From the Pitch to the Podium: Grassroot Soccer Champions Mental Health at the UN

In 1945, the United Nations (UN) Charter established the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) as one of the six organs of the UN aimed at advancing the three dimensions of sustainable development: Social, Economic, and Developmental. ECOSOC is a central platform for fostering debate and innovative thinking, forging consensus on a global way forward around solving key problems, and coordinating efforts to achieve internationally agreed-upon goals.

Last month, through the 2025 ECOSOC Youth Forum, Grassroot Soccer’s Kunda Mwitwa took to the UN floor in New York City to share a message on mental health from her perspective as a young person making change in Zambia. 

The Forum offers young people a visible platform to engage with UN member states, make their voices heard, and play a meaningful part in the global dialogue on key issues affecting the world. It also provides an opportunity to explore concrete actions and solutions proposed by young people to achieve the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Kunda, a Partnerships and Special Projects Coordinator at Grassroot Soccer and former SKILLZ Coach, is a member of the WHO Youth Advisory Committee. She was invited as a speaker at the Forum under the theme “Youth at the Forefront: Leveraging Science and Social Inclusion for Sustainable Development.” 

Kunda spoke at a session on SDG 3 (to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages) titled “Navigating Health: Adolescents and Youth in a Digital World.” This session explored youth perspectives on how the ongoing digital transformation of the world impacts adolescents’ health, including as it pertains to mental health, substance abuse, sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), gender equality, and overall well-being. It analyzed challenges and opportunities in the digital health landscape and highlighted youth-led solutions and innovations – including Grassroot Soccer. 

In her allotted time on the floor, Kunda spoke powerfully to highlight the work of Grassroot Soccer in supporting adolescent mental health, as well as the power of media in creating mental health awareness among young people. 

Read a transcript of her remarks below:

“There are several challenges that adolescents and young people are facing in Zambia and Africa at large. In sub-Saharan Africa, one out of every four adolescents experience poor mental health. And while social media offers creativity, it also brings different stressors, cyberbullying, and peer pressure. 

But at Grassroot Soccer, we’ve cracked the code. What is our intervention? We use the power of soccer to equip young people to learn about mental health in a fun and exciting way that breaks the stigma around mental health. 

Our approach is simple yet profound – empowering youth with knowledge, encouraging healthy social media use, and providing mentorship that supports both their mental and physical being through our SKILLZ programs. 

In addition to our in-person programming, we are also using the power of digital media through radio, podcasts, and [social media] influencers to amplify mental health messages and reach young people where they are. 

Together we are breaking down the stigma around mental health, fostering conversations that matter, and creating a generation of young leaders who are equipped to face the challenges of today and tomorrow – and ready to positively use social media. 

The journey is just starting. With the support of everyone in this forum, and the different member states, we will continue to provide support and make a lasting impact in the lives of adolescents through the Grassroot Soccer approach.”