Caption: With assorted footwear. @ the river, Tijuana, Mexico. At every major crossroads, Pastor Giarmo would call for all the kids to assemble. The bunch that rallied to his call became the newest ‘football’ team, and had to be photographed to document the beginning of their journey towards world cup victory.
To watch children playing soccer reminds you of how simple happiness can be to a child. All it takes is a ball, a few kids and some random objects for net posts, and you have a game. My brother, who lives in Mexico city, says that kids down there are ‘born with cletes on’, a statement that reinforces the popularity of soccer in Mexico and other Latin American Countries.
One of the coolest moments being in Tijuana in September o7 was watching kids as they were given soccer balls. One of the students in our group brought a suitcase full of deflated soccer balls to inflate and give away while we were in TJ. We handed these out at ‘the River’ – an illegal squat that stands close by the factories where the people work. Typical shift workers there earn about 12 dollars a day, and work 12 hour shifts.
The pastor who was guiding us as we handed out beans, rice, and some clothes and toys to the families there would stop at each dusty ‘intersection’ and call to all the kids in that area to come. He assembled them as the newest ‘football’ team, and had to get official team photos as well, as the children were given a soccer ball. It was a simple gift, but one that was amazing to give!
I am stoked to announce that Scott of Fair Trade Sports {Edit: 830 – and the company Y Focus Fair Trade Sports} have offered to supply us with fair trade soccer balls to the Children in Terrazas and ‘The River’ area.
Why fair trade Soccer Balls? Well, conditions in Soccer ball factories and for people who have to hand stitch soccer balls are notoriously bad, and to be blunt, it doesn’t make sense to give a gift of a ball made using child labor (a cycle that reinforces poverty and oppression) to a child who lives in poverty (or any child, for that matter). It just doesn’t make sense to help someone while supporting the oppression of others. The great thing is that the prices of fair trade balls are similar to those made by Nike and Adidas. If you want to read more about this issue and what companies like Fair Trade Sports do, then check out their blog. There’s a good post by them, titled “Health Care & Micro Credit Programs”.
Fair Trade Sports & Y Focus are great companies, and I’m excited to support them.
Details on our cost for a soccer ball coming soon…
Our goal for Sept. o8: 20 Fair Trade Soccer balls to be hand delivered to children in Terazzas and @ ‘the River’.
2 responses so far ↓
epicenterprojects // January 4, 2008 at 7:23 am |
Brilliant post man. You know a soccer ball is a simple thing, but it can sure make a difference. (Thanks for the links in this post)
Wondering: You mention that the average worker earns a pathetic 12 bucks a day. Here in Mexico City, the minimum wage has just been upped around 4 pesos x hr by the generous government. (Wow!! What will you do with those 4 extra pesos?) That ups the average joe’s wages to a whopping $54.57 PER DAY. What we easily pop on a happy meal, is what one person invests his/her entire day to scrape together. That sucks.
I wondered James, as I read your great post, how we could take this a step further and actually begin providing or generating jobs that pay just and fair wages. Don’t take me wrong: I think your project is rocking in every way…but I wonder if we could push even further, and actually create alternatives to factory (slave) jobs….
jamesmatthew // January 4, 2008 at 4:49 pm |
Thanks for the comment!
You open the can on a very big conversation/idea…
There are companies out there who are doing just that – ‘provide just and fair wages.’
The soccer ball companies we are looking into are examples of that. They haven’t pulled out of places like Pakistan, instead, they are providing fair wages, healthy living conditions, and health care. I think supporting and promoting companies like this is a start to what you are talking about.
I’d love to have a workers co-op in Mexico producing our backpacks and other materials. The problem is, I can’t support that kind of output. As you know, we are really small…it would take a lot of networking with suppliers and other groups to get something like that going. I’ll tell you the truth, though, that has been on my mind for some time now.
What we are doing is a band-aid solution (in my opinion). What you are talking about is a healing solution.
It is really important to not flood an area that is developing and has its own economy with aid from outside, as that can have an adverse affect on that area’s economy (ie continually sending backpacks can put local business people who sell stuff like that out of work).
Ultimately – it would be fantastic to partner with (or create) ethical companies on the ground – so, for example, backpacks –
instead of taking them in our suitcases, we would arrive, visit the co-op or factory, and support fair wages and work in that area…
it’s a dream for me at this point, but not an impossibility…
your thoughts? You are in Mexico City – any word on ethical producers in and around TJ?
thanks for the comments.