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What We Do: Empower African youth through school and sports With Whom: Boys and girls in impoverished African schools who play soccer Where: Senegal How: Support school soccer teams Train players and coaches Transport donated equipment Organize tournaments Award scholastic prizes to all participants Supply schools with textbook grants Provide tuition assistance Identify & promote All-Star teams to higher league play Why: We see sport as an agent of development on par with education in Africa. We support youth soccer in Africa as a medium to enhance children’s confidence and leadership skills, promote teamwork, and contribute to a brighter future for Africa. Combining the benefits of soccer and schooling, Ball For All partners with African communities to improve opportunities for African schoolchildren.
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Dassilami Soce girls' team, Senegal 2005.
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Goooooaaaalll!
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Ball For All is a 501 (c) 3 charity that works with African children's soccer/football teams in urban and rural schools in west Africa. We partner with teachers, parents, students, and community leaders to sponsor school teams and provide tuition assistance, books, school supplies, uniforms, and soccer equipment for both girls' and boys' soccer teams. You can donate equipment and money to be earmarked for a specific program in Senegal or the Democratic Republic of Congo. We seek funds to pay tuition and school fees to send Africa children to school. For more ways to help, please visit our donate page. CONTACT US!
Ball For All
P.O. Box 4084
Louisville, KY 40204-4084
USA
Ball For All is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization.
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MORE ABOUT BALL FOR ALL'S MISSION
African schools are in crisis. They are overcrowded and lack basics such as electricity, lighting, ventilation, running water, toilets, and learning materials. Students have limited access to textbooks, writing utensils, notebooks, and other supplies. Underpaid, undereducated, overworked teachers are expected to educate despite these seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Needless to say, student achievement levels on national tests are low. National governments are overwhelmed with the demand for schooling, and the system is malfunctioning.
The number of students enrolled in African schools continues to increase as more and more communities see the merits of education as a means to rise above wrenching poverty. With the skills children gain from sports and education, the leadership vacuum afflicting Africa can be filled by a capable and empowered next generation.
This is where Ball For All enters the picture. We work with African communities to assess their specific educational and sports needs and share the costs of addressing those needs with them. In this way we feel we can afect a tiny bit of hope in an increasingly challenging environment.
What is Sport for Development?
The following excerpt addresses the importance of sport in development. We feel it well captures how effective this medium can be in affecting positive change in African communities. As well, it addresses our fundamental belief that all are entitled to play.
"Sport for Development evolved out of the growing evidence that strengthening the right of children to play enhances their healthy development and builds stronger communities. Sport is now recognized by many as an effective tool in the pursuit of development and peace including international experts in the fields of development, education, health, sport, economic and conflict resolution.
"Sport and play also serve as tools to teach important values and life skills including self confidence, teamwork, communication, inclusion, discipline, respect and fair play. Sport also has psychological benefits such as reducing depression and improving concentration.
"Sport has a positive impact on child education. Physical education typically improves a child’s ability to learn, increases concentration, attendance and overall achievement. Children learn better when they are having fun and being active.
"The skills and values learned through sport and play are especially important for girls, given that they have fewer opportunities than boys for social interaction outside the home. Through sport girls are given the chance to be leaders, improve their self-confidence and self-esteem, acquire new interpersonal links and access new opportunities.
"Sport is a catalyst for economic development of communities and nations. Training of coaches and physical education teachers leads directly to jobs; sport events can have significant economic impact; and sport manufacturing can be a low resource economic activity.
"Sport brings people together and has the potential to cross boundaries and open new dialogue. Many of the core values of sport parallel those necessary for peace, such as respect, justice and honesty.
--from Right to Play, an international organization focused on granting underprivileged kids the "right to play".
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