls and young women
COMMUNITY LEVEL
C1 Expand acceptance of girls' and women's sport participation
C2 Increase community acceptance of adolescent girls and young women's leadership
“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.”
SEVEEN’S STORY
Seveen is a Syrian-Kurdish refugee who has been living in Erbil for most of her life. At first, she joined Free to Run for fun. Although she was nervous and didn't think she could keep up with the rest of the team, over time as she worked hard, Seveen became stronger. Running taught her discipline and perseverance.
Through Free to Run, Seveen's confidence and self-esteem also improved. She became more outgoing and assertive and started to take on leadership roles on the team. All of these skills led to her being chosen as one of the group’s Community Development Leaders, who mentor and support the following year’s cohort of runners.
In this role, Seveen helped to facilitate running sessions for the new participants. She also encouraged and supported her teammates. By putting her leadership skills into practice, she gained more self-confidence and developed her ability to become an activist in her community. She also met new people, some of whom became her closest friends.
“I used to be teased by my younger brother, who said that girls cannot do hard things. But I'm glad he's here now, to feel my strength and see my power. Although he encourages me, he is surprised by my abilities as well. A feeling like this is even better than completing 42 kilometers.”