FAME Foundation

FAME Foundation for Girls and Women Empowerment is a gender based nonprofit organization established to support the rights, growth, and wellbeing of girls and women in Nigeria. This is done through sports, education, advocacy, and empowerment programs that help them live healthier, more confident, and independent lives.

Mission

Our mission is to promote the social, emotional and economic wellbeing of women and girls by developing and supporting programs that align with Nigeria’s national development goals. We are committed to creating opportunities that strengthen women’s participation across all sectors and push for gender parity in every part of the society.

Vision

We see a future where women and girls in Nigeria and across the world are not left behind. A world where their voices matter in decisions, in leadership and in building better communities. That future is possible, and we are committed to helping shape it.

What we do

Over the years, we have carried out projects in more than 20 states across Nigeria, reaching thousands of girls, women, and youth in rural and urban communities, including Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, public schools, and slums. We create programs that are safe, engaging, and educational, using tools like sports and storytelling to help girls learn life skills and speak up for themselves.

Founding

Arabinrin Aderonke is an award-winning investigative journalist and advocate who has spent nearly two decades exposing injustices and amplifying the voices of women and girls. In 2017, she founded FAME Foundation to directly address the same inequalities she has been fighting as a journalist. These include sexual abuse in sports, exclusion from education, and lack of representation in leadership. She built the foundation to offer more than promises, designing programs that deliver results in education, sports, leadership, climate action, and economic empowerment.

She began by reaching communities with urgent needs. FAME Foundation launched with outreach visits to Internally Displaced Persons camps in Abuja, providing kits and hosting awareness sessions on girls’ rights. FAME Foundation has moved from small-scale outreach in Abuja to leading national conversations, building cross-sector partnerships, and implementing targeted interventions in schools, IDP camps, and marginalized neighborhoods. The goal from the beginning has been consistent, to make sure women and girls are not just included but actively shaping the systems that affect their lives.

Through partnerships with institutions such as UN Women, FARE Network,  AFD, MacArthur Foundation, UNDP, the US Embassy, Laureus Sport for Good, and several European embassies, the organization has implemented over 100 community programs and reached more than 30,000 direct beneficiaries, with over 259,532 more indirectly impacted.

FAME Foundation now operates with a committed team of staff and volunteers across different parts of Nigeria, using data, creativity and collaboration to make measurable progress in women and girls’ development.

Projects

1. Play It Dream It

Play It Dream It is an initiative of FAME Foundation that uses sports as a tool to achieve Sustainable Development Goals 3: Good Health and Well-Being, 4: Quality Education, 5: Gender Equality, and 10: Reduced Inequality. The program aims to improve girls’ well-being, enhance access to quality and affordable education, reduce early marriage, promote gender equality, and help reduce inequalities among girls in Nigeria.

2. National Breakdance Championship

This project was created to engage young people through breakdancing, using movement and music as tools to build self-confidence, discipline, and social inclusion. It offered boys and girls across Nigeria an opportunity to express themselves, connect with mentors, and participate in a nationwide competition that culminated in a grand finale. Alongside the dance contests, participants were exposed to workshops on personal development, leadership, and wellness.

3. Para Powerlifting Inclusion Games

This is a sports-based initiative created to spotlight the strength and resilience of women with disabilities through competitive para powerlifting. The event brought together world-class female athletes from across Nigeria to compete, connect, and challenge stereotypes.

4. FAME Annual Women’s Day Football Tournament

This is a tournament held every year in March to mark International Women’s Day. It brings together women and girls from different backgrounds, including students, professionals, and diplomatic community, to compete in football. The event promotes gender inclusion and empowerment through sport while encouraging community participation. Alongside the matches, health services such as screenings and awareness sessions are provided to support participants’ wellbeing. The tournament also attracts notable guests and partners who support women’s rights and sports development in Nigeria.

5. Sports Envoy Program

This is a youth empowerment initiative using sports and dance to build skills, confidence, and cultural exchange. It offers training, mentorship, and community outreach, promoting inclusion and teamwork while preparing young athletes for local and international platforms.

6. 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence

This is an annual campaign to combat gender-based violence through awareness, education, and advocacy. It involves community workshops, public dialogues, and media outreach to challenge harmful norms and support survivors. The initiative focuses on strengthening policies and improving access to justice and services. By empowering women and girls, the campaign aims to create safer communities and contribute to ending gender-based violence in Nigeria.

7. Parasoccer Inclusion Tournament

This tournament creates opportunities for persons with disabilities to engage in competitive soccer, promoting inclusion and breaking down barriers in sports. It enhances teamwork, confidence, and social integration while raising awareness about the abilities and rights of differently-abled athletes. The event encourages community support and challenges stereotypes through the power of sport

Impact

Since 2017, FAME Foundation has implemented over 100 targeted community programs across more than 20 Nigerian states including Lagos, Abuja, Kaduna, Rivers, Kano, and Oyo. Our initiatives have directly reached over 30,000 women and girls and indirectly impacted over 250,000 people through partnerships, awareness campaigns, and advocacy.

Our work empowers girls, women, and youth through education, sports, digital literacy, and psychosocial support. For example, in internally displaced persons camps in Abuja, we provided essential sanitary materials, training, and mental health services to vulnerable girls and women. Through our sports-based life skills and boot camp programs, we have helped prevent early marriage and encouraged healthy lifestyles among thousands of adolescents.

FAME Foundation’s campaigns have reached tens of thousands of households, enhanced safer communities, and promoted dialogue around women’s rights.

Our collaborations with local and international partners ensure sustainable growth and amplify our impact. Testimonials from beneficiaries highlight transformative changes, girls returning to school, survivors of abuse gaining confidence, and communities embracing gender equality.