Who is it for?

The program is open to all female leaders in the sports industry, including coaches, administrators, executives, officials, and others, who demonstrate a need for support and show a commitment to promoting equality within their communities and the Commonwealth Sport Movement.

What does the programme provide?

The program offers scholarships of £5,000 to eligible female leaders to provide financial assistance on their individual development pathways. It is designed to provide a supportive and educational environment with mentorship so the CGF connects recipients with an International Mentor who helps them clarify leadership aspirations, recognize strengths, and broaden understanding of promoting equality within the sports community.

What does success look like?

Success in the Commonwealth Sport Women's Leadership Program is measured by the growth and development of each participant towards becoming an influential leader and agent of change, promoting equality in the sports community and beyond. The program is designed to help participants reach their full potential and create a brighter future for women in the Commonwealth.

Background

In 2018, a Commonwealth Women’s Internship Programme was launched by the CGF at the 2018 Commonwealth Games that allowed CGA's to integrate a female coach into their respective management team. 20 female coaches were appointed and attended the Games as part of their national team. They were also provided with mentorship support and professional development and networking opportunities in the lead up to, during and after the Games. The successes of this programme lead to the development of the scholarships Grants offered in 2022 and 2023.

Recipients of the 2023 Grants

Recipient CGA Role
Gorata Kgathi Botswana Botswana Rugby Union, Women’s Representative
Joyce Juma Kenya Currently competing as a Karate Athlete
Running ‘Girl Power’ sessions for athletes within Kenya 
Anna Williams Sierra Leone President of Sierra Leone Gymnastics Federation
Irangani Rupasinghe Sri Lanka Recently retired Physical Ed. Lecturer
On Board of Sri Lanka Athletics
Oluwaseun Nariwoh Nigeria Sports Development Office, Funder of APSEI
Nadine Jaeger Namibia NGB Gymnastics Coach at Crete GC
Ayushma Seebun Mauritius Team Manager of National Futsal Team 
Tinyiko Lucert Kamanga Zambia CGA Programs Officer /Olympafrica Centre Director
Thokozani Twanbilire Chalemba Malawi Acting Vice Gen. Sec for Malawi Volleyball Association 
Simelane Nokulunga Pretty Eswatini Projects Manager for Eswatini Olympic and CGA
Libby Barnett Jersey Sport Partnership Manager, Jersey Sport
Stephanie Duval Seychelles Sec. Gen. of Seychelles Women & Sports Association
Leong Mun Yee Malaysia National Team Diving Coach
Francis Tepaeru Brownw-Toa Cook Islands Cook Islands Rugby Union – VP.
Rugby League – Secretary & Competition Coordinator

Recipients of the 2022 Grants

Coach CGA
Mangaka Tjoloba Lesotho
Mary Angela Achieng Kenya
Mbali Dlamini Eswatini
Eileen Xhakaza South Africa
Mukandekezi Umutoni Neema Rwanda
Petrina Aron Namibia
Jennifer Wong Canada
Petra Haven The Bahamas
Mathivani Murugeesan Malaysia 
Kimberley Gittens Barbados
Lovie Santana Trinidad & Tobago
Claire Stott Jersey 
Kareena Cuthbert Scotland
Louise Corkill Isle of Man
Ana Tuiketei Fiji
Miller Pata Vanuatu
Susannah Leydon-Davis New Zealand
Virginia Taravaki Vanuatu
Vavine Yore Papa New Guinea
Shireen Hina Asghar  Pakistan

2018 WCIP Participants:

WCIP Intern Coaches CGA Sport Mentor Coaches
Tina Hoeben CANADA Swimming Martyn Wilby
Martine DuGrenier CANADA Wrestling Tonya Verbeek
Jill Perry CANADA Boxing Daniel Trepanier
Evangeline Collier ENGLAND Table Tennis Alan Coooke
Bah Chuh Mei MALAWI Lawn Bowls Zuradi Puteh
Lini Kazim MALAWI Triathlon Peter Lau
Laura Kerr NORTHERN IRELAND Athletics Jackie Newton
Amanda Booth ENGLAND Swimming Grant Robins
Sheila Gaki KENYA Badminton John Odihambo
Carolyne Kola KENYA Athletics John Anzraq
Soraya Santos MOZAMBIQUE Swimming Leonel Matonse
Victoria Grant NEW ZEALAND Rugby 7s Stu Ross
Cordelia Norris NEW ZEALAND Diving Steve Gladding
Amanda Murphy NEW ZEALAND Athletics Dale Stevenson
Grace Mmolai BOTSWANA Boxing Luza Lechedzani
Dumisani Chauke SOUTH AFRICA Netball Norma Plummer
Mpho Madi SOUTH AFRICA Wrestling Nico Coetzee
Isabelle Adnre MAURITIUS Table Tennis Sahajasein Aladd
Mildred Gamba UGANDA Athletics Nalis Bigingo
Endurance Teye NIGERIA Athletics Sule Oluyomi Oladimeji

 

Recipients of 2023 Grants will announced in March 2023