Heading To Africa

Every now and then in life an opportunity comes along and you just know you have to do something about it. An opportunity to put words and good intention into action. An opportunity to do the right thing. And a chance to do something that really matters. When that happens, you just have to grab it. You have to think now is the time. There might not be another.

So, in November, I shall be going to Africa. I'll be heading out to Tanzania with The Great Football Giveaway, the charity that distributes footballs to some of the most disadvantaged children in the world. Rather than just volunteer, I've decided to lead a small team to help the charity get to a different area of the country, and reach more kids. And I'd like you to come with me.

The Great Football Giveaway have a gloriously simple proposition:- no kid should be denied the chance to kick a ball about - it's one of life's most simple pleasures. So each year they ship a container load of footballs, netballs, pumps and repair kits out to a different country in Africa and hand deliver them to kids in some of the remotest areas. Every ball has a message from the person that bought it, and goes direct to kids in schools, orphanages or even just by the side of the road. As well as spreading a huge amount of happiness, the footballs help draw kids into education, off the streets and into care. This short film explains it far better than I can so please, take 3 minutes to watch it.

 

The Great Football Giveaway 2010 from The Great Football Giveaway on Vimeo.

 

I'm leading a small team of three or four people, so I need a minimum of two people to come with me. It doesn't matter where you're from (you can meet me out there). What matters is that you believe in what we're doing. It will involve you raising some money through people buying footballs (it's not an onerous amount). It will involve paying for a return flight to Tanzania. It will involve being out in Tanzania for just over a week, in early to mid November, driving out into some of the more remote, rural areas and visiting schools, orphanages and anywhere else that kids need footballs and netballs to play with.

There are many reasons for doing this. For me, I love the simplicity behind this idea. It somehow seems right that in the year that the World Cup came to Africa for the first time, and the industry I work in spent billions of dollars around it, that I should do something (however small) for some of the kids on the continent that didn't see any of the benefit. And its a chance for me to give something back which, when I started working for myself, I promised myself I would devote some of my time to doing.

I'm sure you'll have your own reasons. But the important thing is that you do something about it. So please, do all you can to help spread the word and make as many people aware of this opportunity as possible. And if you're interested in coming with me to Africa to spread some happiness, get in touch. I will provide you with more information. I would love to think that we could put together a team (or two?) from the advertising and media industry, from the plannersphere. It would be a great thing. Go on. Do it.

Comments

[Sam]

I'm in, email in your inbox sir.

[Willem]

That's awesome Neil - I'll send you an email, I'm going to look into coming with

[Marcelo Di Franco]

Neil, this is great. I wish I can join you!!! Maybe next year!
Thanks for doing this!

[Ben]

Neil, this sounds great - I run a small fundraising organisation trying to help kids in Africa have a better shot at life via the power of football. We have a small amount of funds available - if you can think of anything we might be able to contribute towards then please get in touch.

thank you

Ben

[kira]

Mate you have to be taking the piss. This is a parody right?????

[Tom Farrand]

Neil, this is awesome. We've got an idea - just posted it up here
http://bit.ly/d2C7kD

Hopefully one good thing can lead to another and another. We'd love to help you get someone on your team who's up for it, loves the cause, has never been to Africa and could share in what sounds like a trip of a lifetime.

Let's chat to see how we get a conversation going to find you another team member!

[neilperkin]

@Sam - that is beyond awesome. I've dropped you a line back :-)
@Willem - brilliant - would be great if you could come
@Marcelo - thanks
@Ben - thanks and I got your note so appreciate the support and will get back to you
@kira - nope, I'm serious
@Tom - great idea - I'm gonna think on that and let's talk again

[andy]

Good for you Neil :)

Until I become a person that gets off my arse and does things like this, the nearest I can get is applauding those who do. I'll do my best to spread the word for you.

[neilperkin]

Thanks Andy. Appreciate it :-)

[Tim Harrap]

Hi Neil, This seems a proper "Do" not a lecture!!

Tom's generous offer will hopefully get filled promptly but if not I suspect my old alma mater at University of East Anglia School of International Development could provide a very able graduate to help on the reportage.
http://www.uea.ac.uk/dev

[neilperkin]

Thanks Tim, and thanks for the suggestion

[Hmmm]

Footballs? As opposed to providing them with education, food, medicine, books, safe water, freedom from explotiation, etc? Footballs. So when the balls are punctured and the children remain hungry, poor, ill and badly educated, at least they will have experienced the world changing pleasure of kicking a football around? How utterly pointless.

[neilperkin]

@Hmmmm. Yes, footballs. The Great Football Giveaway is a small charity that has a simple aim - to spread some happiness in the world. To quote them: "There are many government agencies and wonderful non-profit organisations doing crucial work in health, education, agriculture, and technology in the developing world. We believe there is also a role for charities like us, to help children have some good old simple fun." Footballs are a hugely resourceful tool and can be used to help draw kids into education, off the streets and into care. As well as putting smiles on faces. I don't think that's pointless

[Hmmm]

Right. So because other organisations are doing the crucial things, there is scope for a bunch of middle class westerners to nip over to see the poor people and give them some footballs? After the surge of smug well-being that said westerners get from such selfless acts of patronising paternalism, they return to their comfortable lives, safe in the knowledge that hey, even if the chidren are still only eating one meal a day, at least they've had some fun. 6,000 balls at £100 a pop? £60,000 on footballs? You can train 8 midwives in Malawi for that and make a real difference to reducing incidents of infant mortality for a decade. It's a flawed, incredibly patronising project.

[Hmmm]

(Edit) 6,000 balls at £10 a pop.....

[neilperkin]

@Hmmm then we will have to agree to disagree