We did it!!
I am stoked to announce that we just met one of our goals for this year!!!
One of my way cool students (and a member of last year’s team to TJ) handed me a fifty dollar bill today to go towards fairly traded soccer balls.
Thanks to her (and the others who’ve donated), we just met our goal of 20 fairly traded soccer balls to bring to the children of Terasses and ‘The River’ area of Tijuana.
I am stoked, to say the least!!
A big ‘cheers’ to everyone who has helped. I’ve put out an invite on facebook for people interested in going to pick up the balls @ Fair Kick Soccer in Victoria when our order is in.
Next stop – placing the order…
right on! Thank you for being so cool!!
Running the Numbers on Soccer Balls…
Photo Caption: the newest soccer team @ the river in Tijuana tests out their new equipment. Note the factory in the background and how it contrasts with the house that is under construction.
I am stoked to announce that we’ve been offered a fantastic deal on fairly traded soccer balls.
I’ve been in contact with Dave at Fair World Sports, and thanks to their “Let the Children Play” program, we can purchase soccer balls for about 12 dollars a pop (with shipping).
That’s 12 dollars, for a Fairly Traded Soccer Ball! Only a buck or so more than what you’d pay at WalMart, but it’s of higher quality, and is fairly traded! That’s also cheaper than what you’d pay at stores like Sport Chek for a ball made by Nike or Adidas.
The amazing part of this partnership, is that our payments go to help children in other developing countries. Here’s an excerpt from Fair World Sports’ website :
Your support makes all this possible because in the price of the ball is a Fair Trade premium that is used to provide better than average wages plus additional health and educational benefits to the workers and their families.
The funds raised by the sale of Fair Trade certified sports balls will be used by Y Service Clubs to support projects with children in other countries, especially where there has been war and where education and playing sports are important tools in building a culture of peace. ( Fair World Sports )
This is a gift that keeps giving – Your donation of 10 dollars to Cameras With A Conscience will buy a fairly traded soccer ball for children in Terrazas and @ ‘The River,’ but that money will also be used by Fair World Sports to help children in other countries affected by war and poverty. Fantastic!
Our Goal for 2008: 20 fair trade soccer balls (12 dollars each!) to be hand delivered to the children of Terrazas and ‘The River’ by gr.12 students of Duncan Christian School.
Why Fair Trade Soccer Balls?
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’.
