Zimbabwe Hosts Guardian Girls Karate Instructor’s Course
@WKF - Harare Hosts Guardian Girls Karate Activities, Marking the Programme’s Expansion in Africa
Twelve women from seven African countries—Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Africa, Mozambique, and Ethiopia—are participating in the Guardian Girls Karate Instructors’ Course currently taking place in Harare. Upon completion, all twelve participants will be certified to introduce and implement the Guardian Girls Karate programme in their respective home countries. This milestone will support the programme’s wider adoption across Africa and help establish a continental network of trained instructors equipped to deliver community-based training for women and girls.
The course is led by World Karate Federation (WKF) instructor Carol Grogan. During the opening sessions, participants examined the psychological dynamics of gender-based violence, alongside global and country-specific statistics highlighting its prevalence and impact. These discussions were followed by the programme’s first technical sessions, which integrate self-protection techniques with awareness, prevention, and risk-reduction strategies.
Guardian Girls Karate aims to equip women and girls with practical skills to respond more safely and confidently to situations of gender-based violence. Through accessible and structured karate-based training, the programme promotes empowerment, awareness, and personal protection at the community level.
The activities in Harare mark a significant step in the global expansion of Guardian Girls Karate. The initiative will continue on Thursday and Friday with the remaining sessions of the Instructors’ Course, alongside the official launch of the programme in Zimbabwe. The week will conclude with a presentation hosted at the residence of the Ambassador of Japan to Zimbabwe, highlighting international support for the programme and its mission.