who we are

Effort Over Environment Collective (EOE) is a South London based non-profit organisation established to equip girls and women with the skills, confidence, and opportunities needed to thrive within the football industry and beyond with a culturally competent approach.

Founded by Esther Elias at just 16, a year into recovering from a tibial osteotomy that ended her dream of becoming a professional player, EOE is grounded in lived experience and intersectionality, born from a desire to change the narrative in a game where women of colour remain underrepresented at every level.

With only 24.5% of directors in the Women’s Super League and Championship being women, and just 9.7% of players coming from Black, Asian, or minority ethnic backgrounds, including only 0.3% South Asian representation, EOE exists to rewrite what inclusion looks like, using real stories to inspire resilience, redefine possibility, and reimagine who gets to belong in the game.

ABOUT OUR FOUNDER

Our VALUES

  • We lead with lived experience and cultural competency to amplify voices as they are.

  • We acknowledge the intersectional factors that often limit girls and women.

  • We believe it takes a village to create change, we do this by building together with schools, communities and businesses.

  • We believe in effort as a driver for transformation.

  • We embrace storytelling as a tool for change.

what we do

The EOE Collective is built on community, culture, and collaboration.
We create environments where girls and women can thrive — whether on the pitch, behind the camera, or in the boardroom.

PREVIOUS PROJECTS

  • We connect young women to role models, career pathways, and industry access through workshops, mentoring, and skill-building sessions helping them turn passion into purpose.

  • We use football as a vehicle for confidence, community, and growth championing physical and mental wellbeing through play, teamwork, and safe spaces.

  • We celebrate lived experiences through creative storytelling, highlighting the journeys of girls and women in football to inspire the next generation and challenge limiting narratives.

AS FEATURED

  • CHELSEA FC COMMUNITY CHAMPION

    Founder Esther Elias, is celebrated as a Chelsea's Community Champion, for her grassroots work with the Effort Over Environment Collective.

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  • TALK MORE THAN FOOTBALL

    Chelsea's 'Talk More Than Football' initiative champions mental health awareness, encouraging conversations that go beyond the pitch.

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  • NO MORE RED CAMPAIGN

    Arsenal's 'No More Red' campaign stands against youth knife crime, promoting safe spaces and opportunities through football and mentorship.

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  • SOCCER AID 2024

    Recognised as a Community Champion with Soccer Aid for her commitment to driving positive change and supporting local communities through football.