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As the world celebrates World Volleyball Day, Qatar Foundation’s Creating Pathways program is using volleyball to help empower the next generation of girls in Qatar, building confidence, leadership and lifelong skills both on and off the court.
Volleyball is one of five sports offered through Qatar Foundation’s (QF) Creating Pathways program, an initiative that empowers women and girls through sport. Today, 36 girls are part of the volleyball program, with 19 players in the U12 squad and 17 in the U14 group, building their skills, confidence, and love for the game.
Alongside track and field, fencing, tennis, and basketball, the Creating Pathways program aims to encourage physical activity and wellbeing while helping participants build confidence and develop new skills. Created to increase participation in sport and provide pathways for girls to grow both personally and athletically, the initiative reflects the growing role of sport as a platform for empowerment, connection, and personal growth.
For 12-year-old participant Misk Arafath Majeed, who joined the volleyball program just over a month ago, the experience has already had a meaningful impact. “It has made me more confident and more active,” she said. “It’s my safe space because I can be myself here.”
Training three times a week, Majeed says she enjoys learning new techniques, including spiking, and looks forward to the matches played at the end of each session. “My favorite thing is that it keeps me active,” she explains. “My coaches are really nice, and the girls are really encouraging. I’ve made lots of friends on the team.”
Taking part in QF’s World Volleyball Day tournament this week made the experience even more meaningful. “It brings everyone together from all over the world,” she said. “It doesn’t matter where you’re from – you can still enjoy playing volleyball.”
Looking ahead, Majeed hopes to continue developing her game and one day play for one of Qatar’s top volleyball teams. “I want to make it big,” she said.
Another young athlete, 11-year-old participant Aisha Faesal N M Al-Sultan, says joining the initiative has helped her build on the skills she first developed at school.
“I joined the Creating Pathways program after playing on my school’s volleyball team,” she said. “I took part in the training sessions, and later a number of students were selected to continue in the program, and I was one of them.”
Having played volleyball for two years, she says the sport continues to challenge and inspire her. “I love volleyball because it keeps me active and helps me learn new skills.”
She says the friendships and team spirit have also become some of the most rewarding aspects of the program. “What I love most about the volleyball team in the Creating Pathways program is the teamwork and the positive atmosphere among the players,” she said. “I feel happy when we train together and support one another to achieve our goals.”
According to Tijana Avramović, head coach of the Creating Pathways volleyball program, the initiative is helping girls grow both as athletes and as individuals.
“Sport is really important for girls – and for everyone,” she said. “Through sport, you learn valuable life skills that stay with you long after the game. You develop discipline, empathy, teamwork, and many other qualities that help you in everyday life. Through this program, we’re not only helping the girls become better players – we’re also helping them grow as people.”
While identifying talented players is one of the program’s objectives, Avramović says one of the biggest successes has been watching the girls become more comfortable and confident with one another.
“During the first few training sessions, they were quite nervous, but now they’re building friendships and enjoying being part of the group,” she said. “That’s such an important part of their lives, especially today, when so much time is spent on phones and online. Here, they’re connecting with each other in person and becoming part of a team.”
She explains that celebrating World Volleyball Day gave participants the opportunity to feel connected to something much larger than their own training sessions. “The tournament helps the players feel like they’re part of something bigger. They’re celebrating World Volleyball Day alongside people all over the world, which creates a real sense of belonging and connection to the global volleyball community.”
Now Avramović hopes the program will continue to inspire more girls to take up the sport. “We want to build a strong community where young players develop a habit of training regularly, improve their volleyball skills, and grow as confident, well-rounded people.”