Rose loved soccer. In Kibera, Kenya, however, girls didn’t get to play. Abdul loved soccer too, and his grandmother taught him that girls deserve to learn and play, too. When he saw the boys keeping the soccer ball away from the girls, he got an idea. Entire communities do better when girls thrive.

Our bodies have a story to tell. When we turn toward our bodies with curiosity and reverence, we honor those stories, embrace our inner dignity, and make space for more agency. Sharing our bodies’ stories helps us feel seen so that, little by little, society’s limiting master narratives can shift so that more bodies feel safe and beautiful and have a sense of belonging.

12 Tiny Things invites readers to identify and engage in small, intentional practices that root us in our humanity so that we can rise and thrive in the world.

The inspiring story of Kibera Girls Soccer Academy, a free secondary soccer school succeeding in a Kenyan slum.