Play Together: everyone should have access to play
WPDI and One World Play Project are transforming vulnerable communities in Africa through the power of play.
WPDI teaches the values and attitudes of peace and non-violence to children and young people living in refugee camps and people displaced by conflict in South Sudan and Uganda.
Through the Play Together campaign, One World Play Project is raising ultra-durable One World Futbols—soccer balls that never need a pump and never go flat—for WPDI and other organizations working with refugee and immigrant youth.
One World Play Project and WPDI believe that everyone should have access to play—no matter who they are, where they come from or where they live. Play is a basic human need. It helps us recover from trauma; live healthier lives; and gives us hope. For refugee youth and adults living in exile, play builds community; empowers individuals; creates joy; and helps keep optimism alive.
Play for peace and development
Through WPDI’s Peace Through Sports program, refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) living in South Sudan and Uganda learn about essential values like respect and tolerance while partaking in the joy of sport.
One World Play Project’s ultra-durable One World Futbol powers Team WPDI’s practice sessions, fostering a sense of community through athletic pride. In Africa, ordinary soccer balls typically go flat within minutes, hours or days. Having the One World Futbols, which are designed to last on tough terrain, means WPDI-supported youth can play without the worry of destroying a ball and abruptly bringing practices or games to an end.
At WPDI’s Community Learning Centers and at tournaments all over South Sudan and Uganda, the One World Futbol is a critical resource for the Peace Through Sports program, helping youth recover from trauma and build mental and physical health.
Coming together through sports and play
Auma Molly, a female soccer coach at the Kiryandongo refugee settlement in Uganda, shares how empowering it is to build bridges between tribes through sports.
She says, “The girls I coach in the settlement come from different tribal groups in South Sudan. Our long-term objective is to bring them together, to unite them. Back home, many conflicts in their country are based on tribal differences. We are trying to bridge those tribal and ethnic divides by using sports to teach respect for each other. I am very happy to contribute to something so great for my community and I hope that, in the future, we can take the program to other settlements to bring peace to the girls who are the next generation. It is very important to have such a program for girls; it creates a special space where they can learn a lot while expressing themselves freely. I am very honored that WPDI hired me as a coach because few women have the opportunity to have this kind of role.”
Play for all
Joining forces with One World Play Project has transformed many youth in conflict-affected communities in both South Sudan and Uganda. Through sports, WPDI is fostering social cohesion, bringing different people together. To date, One World Play Project’s Play Together campaign—along with WPDI’s help—has raised funds for more than 165 durable balls, impacting an estimated 5,000 children.
Donate a ball to WPDI’s programs through One World Play Project’s Play Together campaign today at http://onewrld.co/2vgQEYV.