Warsaw
Spirit
Whistle blows, the game begins! In Warsaw, Poland, the KLABU Mobile Clubhouse brings sports, connection, and joy directly to local communities and displaced people. Designed as a flexible sports and community hub on wheels, it offers refugees and locals a place to play and belong.
Meet Coach Ivan and Maxim, one of our younger community members, who help make sure everyone feels welcome at our activities.
In Warsaw, refugees face loneliness, stress and barriers to finding work and building community.
Since the full scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, more than 1 million Ukrainians have registered for temporary protection in Poland. Over 200,000 refugees now live in the Mazovia region, with around half of them in the capital, Warsaw. Ukrainians are not alone. People from Belarus, Russia, Afghanistan, Chechnya, Turkey, Moldova and Georgia are also seeking safety here.
With the Mobile Clubhouse, KLABU and our local partner Fundacja dla Wolności (Foundation for Freedom) can reach different neighbourhoods in and around the city. Through a regular activity program we provide a space for refugees and locals to play, build friendships, and foster a shared sense of belonging.
Meet Iza from our local team, making sure that the Mobile Clubhouse brings the fun to everyone
KLABU brings a splash of orange and positivity to Warsaw's neighbourhoods
At the heart of the project is the Mobile Clubhouse, a sports and community hub that travels to community hotspots, schools and refugee reception centres across Warsaw.
Following the successful pilot of a rolling clubhouse in Cox's Bazar refugee camp in Bangladesh, the Mobile Clubhouse travels to sports fields, community hotspots, schools and refugee reception centres across Warsaw and the wider Mazovia region. Wherever it parks, people find access to a sports library where they can borrow equipment, join a lively activity programme, watch live sports broadcasts on the clubhouse television, and simply hang out, relax and connect in a welcoming environment.
Run by a team of refugees and locals and led by a full-time Clubhouse Manager, the Warsaw Mobile Clubhouse will host activities such as football, volleyball, yoga and breathwork sessions. In cooperation with our project partner Adyen, we also plan to organise workshops focused on life skills and employability.
Over 5,000 refugees and locals are being reached by the programme within three years , supported by clear impact goals.
Wherever it goes, the Mobile Clubhouse creates a space filled with energy, play and shared growth. We focus on three impact goals:
- Improving mental health: regular sports activities help relieve stress, support wellbeing and strengthen resilience.
- Fostering connections between refugees and Polish host community members: shared games and training sessions create space for understanding, trust and meaningful encounters between newcomers and local residents.
- Creating a sense of belonging: through routine, teamwork and repeated interaction, refugees build a sense of home and connection in Warsaw.
The Warsaw Spirit brings football activities to neighbourhoods in Warsaw where refugees and local communities meet on the pitch.
KLABU collaborates with the Etnoliga, uniting around 700 players from refugee and host communities each year
We organise yoga sessions for women and girls in the Dębak reception centre for asylum seekers, bringing moments of joy and much-needed mental relief.
Coach Ivan from Belarus gets everyone moving
Our weekly football classes in Warsaw
Children queuing at the clubhouse to get their most popular sports items
Clubhouse agenda
At the Warsaw Spirit Mobile Clubhouse, everyone is welcome to come and join our weekly workouts and social activities.
Wednesday
14 October ’26
16:00
Football Training for Beginners
VII Jordan Garden, 21 Namysłowska Street, Warsaw
Thursday
15 October ’26
15:00
Activity Program – Open to Everyone
Dębak Reception Centre for Asylum Seekers
Friday
16 October ’26
15:00
Activity Program – Open to Everyone
Linin Refugee Centre
Saturday
17 October ’26
11:00
Football Training & English Lessons
VII Jordan Garden, 21 Namysłowska Street, Warsaw
This project is a team effort between KLABU, Foundation for Freedom, UNHCR and Adyen.
Foundation for Freedom has been bringing communities together in Warsaw for more than 20 years. Their multicultural football league, Etnoliga, unites around 700 players from refugee and host communities each year. UNHCR supports the project with on-the-ground expertise and guidance in this evolving context. Our partner Adyen supports the initiative both financially and through technical and strategic advice.
The program follows a three-year plan with the intention of being handed over to Foundation for Freedom after the project cycle.
- Fall/Winter 2026: set-up phase and pilot activities in Warsaw neighbourhoods.
- 2026/2027: full programme implementation with Foundation for Freedom.
- 2028: expansion of the programme, reaching thousands more participants.
- 2029 onwards: full handover to Foundation for Freedom, ensuring long-term sustainability.
If circumstances change, the Mobile Clubhouse can be relocated to another part of Poland, allowing the project to respond where it is needed most.
