CALENDAR: Recent and Future Events
Date
Location
Event
March 27, 2013
Boston MA
Kelsey Moore represents PSNI at the SFW USA Network Member Workshop
May 25
Santa Monica CA
PSNI and Santa Monica Sports Medicine Foundation hold forum on coaching education curriculum
June 6, 2013
Brussels
"Oranje in Brussel" holds charity event to benefits PSNI
June 25-29
Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Wahab Musah and Joe Fraga represent PSNI at Football For Hope Forum 2013
PARTNERSHIPS AND OTHER NEWS:
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COLLABORATION WITH UNIVERSITY OF CAPE COAST : A seminar was organized by PLAY SOCCER Ghana in collaboration with the University of Capecoast (UCC). It witnessed the signing of an MOU between the PLAY SOCCER/Oguaa Football for Hope Centre and the Department of Health, Physical Education and recreation of UCC.
- OGUAA FFH CENTRE CELEBRATES ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY: A number of activities were organised to mark the one year anniversary of the centre. The children, wearing their beautiful PLAY SOCCER T-shirts, marched through the principal street of Cape Coast. Parents' Day featured visits to the centre by parents of children from the PLAY SOCCER core program, and a plaque unveiling honored sponsors and gave information to potential donors. A health fair and seminar were organized at the University of Cape Coast. A media briefing highlighted successes and challenges of the centre.
- NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH PEACE PLAYERS INTERNATIONAL (PPI): Peace Players International (PPI), based in Washington, DC, operates in four locations – Cyprus, Israel and the West Bank, Northern Ireland, South Africa – with year-round programs which use basketball to bring together children from diverse backgrounds. Their pioneering peace-building and leadership programs have won them international recognition for their efforts. This partnership will allow a PSNI staff member to share office space at the PPI world headquarters in downtown Washington, DC. This collaborative effort will promote creativity and productivity among both organizations with easy access to colleagues in the sport for development field. This relationship will also provide tangible evidence of both our commitments to a partnership approach, based on collaboration and teamwork. PSNI is excited to learn from the diverse and experienced individuals within PPI and we hope for further collaboration as this partnership grows in the future. For more information about PPI, please visit their website.
- VISIT BY MR. WILFRIED LEMKE TO PLAY SOCCER'S SOUTH AFRICA PROGRAM: The PLAY for FUN, LEARN for LIFE South Africa program was honored in February 2013 to be able to once again welcome Mr. Lemke to visit a program session and meet its new internally selected management team: Themba Dan Chauke, who participated in 2011in the first global youth leadership training camp held the by the United Nations Office on Sport for Development and Peace (UNOSDP); Glenda Mafa, and Tshepo George Sithole, all of whom have grown into their new roles from experience as volunteer instructors. Mr. Lemke’s visit to the Tembisa site coincided with the delivery of the first 10 balls of a promised contribution of 400 balls from One World Futbol (OWF). The ball distribution will be facilitated through SAFA and is expected to take place within the next few months. PSNI announced that same day as Mr. Lemke’s visit that it had teamed up with OWF to deliver these Chevrolet-branded One World Futbols to its South Africa program in Gauteng. The virtually-indestructible One World Futbol never needs a pump and never deflates–even when punctured multiple times–making it ideal for play in all types of terrain and harsh environments. “It is especially exciting to have Mr. Lemke’s visit coincide with the announcement of the contribution of One World Futbols,” said Judy McPherson, Founder and Executive Director of PSNI and its “Play for Fun, Learn for Life” program. “The new youth management team for the South Africa program re-enforces the importance of the UNOSDP investment in youth leadership and highlights the vital support of companies like One World Futbol Project and Chevrolet who believe in and support their work and the power of sport for development.”
- NEW SITE IN THE USA: With a 2009-2011 grant from the US Department of State, PSNI opened its first USA program in Appalachia, collaborating with an Ohio University Program, KIDS ON CAMPUS.
AWARDS:
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MALAWI TROPHY: Patrick Kulemeka, PLAY SOCCER Malawi Program Director, was awarded the International Olympic Committee 2011 trophy for Sport and Social Responsibility on June 25 at Thyolo Stadium on the Olympic Day celebration. Patrick's name was nominated by the Malawi Olympic committee because of his commitment to promote the IOC objectives, and his outstanding contribution to development through sport through his work with children and youth.
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PLAY SOCCER AWARDED TROPHY AT GLOBAL SPORTS FORUM BARCELONA: On March 9, 2010, PLAY SOCCER Non Profit International (PSNI) was awarded the 2010 Trophy for "Sport and Education" at the second Global Sports Forum in Barcelona. The Trophy for Sport and Education honored PLAY SOCCER's 10-year old "Play for Fun, Learn for Life" program as "the sports initiative that has best promoted the values of citizenship education, training and vocational integration through sport."
READ MORE: Press Release
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PLAY SOCCER AWARDED "SPORTS NGO FOR PEACE OF THE YEAR": PLAY SOCCER Non Profit International was awarded the prestigious "Sports NGO for Peace of the Year" at the 3rd Annual Peace and Sport International Forum in Monaco, in the presence of H.S.H Prince Albert II and more than 400 decision-makers from 85 nations, representing sport, politics, business and civil society
READ MORE: Press Release
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PLAY SOCCER SHORTLISTED FOR 2009 UNICEF CHILDREN’S
RIGHTS AWARD: The PLAY SOCCER Network was one of four finalists
for the 2009 UNICEF Children’s Rights Award. The award was
granted by Beyond Sport, a new global initiative to unite and promote
the world’s most innovative projects for change. PLAY SOCCER
benefited from participation at the July 7-9 Beyond Sport Summit in
London, an opportunity to network with media, corporations,
organizations, and individuals who support our achievements.
MORE at www.beyondsport.org
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US DEPARTMENT OF STATE AWARDS GRANT TO OHIO UNIVERSITY & PLAY SOCCER
PARTNERSHIP: The US Department of State has awarded a three-year grant of $225,000 to support
a partnership between Ohio University and PLAY SOCCER that furthers cultural interaction and
education through sport in underserved areas in the US, Senegal, Ghana and South Africa. The grant,
issued by the Sports United Office, will fund a holistic training program for youth sport coaches that
teaches the crucial link between sport and health. The PLAY SOCCER- Ohio University partnership
kicks off in December at PLAY SOCCER South Africa, where a Ohio U’s expert coaches will deliver
clinics, training and field sessions. PLAY SOCCER’s country programs in Ghana and Senegal will
benefit from visits in 2010 and 2011. In exchange, during summer 2010 and 2011, PLAY SOCCER
youth coaches from South Africa, Ghana, and Senegal will travel to the US to participate in Ohio
University’s “Kids On Campus,” an enrichment program for children in the surrounding Appalachian
communities.
READ MORE: Press Release
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