The Kenya-based Horn of Africa Development Initiative (HODI) has won the Fifa 2018 Diversity Award.

HODI was given the award on Sunday in London "for their work empowering adolescent girls through football."

Noor Abdulkadir of HODI said, "This award is an important recognition... it means the work we are doing is important and it gives a lot of confidence to young women in northern Kenya that we are on the right track and puts the wind behind our sails."

FIFA commended HODI for using "the power of football to combat social barriers while fostering safety."

The group works closely with schools and supports adolescent girls on empowerment programmes. It also shares information on life skills and creates a safe space for the girls to learn and play football.

The HODI flagship programme Shoot to Score helps to prevent young children from being forced into ethnic rivalry and conflict, providing safe spaces for learning a culture of non-violence through football.

The FIFA Diversity award was inaugurated in 2015 and is now deliberated upon annually by a jury who consider applications from across the world.