Guardian Girls Aikido Reception at Japan Center in Bogotá
As part of the Guardian Girls Colombia program, KIF Colombia and Proyecto TransformándoNOS, in collaboration with the Embassy of Japan in Colombia, held a launch reception for the Guardian Girls Aikido (GGA) project at the Japan Center of the University of Los Andes in Bogotá. This event marked the beginning of a series of GGA seminars designed to empower local Colombian women through Aikido self-defense training, led by female instructors from the Colombia Aikido Federation (COPA).
Distinguished attendees included Mr. TAKASUGI Masahiro, Ambassador of Japan to Colombia; Mr. Shin Koyamada, CEO of Guardian Girls International; Ms. Nia Lyte, National Chair of KIF Colombia and President of GGI; Ms. Manuela Acosta, Co-Founder of Proyecto TransformándoNOS; and representatives from Colombia's Ministry of Sports and Ministry of Health. Their presence underscored the significance of this initiative in fostering empowerment, safety, and community for Colombian women.
Proyecto TransformándoNOS, co-founded by Manuela Acosta, is a Colombia-based initiative that leverages sports, especially soccer, to promote gender equality, build safe spaces, and empower women and girls. By combining athletics with leadership training, it addresses social inequalities and encourages community resilience and solidarity.