Youth Venture

Collects and raises money to buy sports equipment (soccer balls, basketballs, cleats, sneakers, cones, athletic clothes, etc.) to send to South Africa

The inspiration for this idea came from the joy that sports bring into our own lives, along with our want to be a part of something bigger than ourselves. Although that may sound very cliché, we think that something as simple as a soccer ball would allow the disadvantaged youth to focus on something other than the terrible conditions in which they live, and just have some fun. Inspiration was also drawn from the World Cup 2010 being in South Africa, because the tournament will spark the interest of children who want to act like their fûtbol-playing heroes, though may lack the equipment to do so. Youth Venture associates have helped us to find a connection in South Africa called Flying Kites, which will act as the first organization that we focus our energy on. Flying Kites (www.flyingkitesglobal.org) is a remarkable organization that provides high-quality residential care to Kenya's homeless and abused, orphaned children. We have been in contact with Toby Storie-Pugh, one of the board members, who assured us that our contributions would be well-used and cherished. He also told us that we would not have to worry about the expense or stress of shipping and handling. Our hope is that not only will the youth in South Africa benefit from this project, but also that our community at home will become involved and realize that they, too, can positively affect lives across the globe.