Player Ben Koring's delivery unites whole neighborhood
It’s amazing how much joy can come from something as simple as a soccer ball.
For two dozen Rwanda streets kids, the soccer balls I carried to Central Africa changed the game.For two dozen Rwanda streets kids, the soccer balls I carried to Central Africa changed the game.
I saw the third world first-hand, last summer, working at a home for street kids aged 8-18 where I primarily taught English. The house they lived in was located on the outskirts of Kigali, off the electrical grid and far from any running water. The boys walked 40 minutes several times a day to either get to school or fill up a large canteen of water from the nearest pump. All of these boys were orphaned, abandoned, or had run away from home. The house where I worked offered them a place to eat, sleep, learn, and ultimately give them a chance at a better future. Although life in the center involved many hardships, happiness was easier to come by.
Despite the relatively dreadful conditions in which the young boys were living, they found many ways to keep themselves occupied and entertained. Possibly the easiest way to do this was by playing soccer on a nearby clearing. The main problem however was, of course, finding a ball. In central Africa, a durable ball comes at a steep price as resources are so scarce. Therefore, the most common way kids play soccer is by using plastic bags molded into a spherical shape with long strings and wire.
When I decided to return to Rwanda to the same home and the same group of boys, I thought about things they needed and immediately soccer balls came to mind. I have been playing soccer nearly my whole life and my relationship with Stoddert almost as long, having played from U5 all the way up to high school level.
Stoddert donated five brand new balls for me to take this summer. As expected, the boys were very excited. They stood and clapped at the sight of them. The Stoddert balls are likely the best and most durable balls that a Rwandan child can possibly obtain. Not only did the balls give the 23 boys at the home I was working access to a real ball but all the kids in the neighborhood were suddenly out playing.
Perhaps one measure of the balls’ use was the amount of wear the first one had gone through in my three-week stay. By the time I left, the once white and shiny ball looked as though it had several seasons worth of play already. I guess it’s a good thing we left them some extras.
Perhaps one measure of the balls’ use was the amount of wear the first one had gone through in my three-week stay. By the time I left, the once white and shiny ball looked as though it had several seasons worth of play already. I guess it’s a good thing we left them some extras. 