THE IDEA

Mission

To send a large batch of colorful, good quality soccer balls to schools and villages in the African country of Sierra Leone.

Soccer is the most popular world sport and requires little else besides a ball, one good foot and a group of friends. The sport teaches children the importance of teamwork, so it can play an important part in a child’s physical and social development. To move the ball up the field, players pass the ball, which requires communicating. These types of cooperative activities develop a child's social abilities. Children who play soccer develop self-confidence and improved social skills. In the long run, kids that can be part of a good team can be part of a stronger society.

Everywhere you go in Africa you'll see young boys kicking around a football. Sometimes the ball will be made of plastic bags with string wrapped around it, sometimes it will be made of crumpled up paper. As long as it can be kicked, there will be a game. This kind of passion should be accompanied by good equipment to give kids the ability to excel.

How

This is a direct hand to hand, non profit donation system wherein soccer balls will be ordered wholesale through the company I (Jenny Kelpe) work for, Athletics Unlimited. They will be packaged and shipped directly to Dawson Jope and the Peace Corps office in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

What does my donation include?

For a flat $10 total you will be purchasing a good quality brightly colored soccer ball (color is your choice on the site) with $2 shipping included that will cover its voyage overseas. Depending on the popularity of this idea and the volume of balls purchased there could be a shortage or excess of shipping allocated money. In the case of a shortage, shipping costs will be covered by myself or my company to ensure that they make it to Africa, regardless. In the case of an excess, wherein so many balls are ordered that the money allocated exceeds the cost of shipping, all extra money will be donated directly to Peace Corps efforts in West Africa.

- If you would like to include a note to a child who will be receiving one of these soccer balls, it is most certainly welcomed. One of the Peace Corp’s efforts in Sierra Leone is teaching English to kids k-12 and reading your note in class would be another excellent way to help.

The Process

My dream for this project was to make it as personal as possible just short of being able to hand someone a soccer ball yourself. All kids should have the opportunity to participate in organize sports and playing in general. I wanted them to be colorful to be fun, easy to play with, and inspirational to kids.

A website will be set up to allow you to completely personalize your donation by selecting the color ball you wish to send and including a note to a prospective child.

After the balls have been delivered, the hope is to receive back photos and kid’s notes to post on the site for all who participated to see the direct result of their donation. In addition to them reading your letters in English, they will be practicing writing and drawing skills with their returned letters.

Wave 1 (AU Site)

· Depending on the success of this motion, we may open more waves progressively through the next year.

· Pre-Order Donation site (at the end of 1 month payment will be collected and all balls will be ordered to ship together.)

Wave 1 (squarespace)

· Orders will be placed and money collected immediately by me until the end of the month where I place the order to Champion Sports for all the balls to be delivered to Africa by Athletics Unlimited.

Things still needed

- Peace Corps final approval & safe mailing address

- Pictures from current volunteers of kids from their schools/villages

- What kind of site (direct, or pre-order) site to set up and cost of both