FIVB FoundationVolleyball Foundation
The FIVB Volleyball Foundation has begun support for another certified project aiming to improve societies through volleyball. The Modena per gli Altri ODV (MOXA), an Italian association that aims to support social and cultural development around the world, has relaunched Beyond the Net 2025 with the support of the Volleyball Foundation.
This humanitarian, educational and sports-based initiative is taking place in Ethiopia’s Hadiya Region, covering the villages of Shallala, Maldo and Orde.
Building on the success of the original Beyond the Net programme, launched in 2017 and paused due to the Covid-19 pandemic, this new phase aims to positively impact the lives of over 3,000 children through volleyball, education and community development.
The FIVB Volleyball Foundation uses the global reach and power of volleyball to uplift communities worldwide through projects that have a lasting impact. It provides funding and resources to support certified initiatives, like Beyond the Net 2025, that promote the social wellbeing of communities through volleyball.
This project integrates volleyball into school programmes, offering children the chance to develop both sport and life skills. At the same time, local teachers and coaches will receive specialised training, ensuring that knowledge and expertise remain within the community long after the programme concludes. Recognising the importance of safe and accessible spaces, the project will install solar-powered streetlights in Maldo and Orde, improving safety around schools, marketplaces and volleyball courts.
Cultural exchange is another key pillar of Beyond the Net 2025. Young Italians based in Ethiopia will participate in volleyball programmes in the region, facilitating dialogue, friendship and mutual learning across the Global Volleyball Movement.
The project, which is managed by professional staff and volunteers with oversight from MOXA’s Board of Directors, will provide schools with volleyball equipment, organise inter-school tournaments and construct outdoor courts, creating lasting infrastructure for sport and education. Students aged 6 to 23 – approximately 1,300 girls and 1,700 boys – along with local educators and community members, will directly benefit from these efforts.
Volleyball Foundation interim President Fabio Azevedo stated:
“This partnership exemplifies how volleyball’s positive impact can go well beyond the court. Our sport is a real catalyst for education, empowerment and sustainable community development, that this brilliant project exemplifies once again. Through Beyond the Net, children in Ethiopia will gain new opportunities to learn and grow, while communities will benefit from safer, more vibrant public spaces.”
Organisation Manager for MOXA, Rodolfo Giovenzana affirmed;
At MOXA, we have always believed that volleyball is far more than a game – it is a language of teamwork, inclusion and shared purpose. Through Beyond the Net 2025, we are proud to bring these values to life across Ethiopia, in the villages of Shallala, Orde and Maldo. This initiative represents a tangible opportunity to use sport as a driver for education, empowerment and community growth. We are deeply grateful to the FIVB Volleyball Foundation and to Experience, a network of volleyball sports associations, for their trust and partnership in making this vision a reality, and we look forward to helping the project to positively impact as many people as possible.
