Dear friends, family, sporting heroes ...

As you know, or imagined, I spent my childhood in Zambia, and attended state primary schools in various parts of the country, both rural and urban.

My interest in Zambia, its people and its future remains undimmed despite the march of time.  So for the past decade, I have sought to make an active difference, helping to fund educational support and nature conservation projects – while nurturing a local network to be able to channel the interest of others into Zambian projects.  

Now I am helping to support a football and netball outreach program, run by the Zambia Society Trust. The Trust is a British-registered charity devoted to the relief of poverty, disability and sickness, the promotion of good health, and the advancement of education in Zambia. 

I am keen to secure your support for our annual appeal, helping Zambian schoolchildren experience the joy of sport by providing schools with footballs and netballs.  http://www.zambiasocietytrust.org.uk/footballappeal.htm

We already provide balls to around 100 secondary schools and community schools, all of which are short of facilities.  This is a truly simple and effective way to help children develop their skills and, not least, it brings much joy to those able to benefit.  

The footballs are made by 'Alive and Kicking' in Lusaka, a non-profit making enterprise that employs local people and manufactures quality balls.  'Alive and Kicking' is endorsed by UNICEF and the WHO, while the Zambian ministries of education, sport and health are all supportive.   President Obama visited their Kenyan workshop when he toured Kenya.

We distribute the balls through our local (volunteer) organizer and with the direct help of the schools themselves, whereby one school takes responsibility for getting the balls safely to others in its area.  This is simple, respectful and effective.

The sums are quite small: £3,000 will enable the Trust to cover multiple additional provinces in Zambia, with this simple and effective program. 

Moreover, in years to come, ideally talented young Zambian players inspired partly by the gift of a ball, may play abroad and help to channel both interest and resources back to their home towns.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the ZST charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate.

Thanks!

 

Peter