Cleats For Wiphan

There has been something on my mind, especially as I take my daughter to soccer practice every Saturday. She plays for ABYSA and there are over 2,000 children playing in her league!

(Above: Here in America)

All of these are wearing cleats, shin guards (in fact, you are not allowed to play without them), and matching uniforms.  I LOVE soccer and always have.  I played up until last year and for various reasons don't know if I will ever play on a team again.  So, it was no surprise that as I visited the Wiphan school in Ndola, Zambia this past May, I heard the school team was going to have a soccer game I was BEYOND excited!  As we got to the dirt field the Wiphan kids proudly sported their uniforms that were donated to them last year.  They are property of the school so they come to the game, put them on, and before they go home they return them to the coach.  The fast paced game led to extremely hard kicks and quick maneuvers with their feet.  I was more than amazed becuase not only were they not playing without shin guards, but they had on no cleats!  I cannot even imagine playing on the ground they were playing on, and NOT having cleats!!!  

At first one could rationalize, well, they are used to it-their feet are calloused...and so on.  I inquired about this no cleats situation with the widow who started Wiphan...she said the kids would love to have cleats and it is to their disadvantage when they play a private school.  The private schools have cleats and shin guards and the Wiphan team is very intimidated for several reasons when playing them.  

I know that soccer cleats are not number one priority, but it is something that I want to ask others who love soccer to just donate a few dollars to.  We need $1,000 to buy cleats over there.  It would be the same price to buy cleats in America as it is there, and we would like to support their economy-not to mention, it would be great if we could get them cleats that fit!   

If this is something that stirs your heart as it does mine, please donate a little something on the side of this blog.  Together we can help make their favorite past time a little more fun, and safe!  Please share this with any other soccer lovers you might know.  :)