Kickabout: Africa 2010

See you in 2014!

2011-01-24T09:32:00.000-08:00

Kickabout: Africa 2010 was a huge success, and we are beyond thankful to everyone who made it possible. It was an amazing experience; we learned so much, tried so many new things, and met so many incredible people.

To the kids and the coaches who showed us a face of Africa too often overlooked...we are humbled and honored to know you. You will be with us everywhere we go from this day on.

We were overwhelmed with the response Kickabout received everywhere we went, and to our friends, family, fellow adventurers, and the beautiful people who never hesitated to give us a helping hand and pat on the back....

Shukran! Amesege' nallo'! Asante sana!
Murakoze! Zikomo! Kea leboga!
Ngiyabonga! Enkosi!

Thank You!

If you would like to get more information about Kickabout and our plans for 2014 and beyond, please contact Brian at brian@thekickabout.org.

The Countdown to South America begins now!

Nhkata Bay, Malawi

2010-07-10T08:49:00.000-07:00

After the inspiring Rwanda excursion and exhausting sprint through southern Tanzania, we were ready to slow the pace, check out a few projects, and soak up the beauty of Lake Malawi. The mad dash through Tanzania (as well as adjusting our schedule and not going to Burundi and through western TZ) had recovered a few of the days we lost in Kenya (due to our engine problems).

With a couple of site visits on the books, our plans for Malawi were the best laid of mice and men.

Well, T.I.A. This is Africa.

Logistical misfires meant we did not get a chance to visit with Grassroot Soccer or Coaches Across Continents projects. But football always nearby, even if the pitch we play on features two massive trees at midfield. Unfortunately, we missed the weekly match between travelers “Mizungu United” and the community team. Next time. We spent four days in Nhkata Bay and Nkhotakota, exploring the area, kicking about, and meeting the wonderful people of Malawi. Here are a few highlights:

After a couple of dips in the cool waters of Lake Malawi, an Eli-eagle-watching excursion, hikes up Bungulu hill, and some hearty bartering with local tradesmen, we were ready to get on to Zambia and the final legs of Kickabout: Africa 2010. While we did not conduct any formal visits, we learned a lot about education in Malawi, the popularity of football, and the growing anticipation of the FIFA World Cup.

Big Kickabout thanks to Mayoka Village and Butterfly Lodge - two great socially-responsible places to stay around Nhkata Bay.

IDYDC (Iringa, Tanzania)

2010-06-23T11:24:00.000-07:00

14th May, 2010 (Iringa, Tanzania) – It’s a cool and breezy afternoon here in Iringa and after two straight days in the car from Kigali, Rwanda, we are excited to visit the Zinduka Kapetia Soka Program (Wake Up Through Soccer). Thirty boys and girls, ages 10-14, gather for a little warm-up game before moving into the HIV/AIDS awareness games. They come from the Mkwawa area here in urban Iringa twice a week to learn about HIV/AIDS through the Grassroot Soccer curriculum administered by local coaches. The games are familiar to us. They are the same as we had seen in Nairobi; a testament to the Grassroot Soccer training.

This particular group has been together for three years, and we can see that they care for one another. Today’s lesson focuses on importance of testing; emphasizing that it is the only way to determine if someone has HIV/AIDS. Also addressed are many of the myths that are floating around their community about how HIV/AIDS is contracted.

One of the girls mentions that people in her community believe that if you wear clothes of someone who is HIV positive, “you will catch it through the fabric.” The other children smile and nod in agreement. They are an enthusiastic bunch and most are active participants in the group discussion. We, in turn, wonder how this compares to their participation levels in the classroom. At the end of the four year program, they are tested on their HIV knowledge and then graduate with the hopes that they will not only make good life decisions, but also become youth leaders in their families and communities.

The Zinduka project is one of many in an organization called Iringa Development of Youth, Disabled and Children Care (IDYDC). Established in 1991, IDYDC’s first focus was on providing education, shelter, medical care, and food for orphans, street children, and disadvantaged youth. Support and drop out centers were quickly established in all seven districts of Iringa. Four vocational training schools provide children who fail or drop out of school with skills in carpentry, tailoring, masonry, batik making, gardening, beekeeping, and small farming.

IDYDC’s perpetual “what next” approach led them to create a microfinance program to provide a perfect stepping stone for the educated children and their families. It enables them to submit small business proposals and receive soft loans, putting education to work and responsibility on the shoulders of the youths themselves. The interest generated by the loans provides scholarship money for those that cannot afford to pay for secondary school education. Currently, IDYDC is developing a regional radio program. It will provide a practical method to transmit information about available support programs as well as a means to educate a large amount of people on current health issues at a very low expenditure.

IDYDC’s move to take preventative measures led to their awareness campaign that focused on HIV/AIDS, but later extended to health and sanitation, civic and voting education, alcohol and substance abuse, and family planning. This is where Grassroot Soccer and sport, mostly football and netball, is most valuable. Today they are able to reach communities through both schools and the 700 teams they formed. Coaches are trained as master peer educators, and the players become peer to peer educators in their communities. And it is the hope that the children we are spending the day with take on that role upon the conclusion of this program.

After about one hour, the children are visibly antsy…they know it’s almost time for free play, which means football time. True to their body language, within 30 seconds of the coach’s last word the group separates. The boys have Liverpool v Barcelona on one pitch while the girls are on another, standing in a circle passing the football around with their hands. It is clear they are a little more comfortable playing netball than football. We jump in to challenge the girls with a little football and they respond with shrieks of laughter and bursts of quickness as they chase the ball around the pitch. They don’t have technical skills, but they certainly have the desire and athleticism to play.

Just a short distance away the boys are intensely serious about their game, neither team wanting to defend, yet they are willing to chase any player with the ball the entire length of the pitch. When the games end, everyone is smiling. And after an unnecessary ‘thank you’ to the Kickabout team, the children leave the pitch in bunches - arms around each other.

Iringa raises some important questions about HIV/AIDS rates. The rate here has been slowly climbing since 2003. The 2007 numbers showed that this region was at 15.7% while the next highest region was Mara at 7.7%. IDYDC’s objectives are to increase awareness of HIV/AIDS, address stigma related issues, and teach life skills to youth between the ages of 6-24. Ideally, as the organization achieves their goals, more people will be educated about HIV/AIDS. Is it that Iringa has the highest rate of HIV in Tanzania, or have they been more successful in educating their region such that more people have taken responsibility to get tested?

For more information on IDYDC please visit www.idydc.or.tz or email idydc42@hotmail.com.

Agahozo Shalom (Rwanda)

2010-06-18T10:12:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, no further explanation is necessary.

During our quick visit to Rwanda, we stop by Agahozo Shalom Youth Village (ASYV) just outside of Kigali. There we sat down with Innocent and asked him about life at Agahozo Shalom, a residential school for children orphaned by the 1994 Genocide and HIV/AIDS.

Modeled after the Yemin Orde Youth Village, created in 1953 to care for orphans of the Holocaust, Agahozo Shalom “provides opportunities for children to study, grow, and develop into adults who have the ability and desire to become contributing members of society.” The ASYV is a self-sustaining, independent, special project of The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee. Inc. (JDC)’s non-sectarian International Development Program.

To learn more, visit Agahozo Shalom Youth Village at http://www.agahozo-shalom.org/.

Rwanda 16 Years Later

2010-05-19T05:20:00.000-07:00

Kigali, Rwanda - Crossing from Tanzania at Rusumo Falls, Rwanda announces its arrival with authority. Sharp climbs up impeccably maintained roads play the role of welcome mat in the Land of a Thousand Hills. It is a simply gorgeous landscape, and you understand immediately an old Rwandan saying, “God is everywhere, but Rwanda is God’s home.” But sixteen years ago, Rusumo Falls would have triggered much different sentiments.

The bridge at Rusumo Falls is a haunting place for those that know the history of the 1994 Genocide. It was here that 500,000 Rwandans fled into Tanzania to escape 100 days of unimaginable bloodshed. While thousands crossed the bridge seeking refuge, the bodies of those less fortunate floated by in the rapids below. The bridge would be nondescript if not for its unfortunate status as an iconic symbol of the Rwandan Genocide. Short, yellow, narrow (but a wonderful piece of scenery), it is hard, if not impossible, to imagine one of the greatest travesties in human history occurring at places like Rusumo Falls.

Two days later, we take a walk up to Nyamarambo Stadium in Kigali to see the quarter-finals of the MTN Peace Cup, an annual knock-out cup competition between all the football clubs in Rwanda (like the FA Cup or US Open Cup). Today’s match pits Araco Sport versus Entilles FC; the former club known as the “taxi men” because it is a team of/for the matatus (mini-bus taxis). The small stadium has a ‘FieldTurf’ pitch and is pleasantly framed by the surrounding hills and neighborhoods. The crowd is sparse (we later learn that the match is free after the second half kickoff – so most casual fans just wait) but the small group of supporters are boisterous and loyal to the cause. The quality of football is poor, as it is throughout east Africa unfortunately. Yet, there is a massive spirit about the game; a fact illustrated by the full-blooded tackles by everyone on the pitch and the occasional spat between a few rival fans sitting not too far from us. Rwandan football is alive and kicking.

Watching Entilles put several goals past the hapless Araco goalkeeper; we reflect on our trip to the Genocide Memorial the day before and wonder about how football has (or has not) played a role in Rwanda’s remarkable resurgence.

Sitting on a hillside near downtown, the Kigali Genocide Memorial is a living sanctuary complete with museum exhibits, memorial gardens, mass graves, and an education center. Understated and soft, the grounds are dignified and stoic and force you to take pause before entering the main building. Taking a moment to collect your thoughts is a good idea because the Memorial pulls no punches. Just in case we were not fully prepared, we notice Rwandans and foreigners all exiting the building in tears or shocked silence. The Genocide Memorial is in a word, unforgettable.

Within the winding tour, you learn about the omens leading up to and the lack of response by the international community to the 1994 Genocide. You meet survivors and hear their stories. You see the remains the artifacts of those that perished. Rwanda’s schism and path to destruction is laid before you with simplistic brilliance. On the second floor an exhibit called “Lost Futures” eulogizes the children who “might have been national heroes.” Bernardin Kambanda was a clever 17-year old who loved football. He was killed with a machete in a church in Nyamata. 10-year old David Mugiraneza wanted to be a doctor, loved making people laugh, and played a many game of football. His final words before being tortured to death were, “UNAMIR (United Nations Mission in Rwanda) will come for us.” The list goes on. And on.

The Rwanda Genocide claimed the lives of almost 1,000,000 men, women and children. More than that were raped and tortured. 2,000,000 fled their homes to Tanzania, Burundi, Uganda and Congo. In 1994, Rwanda’s population was 7,000,000. The genocide lasted just 100 days.

The Kickabout team remembers the summer of 1994 because of the first FIFA World Cup to take place in the United States. Sweltering heat at Giants Stadium, the Argentina-Netherlands match in Dallas, the horrific “denim” jerseys worn by the Americans, and the Colombia own goal that lead to murder. It was the summer soccer arrived in the U.S. of A. While the rest of the world played, Rwanda bled.

Sixteen years later, and we are here to celebrate the FIFA World Cup in Africa for the first time. We find ourselves in Rwanda and bear witness to her amazing recovery and reconstruction. You wander the streets of Kigali and it is impossible to imagine the roadblocks, the murdering hordes, the panic of those destined to die. While the scars are still visible, so is Rwanda’s progress. We absolutely love it here.

Perhaps that’s why football being just football feels so right. It’s just a game because that’s what Rwanda needs – to play, to have fun, to win, to lose, to put in strong tackles, to get up and try again. After the match, the winning team’s supporters roll through town in the back of pick-ups singing, honking, blowing horns, waving flags, and chanting songs of victory. This is not an uncommon scene anywhere in the world. But sixteen years ago, such a scene symbolized the brutal violence that engulfed this beautiful land and its beautiful people.

My, how times have changed.

Meresani Snake Park

2010-05-19T04:45:00.000-07:00

From Martin’s Cozy Place (Addis Abba, Ethiopia) to Mayoka Village (Nkhata Bay, Malawi), Kickabout has squatted, camped, invaded, and crashed in places throughout east Africa. Some have been pretty posh (Utengule Coffee Lodge in Mbeya, Tanzania) while others have been less so (Mzoozoozoo in Mzuzu, Malwai). We have yet to meet an unfriendly innkeeper, and for the most part, we’ve made new friends at every stop. One type of place, however, has really earned our respect and future business: the “Drink for Charity” Lodge.

Just outside of Arusha, Tanzania (30km west) you can find Meserani Snake Park. Run by Ma and BJ for the last 18 years, Snake Park is a wild compound composed of campgrounds, a legendary bar, a mechanics’ shop and the best collection of poisonous snakes we’ve ever seen. There’s a $5 entrance fee to see the snakes, birds, crocodiles, and turtles – but the camping is free.

The kitchen is limited, but the bar is fully stocked with beer and liquor. The bar and ‘zoo’ alone is worth a stop, but what puts Snake Park on Kickabout’s “Top Places to Stay” list is its connection to the local Maasai community.

Overland travelers like a good drink. And they know that good drinks are not solitary creatures and enjoy company, especially other good drinks. And the Kickabout crew is nothing if not loyal and well-trained overland travelers. So when we learned that proceeds from Ma’s Bar at Snake Park funded local community projects, we turned our affinity for cold beer into funds for a cultural museum, ladies’ craft market, health clinic, and classroom construction project. Talk about a return on investment!

The Maasai Cultural Museum and Ladies’ Craft Market sits just outside the gates of Snake Park. A local Maasai warrior takes you on a tour of the museum and, for a small fee, on a Maasai walk to learn more about Maasai culture today. (If you fancy a camel ride, they have those too.) Fifteen families own their own shops at the craft market where you can buy wood carvings, jewelry, bowls, fabrics, etc. While the prices are higher than what you can find on the side-of-the-road stalls, the proceeds from this market enable the women to make a decent living and pay for their kids' education.

There is also a medical clinic that treats 800-1000 patients a month. Free of charge. Medicines are purchased by Snake Park via our early afternoon soda, our happy hour cold beers, and our whiskey night cap. Ma’s watering hole also pays for the construction of new water wells. A couple of years ago, BJ led the drilling of a new borehole to alleviate the water needs of nearby Eluai Village. The resulting well produces 4800 liters per hour, enough for Eluai and neighboring Emerete Village. Other projects include building new classrooms to ease the overcrowding in the local primary and secondary schools and hopefully, a home for children orphaned by AIDS.

When we asked Ma about how/why they decided to run their business like this, she said, “When we got here 18 years ago, there was nothing. We just wanted to make a decent living and help out. We don’t want to live like royalty while the neighbors suffer. If a tiny portion of the tourist money goes to making this place a bit better…why would we not do it.”

Cheers to that, Ma. We’ll have one more.

Visit Meserani Snake Park

To contact Meserani Snake Park: mailto:%20snakepark@habari.co.tz

Alive & Kicking

2010-05-11T10:58:00.000-07:00

Have you ever donated or been asked to collect soccer balls to send to a community or organization in Africa?

Kickabout would like to introduce you to Alive & Kicking, a Kenyan organization that makes soccer balls created entirely with Kenyan resources. Hand-stitched by artisans, made with local rubber, and designed to be easily repaired (as the rough 'pitches' tend to rip through our mzungu footballs with ease), Alive & Kicking is wonderful example of a holistic approach to sport for development.

Learn more at www.aliveandkicking.org.uk

The Ball and Special Olympics

2010-05-03T22:32:00.000-07:00

During our Nairobi ‘staycation,’ we got the chance to meet up with our good friends at Spirit of Football and The Ball. For the last three FIFA World Cups, a single football makes its way from the birthplace of organized football to the biggest sporting event on the planet. This is The Ball.

On every journey to the World Cup, many thousands of ordinary people make direct contact with The Ball, whether by chance in the street or by attending events, playing with it, signing it and helping it along its way. The Ball brings the World Cup closer to people who wouldn’t otherwise experience it first hand.

At the same time, The Ball introduces its audience to the great work that its partners are doing — and shows them the vibrant cultures of the places it visits.

Everyone is invited to play.

The Ball 2010 is made by the not-for-profit Alive & Kicking in Kenya. The Ball is visiting Special Olympics projects in Africa, meeting their athletes, coaches and supporters, playing many games of Unified Football and helping to break down negative stereotypes about the intellectually disabled.

A simple idea. A simple game. A wonderful group of guys. An awesome Ball.

Kickabout visited Alive& Kicking, where The Ball was created. More on that soon.

Carolina For Kibera

2010-04-23T21:06:00.000-07:00

Kibera, Nairobi – 14 April 2010.

Southwest of downtown Nairobi, a 2.5 square kilometer area is home to the second largest slum on the continent of Africa. Kibera is our destination today, and we are wondering how a game – yes, the biggest and best game on the planet – could make an impact here. This is a place where a good day is when your biggest challenge is the odor of raw sewage running through the mud-paths.

How can a two-hour training session make a difference?

Ten years ago, Tabitha Atieno Festo, a registered nurse in Kibera, received a $26 grant from University of North Carolina undergrad Rye Barcott. Her plan was to start a vegetable stand. A year later, Rye founded Carolina for Kibera (CFK) and returned to Kibera to start a youth sports program. He was beyond shocked to find Rye Clinic, a community health clinic created by Tabitha from the profits of her vegetable stand. Today, Rye Clnic is now called Tabitha Medical Clinic (renamed after Tabitha’s death in 2004), and it is a hallmark of the Carolina For Kibera (CFK) initiative.

We arrive at Kibera by matatu, a local bus, and walk into the bowels of the slum to find an impressively clean and modern three-story medical clinic. It’s almost impossible to describe how out-of-place this place seems here. Kibera is house of tin cards; a maze of row huts, make-shift shops, knotted power lines, and people. The muddy, garbage ridden pathways are accessible only on foot, and after a downpour the entire area can be a mysophobe’s worst nightmare. We enter the compound and immediately wonder about security. There are computers, benches, labs, and televisions. Our question is met with a smile from Dr. Henry Njenga Njuguna, one of the chief doctors on site and our guide today. Security is not an issue because the community has embraced and recognized the importance of Tabitha Clinic.

The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have partnered with CFK in order to research causes of morbidity in Kibera through a consensual surveillance program. In turn, the community receives free healthcare and treatment at Tabitha Clinic. Patients seeking care who do not want to participate are charged a small fee. Each day between 200 and 300 patients are seen, and around 30,000 people are involved in the surveillance program. Though it may seem like a large number of Kibera residents are served by Tabitha clinic, estimates of the total population of the slum vary from 600,000 to 1.2 million inhabitants. Dr. Njuguna knows that he has a huge challenge here in Kibera, where the HIV rate is over 50% higher than the national average.

“You see, there is the stigma attached to HIV. People would simply rather not know.”

CFK’s trained staff goes door to door and engages the families in the privacy of their own homes to provide testing and counseling. Surprisingly, we learn that the highest modes of HIV transmission are through married couples, and it represents 40% of new cases.

“Our main health issues here in Kibera are HIV, abortion related problems, tuberculosis, pneumonia, malaria, and simple hygiene. By far…ignorance is our biggest obstacle.”

We leave a bustling Tabitha Clinic to play a little afternoon football with boys and girls in CFK’s Youth Sports Program. Along with Tabitha Clinic and the sports program, CFK also has the Binti Pamoja (Daughter’s Unite) Center, a reproductive health and women’s rights center for girls ages 11-18, and Taka Ni Pato (Trash is Cash) program, a waste management system that maximizes reusable materials and creates jobs for Kibera youth.

As we hike back up to the matatu stop after a fun football session, we reflect on the inspiration that started CFK and what it means in terms of the bigger picture. Tabitha was a Kibera native with a desire and more importantly, a plan to strengthen her community. She started something that has become community run, and thus community owned. No one knows what Kibera needs better than the people who live there.

With that said, perhaps one of the girls from our session today is the next Tabitha.

Click here to learn more about Carolina For Kibera

Coaches Across Continents and VAP

2010-04-22T06:35:00.000-07:00

On a stretch of dirt near the Air Force Landing Grounds, the local and global faces of sport for development meet for a day of football and sharing. Coaches Across Continents is working with Vijana Amani Pamoja (“Youth Together with Peace”) to enhance VAP’s HIV/AIDS and TB education programs.

Along with Andy Old and Anna Rodenbough, Nick Gates weaves lessons about taking care of your body, being smart, and working hard into soccer-centered games and drills. Nick stresses the importance of fun and laughter, his team works closely with VAP Coaches to promote a more hand-on, interactive teaching style.

He’s serious when he says that “smiles per hour” is a metric Coaches Across Continents uses to measure success. Here in the Eastlands, there is a lot of success. Tons.

Vijana Amani Pamoja is a local football club and sport for development organization. Ten years ago, Enouce Ndeche decided to harness the popularity of the club (formerly called CASL) and its players to promote HIV/AIDS awareness in the Eastlands slums. He partnered with Grassroot Soccer to implement GRS’ HIV/AIDS education program and recruited VAP players and coaches to dedicate their time to working young people in Nairobi. Seventeen of his staff of twenty are volunteers. All of them are footballers, with most playing for VAP’s youth and top-flight teams.

At another Coaches Across Continents session, we sit with a few coaches and ask how (or why) they manage to volunteer so many hours when they still have to make a living, pay rent, buy food, and, in some cases, take care of their children.

Elli continues to work with VAP even after completing his degree in Business. “When the other guys in my neighborhood see me in my (VAP) shirt, they are envious. They know I’m doing something with my life and avoiding getting into bad things. I love being a role model.” Former VAP participant and current coach Eddie tells us that before he got involved with VAP he was shy and not very sure of himself. Now? “I can stand proud in front of a large group and teach them football and about life. It’s so great.” Around the group, the stories mirror each other. Everyone of them would like to do this as a paying job (and some do get a small stipend), but they are committed to making sure the kids of Eastlands living long and healthy lives.

“It’s what makes us such great friends. We all believe in this work.”

We see that dedication in action a few days later at a “Mbrembo” picnic in Uhuru Park in downtown Nairobi. Swahili for beautiful (when speaking about a female), Mbrembo is a VAP program that “reveals the inner beauty of girls through sport.” Nancy created Mbremba after she joined VAP and noticed that there was not a girl’s team at the club. She decided to start her own so that she could reach out to young girls and talk about issues like reproductive health, life choices, unwanted/early pregnancies and child survival, abortion, and abuse.

About twenty girls (along with some boys from the same neighborhood) come out to the picnic and get a chance to play a few of the games the coaches learned from Nick, Andy, and Anna. It’s obvious that Coaches Across Continents made an impact; all of the coaches are constantly engaging and encouraging the kids to think, be strong, and be safe. Lorrie sits down with the girls to talk about life as a female athlete. Nancy hopes this will inspire the girls come out more frequently. She mentions how difficult it is to get girls to come out to training during the week. On top of their school work, most girls have a long list of chores to do each day. While there isn’t the same stigma attached to girls playing football as we noticed in other Kickabout stops, most people do not see football as something that can really help girls. It’s a distraction. VAP respectfully disagrees, and Nancy is here to show that football can be a powerful tool for empowering girls and young women.

“I want the girls to see that being a good football player means being strong, dedicated, healthy, and smart. When they are good footballers, they are strong women. Strong women make good choices for themselves and their family.”

Click here to learn more about Vijana Amani Pamoja and Coaches Across Continents

North Horr Saves

2010-04-17T22:14:00.000-07:00

Every Easter, Catholics around the world affirm their belief that their savior gave his life so that their sins would be forgiven. Bless us Father for we have sinned. Team Kickabout worked our Beloved Warthog to the limit, sending her spiraling into a coma for an indefinite amount of time. So, this Easter, Team Kickabout’s saviors came in the form of a trinity of a different dogma: the Father, the sun, and our persisting spirit.

Our Father who art in Northern Kenya, Antony be his name, is the residing priest of the Catholic Mission of North Horr and the surrounding area. A German man of the church, he has officiated here for the last 13 years. This Holy Wednesday, his mission was to say mass in the remote village of Gaas and to rescue the four mzungus stranded just outside the village, delivering them to a place of safety and assistance. This is how Kickabout came to know North Horr and the Catholic Mission.

The Catholic Mission of North Horr is a place where more than just the marooned seek refuge and guidance. In a town where unemployment rates are high and job opportunities are low, people find strength in their community and their faith. They have invested deeply in this parish and family activities center on the church. Younger members band together to form the Catholic Mission’s youth group. Grade level Standard 8 is a required prerequisite to join the youth group, making membership a reward for education and also ensuring that the group members are active thinkers well on their way to becoming contributing members of society.

These kids take their duties to their parish very seriously, leading the choir at every mass and serving as role models to smaller, on looking churchgoers. In addition to their weekly commitments, they also preach in nearby Christian communities during school breaks and attend to the sick and impoverished as needed. When asked why the Mission is important to the up and coming generations of North Horr, Stephen says, “We come here because it helps us realize our faith and to live in faith.”

These teens are living in both faith and understanding. In a mature initiative wise beyond their years, the group promotes harmony between the Christians and Muslims of North Horr, a symbiotic collective unique to this part of the world. From time to time, they host united, interfaith meetings between local youth to discuss both perspectives and apply them to issues facing the town. Naturally, Team Kickabout suggested that the town’s kids meet outside of these formal symposiums to hang out and play some footy (of course the Kickabouters offered to demonstrate as well, playing a pick-up game on Easter Sunday afternoon). If you’d like additional information about the Catholic Mission of North Horr and how you too can help promote understanding across faiths, please contact info@thekickabout.org.

So, Team Kickabout was fortunate enough to spend this holy weekend in observation of the Mission and its faithful, but what of this bizarre aforementioned trinity? While we got to know the good people of North Horr, we witnessed an Easter miracle: four days of sunshine during the rainy season. All of these strong, powerful rays meant that we were granted good roads for our journey to Nairobi. The Father’s gracious aid partnered with ideal driving conditions and our unrelenting tenacity to forge ahead allowed us to plow onward towards Nairobi.

A River Runs Through Us

2010-04-15T03:35:00.000-07:00

Ethiopia from Elias Sinkus on Vimeo.

After we recovered the vehicle we waited for rescue and after a couple of days we transported the car to a small town called North Horr. After a week of negotiation, we were able to transport the car 600 km to Nairobi where it will be repaired. The trip was the Kenyan version of “Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride” as we clung on top of a lorry on some of the worst roads ever conceived by man.

We are now safely in Nairobi and, while here, we will visit with Coaches Across Continents, and Vijana Amani Pamoja.

Stay tuned for the stories!

Breaking News

2010-04-11T01:44:00.000-07:00

18 days after leaving Addis, we finally arrived safe and (somewhat) sound in Nairobi!

We are putting together some great stories, adventures, videos and pics - but here is a quick preview:

A Flooded Room in Halabra;
Hippos and Crocs in Arba Minch;
Mursi Village in Jinka;
Bush Camping in a Lighting Storm in northern Kenya;
Car Breaks Down in a River;
4 Days with Father Anthony in North Horr;
Towed to 800 km Nairobi mechanic;
Base camp set up at Jungle Junction;

In between it all, we have played some football, held impromptu coaching sessions, watched Champions League and EPL matches in local entertainment halls, and made some incredible new friends.

We'll get details and visuals up soon!

Sport - The Bridge

2010-03-26T09:03:00.000-07:00

Addis Ababa – They come up to our car at stoplights, selling anything from water to plastic flowers. The street children have their own society. There is an understood hierarchy among this group that prevents much fighting among each other, and everyday is about finding food and shelter. There is another option that Sport The Bridge offers, but it is voluntary, and the boys that choose to be here are expected to take personal responsibility for the direction their lives take for the next formative years.

On a government owned plot of land, Sport The Bridge has been able to run their program designed to reintegrate the street boys first with their families and then into school. In the first year of the four year program, the boys come every weekday from 8am-3:30pm. The curriculum is designed to change social behavior through sport and group discussion, with plenty of opportunity to learn discipline and structure. The teachers follow a Swiss developed program called KRAFT Model Programs. Over the course of the program five topics are covered: body, rules, acceptance, fairness, and team. When one topic is completed, the boys are taken to some public institution to further enhance their understanding. For example, after two months of learning about the body, the boys are taken to a hospital to meet doctors and patients.

The boys are integrated back into their families as soon as possible, and the families are encouraged to support the boys in their social and educational development. After the first year, the boys are then integrated into the school system. Sport The Bridge provides uniforms and books, and also follows their school and family progress over the next three years. During this second phase the program is three days a week and the boys are expected to demonstrate the five pillars during sports activities. Of course, everyone’s favorite is football, and we are welcome guests in this respect.

We arrive to 50 or so boys doing a 15 minute Chi Gong session. It is Friday…football day, and the topic these first year kids have been learning is acceptance. We play a game where half of the boys are weaving through a human circle. At the whistle, the people on the circle close the circle by extending their arms. If a runner is touched by any part of the human circle, he is eliminated and must sit in the middle of the circle. At the first whistle it is apparent that cheating and arguing is not uncommon. And though the discussion afterward elicits some very thoughtful reflections from the boys, it all seems like lip service as we move into the football matches. There are complete meltdowns, whining, crying, screaming at each other; I even have to pry a boys hand off of a teammate’s throat and by the look on his face, the intention is not simply to hurt.

It is naïve to think that rolling a football out to a bunch of street-hardened kids is going to change behavior. Furthermore, this is one environment where the boys can express themselves emotionally. Seeing the boys in complete breakdown mode presents an overwhelmingly uphill battle for Sport The Bridge. There is nothing to prevent them from going back to their street life at any point over the four year program.

This is Yonas Mindaye’s challenge. He is the Deputy Manager of Sport here and after five years of teaching elementary school, he wanted to work with these boys. “The best thing is giving them love and seeing their changes in school, family, and life.”

It is difficult to imagine until we talk to the boys about their lives and families. Zirhun Assefa is 15 years old, and the only boy whose compassion towards others visibly stood out. On the street he carried things for people to earn food and shelter money. He was on the street for seven months and joined the program because he wanted to return home but was afraid that his family would not take him back. He now spends every night at home with his aunt and two cousins.

When we ask him why he is so caring of the other boys, he says that he doesn’t really realize that he is doing anything special. “I think it is a good thing and I like to keep their morals.” He tells us that he is eager to start school because he wants to be the first in his class.

Zirhun is beyond his years, and like the boys we met in the second phase of the program, football did not elicit any volatile behavior. Clearly a year in the program makes a huge difference. But it takes time, patience, and an occasional ejection.

Today Gashaw Gebreyohannes receives his second yellow card of the game for intentionally kicking another boy in the ankle in the game right before lunch (his first was for dissent). Ejected and visibly upset, he throws off his jersey in disgust and storms off to pout alone.

All of the boys show considerable respect for Yonas. Even a frustrated Gashaw honors the double yellow. This petit 12-year old boy who heard about Sport The Bridge from some of the older street boys now spends every night at home with his five sisters and one brother. He was selling tissue on the street before, intermittently sleeping at home.

We ask about what he wants for the future he sighs and says, “I want for my mother to make for her a better life. I want to take them away from poverty. I want to be the change maker.”

The silence that follows is all of us taking in Gashaw’s very realistic goal. There are chills and perhaps a little bit of tearing up as we forget about his behavior during today’s match.

Later Gashaw would reflect back on his ejection. “Today’s pillar was acceptance – but I didn’t do it today. I was angry.” And then through a grin he says, “But maybe tomorrow…”

March 19th, 2010
10th of Megabit (7th month), 2002

Click here or the logo to learn more about Sport - The Bridge

Right To Play: Sefera Selam

2010-03-25T09:51:00.000-07:00

In the Village, the Peaceful Village

There is no fancy jungle gym here, just an open space with uneven cobbled ground. This is Sefera Selam, a primary school that sits in one of Addis Ababa’s most impoverished areas. Tons of kids fill Sefera Selam’s schoolyard to participate in this afternoon’s Right To Play activities. The equipment is simple: a couple of pieces of fabric, a few jerseys and some cones. Right To Play makes do with little to no apparatus, but the lessons are rich in values. Right To Play makes leaders.

After a long day of school, the kids are wound up and revving to run. A few of the older, more responsible kids take the helm of this madness. They are Sefera Selam’s designated Right To Play Junior Leaders and have been selected for these positions because of their commitment to the program’s teachings. These four Junior Leaders take their duties very seriously. They help guide the younger participants through the day’s exercises, leading races and games of concentration and balance.

It is impressive to watch them keep the youngsters on task, but even more admiration is found in the way they facilitate the group discussions that follow each activity. Here they pause, opening the floor to the little ones’ opinions and thoughts regarding the games; now we hear the day’s take-away lessons applied.

There is nothing innovative about the idea of a role model. There is nothing technological or expensive involved in nurturing leadership. Right To Play’s vision is to create a healthier and safer world through the power of sport and play and it is doing so by teaching children to look after ones’ self in addition to looking after one another. Some believe it takes a village to raise a child. Here at Sefera Selam, which translates to the “village of peace,” children are raised by the village to, then, raise the village.

Right To Play: Yekatit 23rd Special Needs

2010-03-24T09:37:00.000-07:00

Clap Your Hands. Feel the Love.

Amazing. Simply put, without exaggeration: amazing. There is no better word to describe the positive work that is being done at Yekatit 23rd Special Needs Primary School with the deaf and mentally disabled. The kids are so happy and enthusiastic and the energy and tactile support that the staff members give them in return is remarkable. There is so much hand holding, hugging, singing, signing, and kisses going on that it’s easy to forget that school is in session.

At this Right To Play site, the staff takes Right To Play curriculum and tailors it specifically to the needs of its children. These students are children who have different learning styles and physical abilities than those of the kids in the mainstreamed school and the customized application and adaptations have proven to be more successful in reaching this audience.

Right To Play lessons resonate with the students at Yekatit 23rd because they have been personalized to each individuals learning requirements; teacher’s animatedly sign for the hearing impaired, hold hands to guide those that require physical support, and offer up boundless energy to keep students engaged.

Team Kickabout’s favorite example of Yekatit 23rd’s interpretation of Right To Play's pillars is its use of the “love clap.” The “love clap” is a universalRight To Play action involving a series of claps, hand gestures, and blown kisses and it is used to wrap up a session. Yekatit 23rd Special Needs Primary School , however, chooses to use it when students find themselves in a disagreement. Following a tussle, the collective group offers the “love claps” for those that fought, encouraging them to put the exchange aside because they are friends who love each other.

In standard Right To Play fashion, Yekatit 23rd then partners a “reflect and connect” talk with the “love clap,” posing the question “what can we do to prevent fighting?” Right To Play uses “reflect and connect” discussions to have students apply daily lessons 1) to events from their past, 2) to the activity of the moment, and then 3) to think about how they can use it in a situation in the future. The students at this site participate in discussion to remind themselves and each other of simple ways to avoid conflict. For most of these kids, gentle reminders serve as preventative action.

Fighting aside, this particular program site is a love fest day in and day out. The staff members here are so involved in their students’ learning and parents verbalize how much they appreciate this. The teachers are caring and it’s obvious that the children love them back.

Six months of close quartered living in a Land Cruiser? Before things get too heated, Team Kickabout will be sure to “reflect and connect” on what we’ve learned from our friends in Ethiopia and pull out the “love clap.”

Right To Play: Megenagna

2010-03-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

Megenagna – As one of the poorest nations in the world, Ethiopia can be deceiving. There are signs of wealth everywhere, but off the paved main roads of the city there is a different story. Street children are everywhere. The reasons vary. Some leave to flee abuse, others are kicked out, while some leave in search of what they think is a better life. Whatever the reason, female street children face different dangers than their male counterparts.

“It is very possible to be raped, abused, or even killed,” says Yeshi, one of the 13-year old girls. Although most claim that they are 13, the truth is that many of them simply do not know how old they are. “And some of us have no family, so this is family.”

The family she speaks of is the sisterhood of around thirty girls that live at this orphanage in Megenagna (meg-a-NAN-ya). Coincidentally, the word megenagna means “meeting place,” and the girls, found on the street, are brought here by social workers to join OPRIFS. The main goal of the Organization for Prevention, Rehabilitation, and Integration of Female Streetchildren is to reunite them with their families and promote a healthy family environment. Their Behavioral Observation Plan identifies individual behavioral issues, and an external referral system is used as a supplement to ensure the girls can be treated for problems that OPRIFS does not have the expertise to handle. During their three to six month stay here at the orphanage the girls are given Alternative Basic Education, which includes AIDS/HIV education, leadership training, and social education through sport. It is the sport program we see today, and it is administered by an OPRIFS worker trained by Right To Play in their signature Red Ball Child’s Play module.

Upon arrival we are met by a stone-faced (she was all smiles when we departed) female security guard who lets us into the orphanage complex. The small area has a dorm, classroom, wash facilities, and of course a small open area to play. We greet everyone and two minutes later we join the girls in a warm-up game of tag and a follow the leader directional game. Trained youth leaders run group discussions about the life lessons associated with a series of games.

Gadise stands out, both as the strongest youth leader and for the tattoo on her jaw line, a distinguishing characteristic of the different rural communities in northern parts of Ethiopia. From beginning to end, she pays attention to everyone, making sure all the girls are active participants. It is clear that the girls care for one another and that the staff and youth leaders foster these relationships. Gadise believes that the girls must change their own lives. “God gave us this shelter. We must find families.” Knowing well that not all girls have blood relatives, she meant that every girl here must actively be involved in a family unit.

In what begins as an introduction to the Kickabout team, Ashley is prompted to demonstrate some West African dance that she has studied at the University of Minnesota. She is nervous at first, not wanting to mess up. But dance, like football, serves to connect and no common verbal language is necessary. Wonderfully, what she starts is a celebration of individual expression. (see below)

A dance circle forms, and different girls come forward to demonstrate their regional and tribal dances. Interestingly, the girls that dance are different than the girls that are verbal leaders or that dominate the games. There is no one way to lead, and this group appreciates the uniqueness of each individual’s leadership capabilities. They celebrate everyone, and afterward we break for tea and roasted barley, and get to know a little more about the man that cultivates this atmosphere.

Hussein Abamacha is the primary social worker here at the orphanage. Physically disabled, he was a street child himself before a social worker collected him from the street and sent him to get an education with an organization similar to that of OPRIFS. Hussein received training to be a teacher and then joined OPRIFS. Three years ago he was trained by Right To Play National Training Office, Melaku Tekola, in the Red Ball Child Play program. The once shy, quiet man lacking confidence now sports a bright yellow “YOU CAN” tee shirt.

“Through OPRIFS and Right To Play training I have learned a lot about myself. I use my training and communication skills to make relationships with others and help these children to have a better life.” With the sport development training he can also now do physical exercise with the children. Smiling, he explains, “I have forgotten about my physical disability.”

Hussein shines as a role model both for disabled Ethiopians and for the young girls that he teaches. He doesn’t see himself as a leader, but everyone else sees his personal success, love for his work, and determination to improve the lives of others as inspirational.

Eli puts it best when he explains to Hussein, “My friend…when you smile, the girls smile, the other staff smile, we smile, and then finally, the security guard even smiles.” Laughter ensues and we can only hope Hussein realizes how extraordinary he is.

March 18th, 2010
9th of Megabit (the 7th month), 2002

Sudan: Discovering and Playing

2010-03-22T07:55:00.000-07:00

Sudan from Elias Sinkus on Vimeo.

Just outside the Royal City in the middle of nowhere, a little girl leads a blind man. She is small – underdeveloped for her age due to a lack of necessary nutrients – but her vision is good. Her eyes have been offered up to guide her uncle. She has to help. Her uncle is the sole breadwinner, selling his carvings and the random trinkets he finds.

Our connection to Vitamina goes back a few years to a time before the Kickabout set foot in Sudan. Tom and Maria met a younger, more frightened Vitamina the last time they were here. On that particular trip, they traveled extensively throughout three different countries, but the image that stuck closely to their hearts was one of a wide-eyed Vitamina, skittish, yet carrying out her family duties.

Imagine Vitamina’s surprise when these foreigners returned three years later to visit her specifically. Maria, beyond excited, came armed with a token of friendship, gifting the growing girl a bold red scarf. Maria thoughtfully selected the color of this present due to its association with power and strength. Surprised by such a gesture, Vitamina accepted the gift, standing tall with a huge smile on her face, the fabric’s vibrant hue complementing her skin beautifully.

Eli came bearing a different kind of small red gift, as he pulled out a soccer ball and asked the kids if they wanted to knock the ball around. The boys jumped at the chance, but Vitamina, swaddled in her new red wrap, watched from the sidelines along with the other girls. She was momentarily relieved of her obligations, as her uncle was off at a distance peddling his goods, but she was still shy to participate with the boys.

Encouraging the girls to be girls, Maria got in the game. The sight of a grown woman chasing a ball inspired the girls to join in the fun. Sun blaring down on the desert, the laughter of child’s play erupted throughout the village.

11th of Megabit (the 7th month), 2002 *

2010-03-21T11:57:00.000-07:00

After two weeks of camping in the 110 degree heat of the Nubian and Bayuda Deserts, it is easy to see how so many powerful armies perished trying to conquer all of Nubia. There are also the 3,000 year old tombs that still hold original colors and the untouched ruins of ancient temples and pyramids, some of which sit amazingly in people’s backyards. We are overjoyed with the exclusivity of exploring without the hoards of vacationers and hassling vendors that plague the more popular sites of neighboring Egypt. But far above everything in Sudan, we have fallen in love with the unprecedented hospitality of the Sudanese people. We imagine what it would be like if a group of Sudanese came walking through our yard and we halt everything to insist that they come in and spend the afternoon drinking tea with our families. There is a pang of sorrow with the realization that this is not a part of American culture. With that said, we cross into Ethiopia ready to start a new chapter in our journey.

After very little red tape and no police checkpoint at the border town of Metema we are in Ethiopia, home of the Ark of the Covenant, the source of the Blue Nile, and arguably the cradle of humankind. The official language spoken in Ethiopia is Amharic and it has its own unique script, with over 200 characters that denote syllables rather than letters. The traditional food here is injera, a large spongy pancake that is used to scoop stew, meat and vegetables by hand from a shared plate.

At the border we enjoy a quick lesson as we learn some important Amharic words like ‘hello,’ ‘goodbye,’ ‘diesel,’ ‘thank you,’ ‘water,’ and a few numbers. Immediately noticeable in speaking with the Ethiopians is a quick inhalation of air used in a similar fashion to our use of ‘uh-huh’ in conversation. After the brief introduction to the Ethiopian culture we start climbing towards Gondar and the southwestern edge of the Simian Mountains, one of Africa’s largest ranges and home of Ras Dashen, the highest peak in Ethiopia (4620 meters). Unlike Sudan, there are people and animals everywhere along the road. We are told by a pair of Brazilian travelers at the border that the three things to watch out for in the road are cows, donkeys, and children. It is soon apparent that the children have the most sense of the three when a car is approaching. Donkeys don’t care about anything, goats and sheep are erratic, and cows just cross with the masses. One thing is clear: the reason why it is a big no-no in every overland book to travel at night is because of the animals.

After seeing Lake Tana and a small, pre-rainy season Blue Nile Falls, we head south to the magnificent Blue Nile Gorge. The beauty of the drive can only be experienced fully over the 30 km stretch of road that drops from 2,500 meters to 1,200 meters and then back up the other side after crossing a small bridge over the Nile. We pay the price for the beautiful drive as the climb exposes some car issues that the level terrain of Sudan couldn’t.

Despite what other overlanders have told us, the yells of “Faranji! Faranji!” are not accompanied by hurled rocks. Perhaps we smile and wave before they can take any such action, or it is simply a case of an exaggerated tale…or maybe we are just lucky. In any case, our experience with northern Ethiopians is very pleasant.

After a few hundred miles of spectacular scenery (and a little car trouble), we descend upon the city that is the home of Lucy, the most famous 3.5 million year old skeleton, who was found in 1974. Even though she’s not the oldest remains ever unearthed, her notoriety is enough that we cannot see her at any point during our visit to Addis Ababa. And this may be the most disappointing thing about the entire trip thus far. No joke, she is currently on tour visiting none other than the United States of America.

It is difficult to imagine that a nation of such beauty is also one of the worlds poorest. The Prime Minister’s Palace, about half a mile up the hill from the President’s, overlooks the hills of Addis Ababa and the entrance gates of the immaculate Sheraton sit amid the shanties, making it seem like more of a monstrosity than an oasis. We take advantage of the fast Internet there, but we prefer the atmosphere of our little hostel in the Bole Road area on the other side of the city.

Before the arrival of our final Kickabout Africa 2010 team member, ‘Brain,’ we have two project sites to visit. We are spending three days with the orphans and street children of Addis Ababa through the programs of Right To Play and Sport - The Bridge.

* Of course the date explanation is saved for last as a special treat for those who have stuck out this diatribe. In 1582 when the Christian world dropped the Julian calendar for the Gregorian calendar, Ethiopia did not. So Ethiopia remains seven years and eight months behind what most of the world has come to see as the correct date. They have a 13-month calendar that begins on September 11th. What we find a little easier to wrap our heads around is the Ethiopian time. Their 24-hour clock starts at our 6am, which coincides sometime around sunrise. For the areas around the equator where the sunrise and sunset do not have a variable nature according to time of year, it is brilliant to begin the day with the sunrise.

Kickabout Sudan

2010-03-16T07:02:00.000-07:00

In Wadi Halfa, after crossing the border and waiting for the cars to arrive (two separate ferries), we found a local hang out and caught the Egypt-England match.

It was an incredible scene and a testament to the popularity of soccer. Dozens of folks, mostly men, surrounded a single TV. We were welcomed with open arms and a few smirks when Lorrie told them she was a footballer. (One of the longest running stories is Lorrie baffling men with her footy skills. A lot of them have never seen a female soccer player and usually challenger her to prove it. A few megs later, their doubt disappears. Marriage proposals soon follow.)

Throughout the trek across Sudan, you could always count on finding a football match as the sun began to set. When the heat of the day begins to wane, it's time to kickabout. Informal. Competitive. Open. The pick-up games are great fun.

Making our way to Khartoum, we check out ancient artifacts and learn a ton about Sudan and Nubian history. One of the real highlights came at the ruins of the Royal City of Meroë.

After our visit to the tombs, Tom and Maria wanted to go visit a man named Umda. Umda himself was not the object of their affection, but instead his young niece named Vitalmina. The last time they visited the Sudan they encountered Umda, sitting outside of the Royal City near Meroe, and noticed a small, shy young lady who was charged with leading him around. She was his eyes. They fell in love with her 3 years ago and Maria had carried a scarf along for Vitalmina that she had saved for her.

When we arrived at the gate of the royal city, we found no Umda, only a small boy. We inquired after Umda and the boy hopped in the Land Cruiser with us and directed me to Umda’s house. Umda, having lost his sight, developed an impeccable memory for voices and remembered Tom and Maria by voice! At first the kids were shy and while the crew sat inside of Umda’s hut waiting to take chai with him, I decided to pull out the ball and kick it around with them.

As soon as I pulled out the ball, the wall between us fell. I started by kicking it to one of the boys, who then kicked it directly back to me. Next to one of the girls. She knocked it back. It went on like this for a little while until everyone was comfortable. An errant kick sent 3 or 4 of the kids chasing after the ball. Then it began. The game of “dribble until you lose it.” The boys and girls were laughing and kicking the ball; the girls went over and grabbed Maria, even convincing her to play. It was a wonderful experience, playing with these kids who had noting and watching them laugh.

When it was time to leave, none of them asked for money. None of them asked for food. They didn't ask for anything. After a week of bartering, haggling, negotiating, saying no/yes/no/yes, etc., I was more than expecting the kids to ask for a ball, at the very least. These beautiful children, who have very little and yet, ask for nothing, humbled me. Seeing the great fun they had playing, giving the ball to them was the least I could do. But before I handed the ball to Umda to hold for the kids we made them promise that they would share the ball, play every day, and INCLUDE THE GIRLS!

They all agreed and the ball was theirs. As we drove away, Awad remarked to us in a quiet voice, “You made them very happy today.” As the dust gathered behind us, we drove off. “Very happy.” Awad repeated.

Laduma!

2010-03-07T15:30:00.000-08:00

As the team makes their way to Khartoum, they have been stopping at local villages to play pickup games and tell the Kickabout story.

Speaking of a great story: Zulu is one of the 11 official languages of South Africa and the soundtrack for one of the country's most revered soccer broadcasters, Zama Masondo.

What's your favorite "GOAL" yell?

Egyptian Paralympic Committee

2010-03-02T08:32:00.000-08:00

February 22nd, 2010 – Cairo, Egypt – The hustle and bustle of 16 million people is drowned out five times a day by the stereophonic musical chanting of the many mosques in Cairo. To Westerners, the excessive use of the car horn and complete disregard for any sort of lane markings or direction is a bit overwhelming. Mix in the people playing Frogger and its extraordinary that more ambulance sirens are not heard.

“You must have eight eyes to drive here,” Dr. Ashraf Marei says smiling as he drives calmly amidst the hoard of automobiles and pedestrians with only his arms. He is a board member of the Egyptian Paralympic Committee, a professor of adapted physical education at Helwan University, and a paraplegic.

He has arranged for us to visit their program at the Cairo Sporting Club. Situated on an island in the Nile, it seems to be removed from the noise of the city despite being in the middle of Cairo. While the normal membership fee is 75,000 Egyptian Pounds (around $15,000 USD), both the physically and intellectually disabled children in the program are given free access to this club five days a week for activities that range from swimming, basketball, volleyball, tennis, and athletics to camping, music, art, and of course…football. Ms. Shadia Kamal is responsible for the 50 children including her son, ages five to twenty-two, who show up here at Cairo Sporting Club.

The program started in 1993 and the first group of intellectually disabled children in the program has been developing together for over 15 years. We have the privilege of playing football with many of this group, who are now around 21 years of age. It is dependent on volunteers, many of whom have children in the program. The Egyptian Paralympic Committee’s aim is to give the children some independence and increase their ability to develop both physically and mentally through exercise.

The boys run through a series of drills that improve their passing, dribbling, and shooting. I jump into the warm-up jog and stretch remembering how achy I was after our last little kickabout with the kids in Wadi Rum. My partner is Ahmed, Ms. Shadia’s son. As we pass and dribble, I note how proficient everyone is and, although their reactions are not quick, their technique is excellent.

At the end, Eli and I join in for a big 5 v 5 game. The game is supposed to end at 6 p.m., but our game is getting intense as the score quickly jumps to 2-0. Eli and I gather our team together and although we don’t speak Arabic and they don’t speak English, it is clear that the five of us are on the same page…we have to get back into this game. We respond to make it 2-1…then they score again, 3-1…4-1…4-2. There is no possible way we are stopping until some external force tells us kids that it’s getting dark and it’s time to go home for dinner. Finally, at 6:45 p.m. someone calls the game as the parents have been waiting for over half an hour. We lost 5-3 but it was a wonderful game among old and new friends. We gather for a quick photo and they start singing a chant that we don’t understand, but that we recognize as something in celebration of a great evening of football.

Ms. Shadia is all smiles as Ashley, Eli, and I thank her profusely for allowing us to share the day with the boys. She tells that one of the boys couldn’t walk when he first came to Cairo Sporting Club. It is a testament to the way this program has allowed this group to develop as all of the boys were able to run, kick, change direction, dribble, and of course perfectly execute a goal celebration.

One World, One Game, One Journey

2010-02-26T19:27:00.000-08:00

“Welcome in Africa.” That’s what everyone says here. Welcome in Cairo. Welcome in western desert. Welcome in Egypt.

After about 6000 miles (our odometer is a bit temperamental), we have arrived in on the continent of Africa. We drove like bats out of hell from London onward. Eyes on the prize, we were desperate to get to Egypt so that Kickabout: Africa 2010 could (officially) commence. England, France, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Syria, and Jordan were almost blurs in the “Warthog’s” windshield. As we raced through Europe and the Middle East, a voice in the car longingly call out “piiiitch” every time we passed soccer fields and goals, knowing full well that we didn’t have time to stop and play. Yet, we did take a few moments to play. We met incredible people, made new friends, and never met someone who did not want to kickabout when the ball emerged from the car.

Team Kickabout now includes:

A family we met in Turkey on their way to Austria FROM South Africa.

The adorable kids of Cappadocia that you met in an earlier post.

A cobbler in Istanbul who played with us in his high-end shoe store and the oblivious customer who entered the shop mid-play and took a kick at it.

The Jordanian who didn’t think women were capable of keeping up with men on the field. Lorrie schooled him. He blamed his smoking, of course.

A teenage Bedouin boy on a towering rock overlooking the High Monastery of Petra.

A customs officer dressed in fancy dress shoe at the Nuweiba port of entry into Egypt. Nothing gets you through security like a football.

We have seen enough that we could go home now, and the trip would be a story of stories. We’ve witnessed a 9-goal match at Stamford Bridge, played keepy-up at The Coliseum, walked through the dressing room of AC Milan, wandered the streets of Damascus, haggled over the price of a soda in the Sinai, and rode a donkey at Petra. And then there’s the Story of Batch and Erdall.

Yes, the last two months have been a precursor; the pre-season for Kickabout: Africa 2010. But we have already been blessed with seeing the many faces of football. We are amazed at the power a round ball has to open doors, raise hopes, release a smile, and bring strangers together.

As we are welcomed in Africa, we thank all of our new friends , young and old, that have fueled our mad dash to Egypt. Without a doubt, our Kickabout family spans from London to Cairo.

We'll take them all the way to South Africa. We hope you'll come along...

Photo Credits: Eli Sinkus

Kickabout: Right To Play Jordan

2010-02-16T07:26:00.000-08:00

Though Kickabout: Africa 2010 officially kicks off in Egypt, after six weeks on the road we were itching to play some football, visit with coaches, and see some programs in action. We begged our friends at Right To Play for some stops in Jordan to help us warm-up - get the ball moving - and they more than obliged

Three days, five schools...this is Right To Play, Jordan.

8 February 2010
Irbid - Kickabout pulled up to the Karmel Club’s Community Center bright eyed and bushy-tailed, we knew we weren’t the only ones anxious to knock the ball around in our morning session. - Continue

10 February 2010
Zarqa - Kickabout encountered the first good weather of the long drive down, which came just in time for Eli’s 23rd birthday. The day really couldn’t have gone any better: two incredible groups of kids, two schools worth seeing, and too much birthday cake! - Continue

14 February 2010
Wadi Rum - A beautiful desert about 80 km north of the Red Sea port of Aqaba, Wadi Rum is a tourist hotspot where visitors can stay in Bedouin tents and venture out into the desert to see Lawrence of Arabia’s cave. It is also the site of the Disi School for Girls. - Continue

About Right To Play Jordan
Young people under the age of 29 represent 70 per cent of Jordan’s population. These children and youth experience the threat of poverty and unemployment, and lack of activities that provide respite from the difficult conditions they face in refugee camps and disadvantaged communities.

Right To Play’s intervention among refugee and disadvantaged communities in Jordan focuses on training teachers and staff of partner organizations to implement specially designed sport and play programs that provide psychosocial support, increase knowledge of healthy lifestyle behaviours, and provide youth leadership skills and opportunities for community participation.

Click to learn more about Right To Play, Jordan

Kickabout: Mifalot in Jordan

2010-02-15T09:25:00.000-08:00

11 February 2010 – In the town of Sheikh Hussein, near the Israel-Jordan border, Kickabout dropped in on a program run by Mifalot, the Education and Social Project of Hapoel Tel Aviv FC.

A much different experience than our visits with Right To Play, we spent less time playing and got a chance to observe Mifalot’s program in action. Mifalot encourages children to participate in after-school education programs with football being the hook. If the kids want to play and be a part of a “Hapoel Tel Aviv” team, they are required to fulfill the education requirements of the Mifalot program. They use football as an incentive to learn, and here in Jordan, the focus is on learning English and making positive lifestyle choices. Now, instead of making trouble after school, Mifalot provides kids an outlet that is both physically and mentally constructive.

You could feel the passion and excitement for what Mifalot is doing here. When we walked into an English class, everyone jumped up and yelled, “Welcome to Jordan!” While we did not run a clinic or do much coaching, Lorrie jumped on the pitch and wowed the boys with her skill. Several boys said they had never seen such a good female footballer.

As she often does, Lorrie turned her enthusiasm towards the girls on the sideline and got them to join in the fun. It was very cool to see the girls step out and get stuck in.

Mifalot is the largest sport for development project in the Middle East, with over 300 program sites throughout Israel, Palestine, and for the first time, Jordan. Local Mifalot Coordinators, Abu El Majed and Yehonathan Stein, gave us a tour of the area and explained why an Israeli football club wanted to open a project in Jordan.

“Mifalot and Hapoel want to provide quality education and sport activities to all children, no matter where they live. And here in Sheik Hussein and Shuna, most of the families here are farmers and there is not much to do after school gets out in the early afternoon,” said Yehonathan.

Majed agreed, “Without Mifalot here, the kids would be bored and more likely to cause trouble or make poor choices. Now, they get to be part of a team, learn English, and play football. It’s a great program.”

In addition to Mifalot’s work in Jordan, they have hundreds of programs in the Middle East. Visit the Mifalot website to learn more about their incredible work.