Introducing Grassroot Soccer’s 2024 Annual Report

Dear Friends,

Young people around the globe today are facing unprecedented health challenges. Globally, one in four adolescents are experiencing anxiety or depression, and in sub-Saharan Africa, the largest generation of young people in the world is 4x more likely to die from preventable causes (such as HIV, complications from teen pregnancy, and self-harm) than their peers in high-income countries.

At Grassroot Soccer (GRS), our team is working tirelessly to tackle these pressing and interconnected challenges. Through our soccer-based programs, our incredible team of Coaches are teaching young people life-saving health information in a way that is fun, active, and engaging – so young people want to participate and the lessons stick.

We’ve been honing this signature approach – informed by rigorous research and evaluation – for more than two decades. In 2024, we continued to innovate, scale the reach of our programs, and – most importantly – equip adolescents with the critical health knowledge, life skills, and support they need to thrive.

A Year of Impact and Growth

I’m proud to share this Annual Report, which highlights some of our achievements in 2024.

In this report, you can read about how, in 2024:

We reached nearly 2 million young people with life-saving health information, skills, mentorship, and services.

We continued to support adolescent mental health across our programs – and completed two critical evaluations that provide foundational evidence that our approach is leading to significant improvements in young people’s mental health knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and coping skills.

We expanded the reach of our innovative, phone-based Digital SKILLZ platform to more than 1.2 million adolescents and adults across 10 countries in Africa – connecting young people who otherwise wouldn’t have access to our in-person programs with vital health information in a fun and interactive digital format.

And we launched an exciting and vibrant new brand that reflects our commitment to the young people we serve and the unique ways in which our programs bring together soccer and health.

The Road Ahead

I’m so proud of the game-changing strides our organization made in 2024. But as I write this letter in 2025, it is with the sobering reality that our context today is different – and more challenging – than it was in 2024.

With nearly 50% of global health financing in Africa under threat, young people’s access to critical health services, life-saving medications and treatments, and more are at risk. These cuts threaten to reverse significant gains made in global health and cause more than 14 million extra deaths by 2030, according to The Lancet, casting a shadow of uncertainty and fear over the communities GRS serves.

In this current moment, the need for our work has never been greater. But when I look at the impact our programs had in 2024 – and the powerful stories of change I hear from our inspiring Coaches working to support young people in their communities each and every day – I’m filled with hope and belief.

Thank you for your ongoing commitment to our efforts. At GRS, we believe that soccer can change the world. Together, we’re Playing for Life.

With appreciation,

Thomas S. Clark, MD

CEO & Founder