2007.09.12: September 12, 2007: Headlines: COS - Ghana: Service: Fund Raising: Soccer: Daily News: Lisa Sari writes: Paul Sari, my brother, is in the Peace Corps in Ghana and last fall he and I wanted to combine our strengths to do something for the people of Africa
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2007.09.12: September 12, 2007: Headlines: COS - Ghana: Service: Fund Raising: Soccer: Daily News: Lisa Sari writes: Paul Sari, my brother, is in the Peace Corps in Ghana and last fall he and I wanted to combine our strengths to do something for the people of Africa
Lisa Sari writes: Paul Sari, my brother, is in the Peace Corps in Ghana and last fall he and I wanted to combine our strengths to do something for the people of Africa
We thought it would be a great idea to do an equipment drive for the nation's kids. There were five teams that Paul knew of that shared one soccer ball and had little or no equipment. However, before I explain the details of the equipment drive and how we acquired so many donations, I must explain that we didn't just hand the gear over to the soccer teams. Though done with the right intentions, many times donations of second-hand clothing and goods hurts the economy of Third World countries rather than helping. It only provides them with a temporary benefit and does not educate them on any new skills. Also, rather than buying clothing from their local vendors and giving back to their own economy, they are just getting clothes for free. Because my brother has been immersed in the country for a while, he understands this concept and wants them to build their own economy and keep money circulating. If we constantly give them things, they will always depend on us and not on each other, and they won't learn anything through the process. So, with this idea in mind, we set out to do an equipment drive in a way that would teach them something valuable. After evaluating his community in Ghana and the local issues at hand, we decided that sanitation was the largest and most damaging issue to his community.
Lisa Sari writes: Paul Sari, my brother, is in the Peace Corps in Ghana and last fall he and I wanted to combine our strengths to do something for the people of Africa
More than gifts to Ghana
By Lisa Sari / for The Daily News
Sep 12, 2007 - 08:00:35 am PDT
Caption: Paul Sari, middle, poses with one of the soccer teams in Ghana that was the recipient of soccer gear donated by Longview-Kelso citizens and organizations.
Editor's note: Earlier this year, former Mark Morris High School and University of Portland soccer star Lisa Sari visited Ghana, Africa, where she and her brother teamed up to help the area's children through the sport she dearly loves. This is her story.
Paul Sari, my brother, is in the Peace Corps in Ghana, Africa. He has been there for more than two years now, and last fall he and I wanted to combine our strengths to do something for the people of Africa.
We thought it would be a great idea to do an equipment drive for the nation's kids. There were five teams that Paul knew of that shared one soccer ball and had little or no equipment. However, before I explain the details of the equipment drive and how we acquired so many donations, I must explain that we didn't just hand the gear over to the soccer teams.
Though done with the right intentions, many times donations of second-hand clothing and goods hurts the economy of Third World countries rather than helping. It only provides them with a temporary benefit and does not educate them on any new skills.
Also, rather than buying clothing from their local vendors and giving back to their own economy, they are just getting clothes for free. Because my brother has been immersed in the country for a while, he understands this concept and wants them to build their own economy and keep money circulating.
If we constantly give them things, they will always depend on us and not on each other, and they won't learn anything through the process.
So, with this idea in mind, we set out to do an equipment drive in a way that would teach them something valuable. After evaluating his community in Ghana and the local issues at hand, we decided that sanitation was the largest and most damaging issue to his community.
Paul Sari, right, presents new soccer shoes to a representative from one of the teams in Tamale, Ghana.
There is garbage covering the streets, children who go to the bathroom in public, and animals in the
mix as well. There is so much garbage on the ground, they sometimes burn it to get rid of it. The sanitation issue becomes a health risk because of all the garbage and feces.
Education is so important to the people of Ghana, because as they become a more developed nation, they are going to need to learn about sanitation. They need to start somewhere.
My brother decided the best way to get through to the community about sanitation would be through the sport they love the most ---- futbol. He gathered up the local soccer teams and put them through sanitation training. He spoke with them numerous times, explained what can happen when communities aren't clean, then they set out to clean the local school area.
After the cleanup, each player was instructed and encouraged to gather one or more of their neighbors or friends, and educate them on what they had just learned. Now, each player had to learn about sanitation, clean up, educate someone else and clean up with them.
All of the local soccer teams cleaned up the school area and stadium where soccer is played, and they educated other people who came out to join them. The program got them thinking about the
importance of cleanliness, and they were rewarded for their efforts with the soccer gear from the equipment drive.
I traveled to Tamale, Ghana, in January and spoke with many of the teams, and they all agreed to participate in the sanitation project and education. It was a powerful experience, one that wouldn't have been possible without the amazing support from our community.
The people in Tamale were amazing and loving, and they were lucky to have such a supportive community backing them. Longview came together as a huge contributor to the equipment drive. And not only did the University of Portland help out a great deal with organizing the event, but also both Rotary Clubs in Longview and Kelso were especially generous in their efforts and donations, and the Longview Soccer Club had many teams contribute and get players involved.
I would like to extend a special thanks to all of the individuals and groups who put a lot of effort into gathering soccer balls, cleats, shin guards, shorts, shirts, jerseys and a number of other soccer-related items. The generosity of the community was overwhelming.
Lisa Sari, who helped the University of Portland win the NCAA championship in 2005, is attending graduate school at UP and is an assistant coach for the No. 1-ranked Pilots. She can be reached at sports@tdn.com
Links to Related Topics (Tags):
Headlines: September, 2007; Peace Corps Ghana; Directory of Ghana RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Ghana RPCVs; Service; Fund Raising; Soccer
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Story Source: Daily News
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Ghana; Service; Fund Raising; Soccer
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