Volleyball Foundation
Since its launch in May 2024, the Foundation has supported grassroots volleyball projects worldwide and has recently announced four new initiatives for 2025
The FIVB Volleyball Foundation today marks one year since its official launch at the Volleyball House in Lausanne, Switzerland. On 30 May 2024, the Foundation was created to use the global reach and power of volleyball to uplift communities worldwide through impactful projects. The launch event brought together leading figures from the Global Volleyball Movement, the Olympic Movement, local authorities, sponsors and global partners, and raised over CHF 559,000 through donations and a charity auction.
Over the past twelve months, the Foundation has worked in close collaboration with stakeholders across the Global Volleyball Movement to support impactful community-based projects and initiatives focused on inclusion, education, youth development and gender equity.
In India, the Foundation continues to support the Brahmaputra Volleyball League (BVL), a grassroots initiative in Assam that has introduced over 10,000 children to the sport of volleyball, while also providing structured training, equipment and life-skills development.
The Foundation also co-hosted the KISS Volleyball Foundation Festival in Bhubaneswar at the end of 2024. The festival welcomed over 40,000 attendees, including 5,000 youth participants, for a weekend of training, competition and community events. A major highlight was the successful attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the largest volleyball exhibition match, with 430 players – surpassing the previous record by an impressive 136 participants.
In Kenya, the Foundation supports the Githurai Kimbo Volleyball Academy, which delivers not only sport-specific training but also educational support and mentorship opportunities for young people.
Meanwhile, in Qatar, the Foundation collaborated with the Qatar Volleyball Association, Qatar Foundation and the West Asian Volleyball Association to host a volleyball activation event at Al Gharafa Beach Complex. Schoolchildren from across Qatar participated in volleyball activities across ten courts and had the opportunity to interact with prominent ambassadors and Olympians.
In Thailand, during the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) 2024 Women’s Finals in Bangkok, the Foundation partnered with the Thailand Volleyball Association to deliver a mass participation initiative centred around “Green Volleyball” – a unique programme combining volleyball with rice planting to promote sustainable agricultural practices and empower the local community. The event engaged hundreds of children and featured participation from legendary volleyball athletes.
At its Board meeting held on 16 May 2025, the Foundation approved four new international projects that will further expand its reach worldwide. In Jordan, the Generations for Peace programme will deliver trauma-informed, inclusive volleyball activities integrated with psychosocial support and conflict transformation principles, facilitated by trained local youth leaders.
In Ethiopia, Beyond the Net 2025 will build on earlier successful phases of the programme to reach more than 3,000 children in rural areas. Beyond the Net is a humanitarian, educational and sports-based international cooperation initiative designed to improve the lives of children from Ethiopia through volleyball. The project will integrate volleyball into school curricula across three villages, support the training of local coaches and teachers, form teams and develop more sustainable sports infrastructure.
In the Pacific region, Volley4Change, an initiative of the Vanuatu Volleyball Federation, will use volleyball to promote social inclusion and gender equity. The programme will empower women and individuals with disabilities through volleyball-based leadership development, skills training and community engagement.
In Tanzania, the She Wish to Play initiative – led by the Kilimagnet Volleyball Foundation – will enhance access to both volleyball and education for girls in Moshi, Kilimanjaro. Established by former volleyball player Renovatus Sixmund, the programme combines sports training with personal development and academic support, with the aim of empowering girls through sport and educational learning.
Reflecting on the Foundation’s first year, FIVB President and interim Volleyball Foundation President Fabio Azevedo commented:
“Volleyball has the power to unite communities and drive meaningful, positive change in our society. The mission of the Foundation is to use the global reach and power of volleyball to uplift communities worldwide through impactful projects. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing some of these projects first-hand this year, and it’s fantastic to see the impact volleyball can have on people’s lives. The joy on their faces is something I will never forget. That is what the Foundation is striving to achieve, and I’m looking forward to seeing it continue to positively serve the world through volleyball, empowering the Global Volleyball Movement.”
As it enters its second year, the Volleyball Foundation will continue to support existing projects while identifying new opportunities to make a positive and measurable impact through sport.
For more information on the Foundation’s activities and partnerships, visit: https://volleyballfoundation.com/
