Andrew Ryan
Maasai Cricket Warriors in the Last Man Stands World Championships
Fundraising for Cricket Without Boundaries
Story
Join us in smashing through boundaries. . .'Batting' for women's rights & 'bowling out' AIDS!
We are also warriors against the savage tradition of circumcision of girls in our communities.
HELP US SPREAD THE WORDS AGAINST THE TRIPLE EVIL OF HIV, FGM and CHILD MARRIAGE BY CONTRIBUTING TO OUR FUNDRAISER TO GET THE MAASAI CRICKET WARRIORS TEAM TO CAPE TOWN . . .
Imagine a cricketer who is a semi-nomadic cattle herder living among the wild animals of Africa. Imagine him who wears layers of beads; who sets fire on the field with his bright red clothes and flying braided hair; he who gives war cries while throwing or hitting a ball and is actually a crusader for peace. Imagine him - a Maasai tribesman - playing a T-20 league. Unbelievable? Then you ought to meet the Maasai Cricket Warriors . . .
The Maasai warriors cricket team, to quote an old Pepsi tag line, has nothing official about it - and that's where the beauty lies! The team consists of 11 men (plus another 14 reserve) - each one striving to be a role model in his community. And his strategy to gain favour? Not by earning lots of money or through link-ups with supermodels or picking up fights at nigh clubs, but by campaigning against traditional female circumcision (FGM), child marriages, and HIV/AIDS among tribal youth.
So, come 31st March - the Maasai Cricket Warriors hope to be in Cape Town, South Africa, taking part in the Last Man Stands World Championships - a T-20 event that will go on till 7th April.
Dressed in their signature colorful garbs, instead of the traditional cricket whites, the warriors will add zing and bling to the game when they take to the ground, armed with a wooden bat, instead of their spears. Watch out for that spectacular event!
Help us leave a mark at the wicket by spreading the words against the triple evil of HIV, FGM and Child Marriage.
JUST TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND WHY THE MAASAI CRICKET WARRIORS' EFFORTS MATTER:
• Kenya is home to 1.5 million HIV -infected people. In 2009 alone 80,000 people died from AIDS-related illnesses (source: Avert - a charity working against HIV/AIDS
• In Kenya, 49% women are victims of Female genital mutilation or FGM (source: UNICEF)
• Child marriage is rampant in Kenya. UNFPA record shows, 42% girls are married before they turn 18 in Africa.
The Last Man Stands World Championships is an annual international tournament, to be held this year in Cape Town, South Africa, from 31st March - 7th April. It consists of amateur teams from around the world playing several T20 group matches, followed by a knockout stage and a final. LMS offers a first prize of US$10,000, receives considerable media exposure, and will provide a great platform for the Maasai Warriors to spread their message.
On the days that the team will not be playing or where there will be time available in their schedule, the Maasai Cricket Warriors team plan to visit youth groups and schools to spread AIDS awareness messages, and to engage the youth and children in cultural exchanges.
The tournament organisers will also be holding fundraising events during the tournament for Maasai Cricket. The goal is to use some of these funds towards providing partial or full scholarships to talented children in Class 8, to enable them to attend secondary schools with cricketing facilities, thereby continuing their education and allowing them the chance to continue developing their cricket skills.
Some of the funds will also be used to train coaches as VCT counselors, so that they can double-up as cricket coaches who are able to conduct HIV testing and counseling amongst the players. This will contribute a big way in trying to manage the spread of HIV amongst Maasai communities.
WHAT IS NEEDED:
The Maasai Cricket Warriors need your help to make their participation in this tournament a reality!
The cost for the Maasai Cricket Warriors to reach the tournament amounts to £9,500, which includes: airfares, accommodations, transportation and meals for the players.
Breakdown of the costs for the Maasai Cricket players to participate in the 10-day Last Man Stands World Championships Tournament:
Airfares - £6,500
Accommodation - £1,800
Transportation - £400
Meals - £800
WE NEED TO RAISE £9,500, SO PLEASE GIVE GENEROUSLY & HELP SPREAD THE WORD!
Support A Maasai Cricket Warrior to help him leave his mark in Cape Town!
Your gift of £5 will ensure that one Maasai Warrior has his belly filled for one day of the tournament by providing him with Lunch & Dinner.
Your gift of £10 will accommodate and provide breakfast for one Maasai Warrior for one day of the tournament.
Your gift of £15 will provide 1-night’s hostel accommodation with 3 meals for one Maasai Warrior for one day of the tournament.
Your gift of £50 will ensure that one Maasai Warrior has all his lunch & dinner meals catered for during the tournament.
Your gift of £100 will provide 10-days of hostel accommodation with breakfast for one Maasai Warrior for the duration of the tournament.
Your gift of £150 will accommodate and provide lunch and dinners for one Maasai Warrior for the entire tournament.
Your gift of £550 will cover the return airfares & airport taxes for one Maasai Warrior to participate in the tournament.
Without financial support, the Maasai Warriors will be unable to participate in this tournament. The development of the sport will remain stagnant, at a time when it is on the verge of precipitating lasting change within a community in desperate need of help.
In the event that we do not manage to raise the funds required for the South African Last Man Stands event, we would wish to carry over the funds to secure the team's participation in the 2013 event, which will be held in the UK.
We need your support to help us leave our mark!!!
Ashe o’leng (Maasai)/Thank you for your generous support in assisting the Maasai Cricket Warriors to leave their mark at the Last Man Stands World Championships Tournament in Cape Town!
And now that you know, you can help the warriors fight these evils better by supporting us.