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Protected: BORNO Mission Appeal-March 2022

March 23, 2022March 29, 2022 by adam

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What I Learned Playing Soccer With Hundreds of Afghan Kids

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  • Protected: BORNO Mission Appeal-March 2022
  • What I Learned Playing Soccer With Hundreds of Afghan Kids
  • 2021 Year-End Message & Invitation
  • Soccer Magic?
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It was our absolute privilege to travel to a very It was our absolute privilege to travel to a very rough part of the world to take the #beautifulgame to kids who have so little. And we are just getting started…#letsgo! #worldcup #newreels #giveaballchangealife #refugees @refugees @rescueorg @un_ocha
This first and last photo of this post perfectly c This first and last photo of this post perfectly capture the "WHY" of Refugee Soccer. We work this hard and take these kinds of risks for children just like this beautiful girl and boy in #Borno #Nigeria. They represent #refugee kids all around the world: underdogs with so much potential living a brutal existence in suffocating conditions they did nothing to cause.⁠ ⁠ And this innate human #POTENTIAL in kids is very unlikely to ever be realized without the basic foundation of safety, well-being, and economic security. ⁠ ⁠ Refugee Soccer has never claimed, and will never claim, to be THE total solution to anything. Rather, we are keenly aware that our work, alongside solid, like-minded partners such as these you see in the remaining photos is most impactful as part of broader efforts.⁠ ⁠ We love meeting new people but meetings aren't nearly as fun as training sessions and other events with refugee and marginalized kids everywhere.⁠ Nonetheless, check out the photos with some of the great local leaders we met with in the Maiduguri area from the State Government, Sports Council, NGOs, and United Nations Agencies.⁠ It was an honor to meet each of them and recognize the vital role they play in advancing our mission there. Next post will be the best post of this trip as we share the tangible results of our efforts as expressed in the joy on the faces of the kids we reached there. Absolutely inspiring and touching! Stay tuned...& stay safe! SAD NOTE: We are deeply saddened and shocked by the news of the killing of a humanitarian aid worker yesterday near where we were just two short weeks ago. The courage and grit of amazing humans such as this woman who was brutally stabbed by a special forces soldier cannot ever be praised adequately or often enough. We never underestimate the risks and sacrifices required to help those in such great need. RIP 🧡 ⁠ ⁠ @cnnafrica @bbchausa @channelstelevision @maxairltd @mtnngfoundation @sterlingbank @usaid @unesco @unicef @unicefusa @unicef_nigeria @unmigration @iomnigeria @savethechildren @savechildrenng @streetchildutd @planinternational @rescueorg @icrc @goalprime.ng @refugees @unhcr_nigeria @un_ocha @intersos @oneworldplayprj
⚽️ BALLS FOR BORNO MISSION REPORT #2 🧡⁠ ⁠ With Adam safely in #Lagos, Nigeria the team met at the beautiful new Marriott Hotel (@marriottintl) in Ikeja to discuss with local partners how to best engage the Nigerian business community to assist our efforts helping the kids in #Borno.⁠ The #unpoppable orange balls are an instant hit! (Slide 1) ⁠ Early the next morning we receive word of a strike at the airport which we fear will impact our ability to depart for Borno so we hustle to the airport to navigate the chaos with our ground crew. After "only" a ~2 hours delay, with handwritten boarding passes and our bag of balls properly weighed and checked, we board the lovely MaxAir jet to commence the final leg of the journey to Borno. (Slide 4) Mid-flight Tunji and I smile in a combination of excitement, anxiety, and disbelief that we are actually going to Borno for the first time! (Slide 5) This shot (Slide 6) just outside the arrivals lobby at the Maiduguri airport with our amazing team member, Maikano, reveals the hope and optimism swelling in each of us to put all we have into this mission. Properly establishing our presence here is vital to the impact and sustainability of the effort so that we can reach tens of thousands of kids here in Borno and help change their lives for the better through soccer for years to come. That hard work would begin the next day. But first, check out the secure residential facility run by the UN Adam stayed in. Complete with fortress-like barriers, massive amounts of barbed wire, double and even triple security doors, all topped off with multiple safe rooms (Slide 10). Updates from the ground in the next post as we head out into the streets and introduce Refugee Soccer to numerous government officials and humanitarian actors in the area. #giveaballchangealife #thebeautifulgame #futbol #refugeeswelcome #soccer @cnnafrica @bbchausa @channelstelevision @maxairltd @mtnngfoundation @sterlingbank @usaid @unesco @unicef @unicefusa @unicef_nigeria @unmigration @iomnigeria @savethechildren @savechildrenng @streetchildutd @planinternational @rescueorg @icrc @goalprime.ng @refugees @unhcr_nigeria @un_ocha @intersos @oneworldplayprj
The journey to #Borno #Nigeria began 6 years ago t The journey to #Borno #Nigeria began 6 years ago this month when our founder read the gripping @nytimes article about the humanitarian disaster happening there and felt the call to do something about it.⁠ ⁠ He connected with a local young man (@jackson_bennion) to use his Eagle Scount service project to help raise the funds to buy 100 #unpoppable balls from @oneworldplayprj. The balls were eventually gathered and plans were made to deliver them to kids in need there.⁠ ⁠ In 2017 Adam went on TV to announce the #BallsForBorno project, raise awareness of the unthinkable crisis, and publicly promise action. (See video Slide 1.)⁠ ⁠ Personal challenges and a chronically volatile security situation in Borno made it virtually and frsutratingly impossible to make good on the promised action in a timely manner. Time marched on.⁠.. ⁠ Fast forward to this year and with the crisis still in full force Adam decided this HAD to be the year to make good on the promise. (Slide 2). Adam found a couple of trustworthy, capable local partners in Nigeria and plans were hatched and then implemented over several months.⁠ ⁠ Even as the dates of the trip approached late last month the news and warnings out of Nigeria seemed to get worse (Slide 3) as both the State Department and the UN advised to NOT travel to Borno, let alone Nigeria, due to fears of terrorism and kidnappings.⁠ ⁠ But with his lucky soccer socks on (Slide 4) and an unquenchable desire to fulfill this promise of reaching the tens of thousands of kids wasting away in one of worst humanitarian crises in the world you rarely hear about, Adam grabbed his bag of orange balls (Slide 5) and traveled the many miles to Nigeria.⁠ ⁠ The journey just to get on this plane and start this mission, which is truly just the start, has been messy, slow, and really exhausting. BUT, anything worth doing will absolutely have elements of hardship. And it's nothing like what 100MM of our displaced fellow humans are going through daily. The amazing news is that the results of this short but vital first trip are really encouraging. We can't wait to share the photos and stories that occurred after Adam made it to Nigeria safely in the coming days.
So excited to announce our breakthrough trip to a So excited to announce our breakthrough trip to a very dangerous and rough part of the world, Borno, Nigeria. And it is precisely the challenging environment of Borno that creates numerous opportunities to multiply impact and love of humanity. Please stay tuned for the photos and videos that capture the beautiful story that is unfolding there and of which we are honored to play a growing role. #borno #ballsforborno #giveaballchangealife #refugeestrong #socialimpact #worldcup2022 #soccerforall
They say “you win some, you lose some.” This They say “you win some, you lose some.” This team from @utahavalanche did just that over the last two weeks of the #Utah #statecup and we want to recognize them for their unity and heart. We are honored to support a young refugee player named Am who plays for this 2007 #ECNL team. Most of the pictures in this post are of him, but it’s vital to point out that while Am is a valuable player on this team he is only one member of a much larger team and club with supportive teammates and a brilliant coach. One of the most important elements of what we do at Refugee Soccer is bridge communities. For us, it all starts on the soccer field and continues off the field with acts of kindness and belonging in daily life among people with different life stories. Congratulations to all the players and their families who make this team who they are and inspire us to keep being that bridge that opens minds and hearts, and pushes the boundaries of potential. And congratulations to an excellent La Roca team, who beat this team in the finals Saturday. It was an outstanding performance of grit and never giving up. @larocafcofficial @utah_youth_soccer #statecup2022 #refugeesoccer #refugeeally #soccerforall
Six years ago the young man in the upper right cor Six years ago the young man in the upper right corner of the team photo next to Coach Mo (@moe_savage96) played with our first all-refugee team, the Somali Stars here in #saltlakecity. He was a talented and dedicated player with an unforgettable smile. Fast forward to today and he’s about to leave for Africa to play for the U-20 Somalia National Team. He came to us recently and asked if we could help get about 20 pairs of cleats for kids in Mogadishu, Somalia attending a startup soccer academy there called @18x26academy. We said, “of course!” 🧡 With many thanks to our friends at @Soccer_internationalSLC Hassan will be carrying this duffle bag of cleats, and that bright smile, to the continent very soon for the kids there with not much more than their dreams. We are always honored to help footballers who want to give back. And we are so proud of Hassan and the good he is trying to do in the world by playing soccer at the highest levels, while never forgetting the joy of making impact by helping others. If you would like to join Hassan on this journey please click the link in bio to donate a pair of cleats. Let’s go!
This past Saturday, we held our biggest event ever This past Saturday, we held our biggest event ever here in #SaltLakeCity, #Utah!! We simply cannot give enough praise or thanks to the amazing young women of the @ladyminersoccer team, their coaches and parents, and the beautiful #refugee kids who joined us, and their parents who got them there, to make this happen! As you will see from these inspiring photos captured by our official photographer, @kinnseye, this was a day where we did something special together as a community through the #beautifulgame of #soccer: -Fires lit 🔥 -Dreams formed ✨ -Hearts bound 🧡 -Communities bridged 🌉 As many of the volunteers, kids, and parents said that day: “Let’s do that again!” OK. Let’s do it! Huge shoutout to the great folks of @promisessl for their help in letting us use the amazing facilities at Central Park Community Center. #refugees #socialgood #causes #humanrights #donate #giveback #charity #volunteer #refugeestrong #refugeeally #refugeeswelcome #giveaballchangealife
What an incredible outing! We joined DC-based alli What an incredible outing! We joined DC-based allies, Washington International School (@wisreddevlis) and L.A.C.E.S. (@lacesport) to join the amazing, badass athletes of the @USWNT to watch their match against a team near and dear to our hearts, #Nigeria.⁠ ⁠ We had 33 kids! 8 from WIS and 25 local refugee peers. (And 7 brave adults trying to keep them all together. 😅)⁠ ⁠ Scroll to see just a few of the memorable moments of this awesome night. ⁠ ⁠ -Huge supporter & big-hearted Ashley Hatch meeting the kids and graciously posing for pics and signing autographs.⁠ -Energetic little man (barely) waiting for his chance to join Ashley and Megan Rapinoe and get in the game ;-)⁠ -WIS kids watching the historic signing of the Collective Bargaining Agreement making official #EqualPay for the women and men of @ussoccer and paving the way for #equality in sports around the world.⁠ ⁠ These moments are special. Through the beautiful game we bring down walls, unite, and catalyze action to better reach our collective potential.⁠ ⁠ We will never forget this night and are so grateful to all who made this happen. We can't wait to be back in DC so soon building bridges and connecting as fellow humans through soccer. 🧡 ⁠ ⁠ @washingtonspirit @dcunited #futbol #soccer #dc #washington⁠ #womensrights #soccerislife #refugeesoccer #refugeeswelcome #refugeestrong
One week ago this amazingness happened! Led by a g One week ago this amazingness happened! Led by a go-getter #soccermom, her boys, & their friends we hosted around 25 Bhutanese kids here in #SaltLakeCity for a fun introductory training session.⁠ ⚽️ (We gave away soccer gear donated by @coppermountainsoccer.)⁠ ⁠ We are delighted to report we had STRONG interest from these kids (and their eager parents) to ⁠play on local clubs. We are working hard and fast to make that happen.⁠ ⁠ And it was so rewarding that one of the ten teenage boys who helped coach these beautiful kids asked at the end of the 2 hour event: "Can we do this again?!" ⁠ ⁠ Yes, yes we can...and we will!⁠! 🧡⁠ ⁠ If you are interested in helping us support these kids visit the link in our bio to get involved.⁠ We have many, many more events like this to execute and YOU will love playing with these kids.⁠ ⁠ Let's go!⁠ ⁠ 📷️: @kinnseye⁠ ⁠ And special thanks to @promisessl & @holmanpatrick for their huge help with the facilities!⁠ ⁠ #refugeesoccer #refugeefutbol #refugeefootball #thebeautifulgame #refugeeswelcome #soccer⁠ #socialgood #causes #humanrights #donate #giveback #nonprofit #socialimpact #charity #volunteer
These boys, and the club that has embraced them, e These boys, and the club that has embraced them, exemplify what we are all about: heart, resilience, hustle, and belonging.⁠ We have so much love for not just these two athletes, but for everyone on this journey with us; the growing number of kids coming out of their communities and engaging with established kids everywhere and the countless clubs and individuals welcoming them with open arms and quick feet! 🧡⁠ ⁠ Salim and Jacque helped their La Roca team win the Storm Cup this past weekend. Congratulations to the entire team!⁠ ⁠ And while the cup and the medals are nice, what we really see in these photos are the results of a lot of hard work, sacrifice, commitment, and hope. The teamwork, inclusion, and courage are transformational on and OFF the soccer field.⁠ ⁠ We can't wait to create so many more moments of hope and happiness, with thousands of kids just like these two young men, and you. Yes, YOU! Click the link in bio to learn more and join this mission.⁠ ⁠ Let's go! ⚽️⁠ ⁠ Also, these amazing action shots are courtesy of the very talented @kinnseye. Many more shots to come. So, get ready! 📷️⁠ ⁠ #grind #successful #success #goals #ambition #mindset⁠ #socialgood #causes #humanrights #giveback #socialimpact #charity #volunteer #volunteering #inclusion #diversity #resilience #emotionalhealth #equity #community #connection #refugeesoccer #thebeautifulgame #soccerforgood
Sometimes something as simple as a pair of shoes, Sometimes something as simple as a pair of shoes, or cleats in this case, can create deep and lasting moments of impact. The beautiful game gives us countless opportunities to serve kids who have lost so much and simultaneously provide so much by watching these kids forget about what they’ve lost and focus on what they do have, a shared love of fútbol (soccer) with kids from different life experiences. This week we were so lucky to work with a forward-thinking and generous club, Copper Mountain Soccer Club, as they gathered a ton of soccer gear from their club families for #refugee kids from Venezuela and then showed up to distribute the gear and play with these kids. It was a true team effort led by two dedicated and enthusiastic women from the Club Board, two amazing coaches and about 25 kind and generous young men, with indispensable help from the refugee liaison for Jordan School District. It truly is a beautiful thing to watch people come together to ease burdens and create moments of hope and happiness. We can’t wait to do more with Copper Mountain and many other clubs across Utah and America who want to join this mission of sharing the beautiful game, have a blast doing it, and create more communities of belonging and unity. #soccer #soccerplayer #futbol #belonging #connection #equity #resilience #diversity #community #inclusion 📸 @kinnseye
We have had the absolute best time working with th We have had the absolute best time working with these dozens of Refugee kids at the Sunnyvale neighborhood center over the summer. Sad that it’s over so soon! Aided by two of our most active volunteers, Ali and Matt and their families, we have spent some really fun hours managing the heat and field conditions to teach these kids how to play soccer and how to have a great time doing it. And they have taught us about grit, determination, resilience, and love of the game. And we are delighted to have been able to place several of these kids on established clubs here in Salt Lake City. And hope to be able to place more very soon. It’s a privilege and honor to work with community programs like this to create belonging and provide healthy alternatives for these great kids who are making America their home. If you would like to get involved in any way at all please click the link in bio to learn more and get in touch. #refugees #socialgood #humanrights #giveback #nonprofit #socialimpact #charity #youthsoccer #refugeeswelcome
This is what Refugee Soccer is all about: #Belongi This is what Refugee Soccer is all about: #Belonging. In many ways we are just getting started but we will never stop creating more moments just like this. 🧡 #thebeautifulgame #refugeeswelcome #youthsoccer
These players are ready to join the right team! Ar These players are ready to join the right team! Are you ready for them?! Clink the link in bio to see full showcase videos of these players and the growing list of #refugee players ready to join established clubs. Let’s go! #refugeesoccer #youthsoccer #utahsoccer #thebeautifulgame #refugeeswelcome
We’ve been busy trying to keep up with these tal We’ve been busy trying to keep up with these talented and ambitious refugee soccer players looking for a soccer club and soccer family. Check out the new showcase page on our website here: refugeesoccer.org/teams/showcase to learn more and explore adding them to your club. Let’s go! #beautifulgame #refugeeswelcome #futbol
Today is #WorldRefugeeDay. Never before has this d Today is #WorldRefugeeDay. Never before has this day had more significance than this year. ⁠ ⁠ We live in historic times. Last week the UNHCR @refugees confirmed the alarming and tragic number of displaced people in the world has now topped 100,000,000. ⁠ ⁠ These are our fellow humans; forced to seek refuge from the violence, hunger, and chaos in their homelands by taking brutal, often dangerous journeys that tragically not everyone survives. ⁠ ⁠ "But once a refugee has found safety, shelter, and food the next most vital need they have as a human is to belong."⁠ ⁠ We use soccer/football to try and create belonging in our communities everywhere. ⁠ ⁠ Our founder, @bridgesfounder, spoke passionately on this topic last weekend at @TEDxSaltLakeCity. We are pleased to share the text of his talk via the link in bio. (Video will be out in August 2022 and we will share then.)⁠ ⁠ Please read his words and consider what you can do to make not just this day but EVERY day better for a refugee, a fellow human without a homeland. It takes so little to do so much and the benefits touch everyone involved in making a simple "pass" of positive energy. ⁠ ⁠ Then please freely share with your communities.⁠ ⁠ Let's go!⁠ ⁠ ⁠ #refugees #humanrights #socialgood #socialimpact #dogood⁠ #blackexcellence #blacklivesmatter #blackcommunity #juneteenth #giveaballchangealife #beautifulgame
Heading in to #WorldRefugeeDay Monday this is how Heading in to #WorldRefugeeDay Monday this is how we are spending the week here with the #refugee kids we feel so lucky to work with.⁠ ⁠ We have also been helping to register over a dozen kids playing for established clubs such as @larocafcofficial, @cottonwood_fc, @utahglorysoccer, @metasportfc, and others soon!⁠ ⁠ We have the best volunteers and love them almost as much as they love this work! Huge, ongoing thanks to @Alivthack, @pinkzebramullet, @losdawgcoolio for their huge hearts and selfless allocation of time and energy.⁠ ⁠ Come work with us! There's so much more work to do and we are GROWING. ⁠ ⁠ Check out the link in bio to choose how you want to get involved-never any pressure, work as little or as much as you want. ALWAYS fulfillment, love, and fun!⁠ ⁠ Let's GO!
Our founder, @bridgesfounder, did a podcast interv Our founder, @bridgesfounder, did a podcast interview from Poland/Ukraine last month with a soccer-focused podcast called Golazo With Carlos & Paul (@Golazowcp). It's a wide-ranging chat covering:⁠ ⁠ 1. The history of Refugee Soccer-from reuniting African families to connecting refugees and established kids through soccer around the world.⁠ 2. Our process of serving refugees through our PEC Model: PLAY | EQUIP | COMPETE.⁠ 3. Our international efforts from Ukraine to Nigeria and beyond.⁠ 4. The historical crisis of 100mm displaced people around the world and the simple things you can do to help.⁠ 5. Ways established communities can help refugees through soccer now.⁠ ⁠ Click the link in bio to listen to the podcast.
Another beautiful story from our trip to #standwit Another beautiful story from our trip to #standwithukraine This time from @HotelIlan in #Lublin, #Poland. As these kids received donated balls we loved seeing the joy in their eyes that have seen so much senseless violence, pain, and uncertainty. Like every kid they just want to be kids and be able to freely play. And now a few of these #refugeekids can do just that. 🧡⚽️ #refugeeswelcome #giveaballchangealife
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