Donation protected
Hello friends and family! This January I will be volunteering with Soccer Without Borders, specifically their efforts in Uganda.
I'm also raising money to benefit their Uganda program. SWB is a non-profit foundation who uses soccer as a vehicle for positive change, providing under-served youth a toolkit to overcome obstacles to personal growth, inclusion, and personal success.
The funds raised will help cover the costs associated with putting on a festival l for approximately 350 youth.
Any donation will help make an impact! Thanks in advance!
___________________________________________________________________________
About Soccer Without Borders, Uganda Youth Festival
The Uganda Youth Festival serves as a platform to celebrate the new year and build community amongst the diverse residents of the Nsambya and Kirombe neighborhoods of Kampala. Many of the youth who attend the festival are urban refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, as well as Ugandan Nationals.
It connects volunteers from the US with the refugees and SWB coaches for a week-long event.
Festival curriculum maintains a balance between fun soccer games and drills, English lessons, music and dancing, and team-building activities. The week is designed around an overall theme to help youth work collaboratively through teamwork and unity to resolve conflicts and appreciate each other.
My Why
Throughout my 17-year soccer career, the sport has taught me so much. While soccer is such a simple sport it can have an immense impact and I hope to reciprocate the life lessons, values, teamwork, and countless other skills I garnered through soccer that have shaped me into becoming the person I am today.
With that, I have always wanted to give back to "the game" and the next generation of youth. While I have been giving soccer lessons to local kids since I was in high school, I have always had the dream of making a bigger impact.
My goal of $2,500 will be used to fulfill my charitable commitment to the Soccer Without Borders program and local Uganda communities' soccer and education facilities. It will also help with my travel and other expenses of volunteering in Uganda.
I will be staying with a host family in a local village of Kampala and will be sure to give updates on my experience in Uganda through this gofundme page and on social media platforms.
When I heard about Soccer Without Borders I knew I wanted to get involved right away. Volunteering to coach and teach youth refugees is a small act, but an act that can have a long-lasting impact on a kid's life.
Below is an example of SWB's impact and how he pays it forward:
More About Soccer Without Borders
Soccer Without Borders first began programming in 2006 to address three critical issues facing young people in underserved communities throughout the world:
1) A lack of safe spaces where young people feel cared for, have a voice and can experience the joy of sport.
2) A lack of opportunity for youth to actively explore social issues and community challenges.
3)A lack of social capital and access to potential opportunities for education, employment, and personal growth.
SWB was the winner in 2017 of the FIFA Diversity Award and the US Soccer foundation impact award due to their ability to solve social problems and help refugees.
SWB's programs are effective because of their ability to address barriers to access, their long-term, year-round investment in participants, and the mentoring relationships formed.
Soccer Without Borders believes in the power of soccer, the world's universal language, to create positive change for individuals, families, communities, and the world.
They envision a more inclusive world where all young people have the opportunity to reach their full potential.
SWB contributes to this vision through innovative youth-development programs for under-served youth in the United States and around the world that create avenues for growth, inclusion, and personal success.
Conclusion: Impact Of Donations & Equipment I Am Bringing
Lastly, and most importantly, the money raised and the equipment I am going to be bringing to Uganda will go a long way. The funds will be put towards the SWB Uganda program which covers the costs associated with putting on a week-long festival for approximately 350 youth.
The equipment will also be handed out to the youths during the festival. My goal is to collect 2 full bags of gear to bring over with me.
If you would be willing to donate any new or gently used equipment SWB Uganda has provided a list below in order of highest to lowest priority.
● Soccer shoes (flats, turf or hard ground shoes are best; even running shoes work) - In need of all sizes!
● Soccer Socks (preferably not white socks!)
● Shorts (especially shorts for our younger girls’ teams)
● Sports Bras (especially medium sizes)
● Soccer Balls (when packing soccer balls, please deflate them to save space!)
● Coaching Equipment
○ Watches and/or stopwatches
○ Ball nets
○ Training Pants/track pants
○ Tall cones
○ Visor hats
○ Whistles
○ Ball pumps
● Goalie Gloves & Goalie Equipment
● Sets of matching jerseys & uniforms
______________________________________________________________________________
Thank You Again!
- Brennan Ireland
I'm also raising money to benefit their Uganda program. SWB is a non-profit foundation who uses soccer as a vehicle for positive change, providing under-served youth a toolkit to overcome obstacles to personal growth, inclusion, and personal success.
The funds raised will help cover the costs associated with putting on a festival l for approximately 350 youth.
Any donation will help make an impact! Thanks in advance!
___________________________________________________________________________
About Soccer Without Borders, Uganda Youth Festival
The Uganda Youth Festival serves as a platform to celebrate the new year and build community amongst the diverse residents of the Nsambya and Kirombe neighborhoods of Kampala. Many of the youth who attend the festival are urban refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, as well as Ugandan Nationals.
It connects volunteers from the US with the refugees and SWB coaches for a week-long event.
Festival curriculum maintains a balance between fun soccer games and drills, English lessons, music and dancing, and team-building activities. The week is designed around an overall theme to help youth work collaboratively through teamwork and unity to resolve conflicts and appreciate each other.
My Why
Throughout my 17-year soccer career, the sport has taught me so much. While soccer is such a simple sport it can have an immense impact and I hope to reciprocate the life lessons, values, teamwork, and countless other skills I garnered through soccer that have shaped me into becoming the person I am today.
With that, I have always wanted to give back to "the game" and the next generation of youth. While I have been giving soccer lessons to local kids since I was in high school, I have always had the dream of making a bigger impact.
My goal of $2,500 will be used to fulfill my charitable commitment to the Soccer Without Borders program and local Uganda communities' soccer and education facilities. It will also help with my travel and other expenses of volunteering in Uganda.
I will be staying with a host family in a local village of Kampala and will be sure to give updates on my experience in Uganda through this gofundme page and on social media platforms.
When I heard about Soccer Without Borders I knew I wanted to get involved right away. Volunteering to coach and teach youth refugees is a small act, but an act that can have a long-lasting impact on a kid's life.
Below is an example of SWB's impact and how he pays it forward:
More About Soccer Without Borders
Soccer Without Borders first began programming in 2006 to address three critical issues facing young people in underserved communities throughout the world:
1) A lack of safe spaces where young people feel cared for, have a voice and can experience the joy of sport.
2) A lack of opportunity for youth to actively explore social issues and community challenges.
3)A lack of social capital and access to potential opportunities for education, employment, and personal growth.
SWB was the winner in 2017 of the FIFA Diversity Award and the US Soccer foundation impact award due to their ability to solve social problems and help refugees.
SWB's programs are effective because of their ability to address barriers to access, their long-term, year-round investment in participants, and the mentoring relationships formed.
Soccer Without Borders believes in the power of soccer, the world's universal language, to create positive change for individuals, families, communities, and the world.
They envision a more inclusive world where all young people have the opportunity to reach their full potential.
SWB contributes to this vision through innovative youth-development programs for under-served youth in the United States and around the world that create avenues for growth, inclusion, and personal success.
Conclusion: Impact Of Donations & Equipment I Am Bringing
Lastly, and most importantly, the money raised and the equipment I am going to be bringing to Uganda will go a long way. The funds will be put towards the SWB Uganda program which covers the costs associated with putting on a week-long festival for approximately 350 youth.
The equipment will also be handed out to the youths during the festival. My goal is to collect 2 full bags of gear to bring over with me.
If you would be willing to donate any new or gently used equipment SWB Uganda has provided a list below in order of highest to lowest priority.
● Soccer shoes (flats, turf or hard ground shoes are best; even running shoes work) - In need of all sizes!
● Soccer Socks (preferably not white socks!)
● Shorts (especially shorts for our younger girls’ teams)
● Sports Bras (especially medium sizes)
● Soccer Balls (when packing soccer balls, please deflate them to save space!)
● Coaching Equipment
○ Watches and/or stopwatches
○ Ball nets
○ Training Pants/track pants
○ Tall cones
○ Visor hats
○ Whistles
○ Ball pumps
● Goalie Gloves & Goalie Equipment
● Sets of matching jerseys & uniforms
______________________________________________________________________________
Thank You Again!
- Brennan Ireland
Organiser
Brennan Ireland
Organiser
Pittsburgh, PA