Nashville SC defender Maxwell Woledzi says his Sports Hijab Project is driven by a desire to promote equality and create opportunities for young girls in Muslim communities across Ghana.
Launched in 2019, the initiative is a football-based programme designed to empower girls who often face cultural and social barriers to participating in sport.
The project is hosted annually in Nima, with similar editions previously staged in Tamale and Kumasi. Speaking to Citi Sports after the 2025 edition in Accra, Woledzi explained the inspiration behind the initiative.
“For me, it’s more about equality and it’s an experience I’ve had…because there are a lot of girls in the young generation who would love to do sports but didn’t get the freedom and the opportunity [to do so]. That is why I introduced the Hijab Project specifically for girls,” he said.
“Everyone knows boys to play football but the question is what about the girls? That’s where I want to focus on and impact them as well,” Woledzi added.
The 24-year-old defender recently joined Major League Soccer side Nashville SC on a three-year deal after leaving Norwegian club Fredrikstad FK.
The Accra session of the 2025 Sports Hijab Project also featured representatives from Woledzi’s former teammate Leonard Owusu and his former club, the Right to Dream Academy, which underlines the growing support for the initiative.
Below are pictorial excerpts of the even;
By: Pascal Amoah
