C4BF Makes a difference in Kenya

In July C4BF received a request for cleats to help the Aspire Mega Soccer Academy (AMSA) in Kenya. The AMSA is a sports centered charitable organization established to transform the lives of the most impoverished and vulnerable youngsters through soccer and education in Kenya. Most of their participants are orphans who cannot afford to buy equipment, not even shoes to wear to school. This is the kind of challenge Cleats For Bare Feet is working toward overcoming.

In August, we connected with a US representative for AMSA and provided them with 13 pairs of cleats for their team.

Today, we received this letter and photos from the Director of AMSA.

Dear C4BF,  

Thank you so much for your donation of 13 pairs of soccer cleats, and 1 ball.In fact. We don't know how to thank you and if it will ever be enough!
We may not be able to thank everyone who donated these cleats but, please let them know that AMSA youngsters are very proud of them and that they have contributed to a great cause and injected a fresh impetus of hope and self belief into the lives of impoverished and vulnerable youngsters in KENYA.
Before your donation, we only had 5 pairs of cleats that were being shared at intervals among the under 12 years. The players wearing shoes at the beginning of the game would in turn share them at the start of 2 half!
That now, the under 12 years can comfortably play 90 minutes wearing cleats is a big milestone to us and by extension the entire community.

As you can see, we still require cleats, shin guards, even uniforms for the older players. We shall always welcome and appreciate any assistance from you. Attached herein are photos of AMSA children.

We don't even know how to thank you and whether our thanks will ever be enough. The equipment to us is a dream come true! And a miracle! , you are changing many lives here!.Attached are the photos of the youngsters.
May the Almighty Father bless you abundantly and long live cleats for bare feat.

Sincerely ,

Eusebias Francis

It is our great pleasure to have been able to be a part of helping Eusebias, his team, and the AMSE work towards their continued goal of identifying, nurturing  and developing talent both on the field as well as in the classroom. 

We hope to be able to find other ways to provide the participants of AMSE with more equipment in the coming months. 

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The 2nd Annual Talibe Soccer Tournament

Recently, Cleats For Bare Feet sent three boxes in two shipments to Senegal with a former member of the C4BF Team.  This was the response I received back from the tournament we shared your equipment with:

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This year Peace Corps Volunteers worked with a local counterpart, Aris Faye, to hold the 2nd Annual Talibe Soccer Tournament. This tournament was funded by the US Embassy’s Public Affairs Grant. Talibes are children pursuing a Quranic education. The heartbreaking story of talibes in Senegal isn't just the struggle for the children because they are sent thousands of kilometers away from their home village, or their struggle to reach their daily quota of CFA (local money) before they go home to protect them from a beating, nor is it the fact that these children may not return to their village or see their family members for years. The devastating truth about these talibes, some as young as 5 years old, is that they are forgotten, ignored. People see these children begging on the street and push them aside rather than give them the alms they’re begging for. These children are seen at a nuisance, yet the religion, and their teachers are seen as the “untouchables.” No fault is ever placed on those in charge, just the children. Giving the children an event, concentrating on them, and reminding people these talibes, who are forced to dress in rags, and wander the streets barefoot in search for their meals, eat what is given to them; they are children and they should be allowed to act as children.

This event allowed the talibes to play with regular school children. Peace Corps role was very small in this 2 day event. Thursday the Peace Corps volunteers gave the children something to remember. The volunteers interacted with the children, showing them a part of our American culture. We shared face paint with the children, we taught the children how to write their names (some of the children’s first time holding a pencil), taught them basics about hygiene and nutrition, and the show stopper; an obstacle course. Peace Corps volunteers wanted to make this even more memorable for the children, we collected donations to be given to the talibes as prizes for their participation on the day of the finale, giving the children a real jersey, soccer ball, and cleats. These prizes brought smiles to everyone’s faces! It was a great moment to share with these talibes, explaining people all the way from United States sent these prizes just for the talibes to have. The older talibes took me aside to express their gratitude of the event, and the prizes. Stating the event (however chaotic it got) was “Mash’Allah.”
These are 3 photos my older talibe took of the awarding of prizes. 

                                                                                                 Thanks again,  

Hadiel Mohamed 

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This is what Cleats For Bare Feet is all about. Bringing smiles to children's faces across the world by sharing your old soccer equipment.
We are always looking for more equipment to share, or for people traveling abroad who would like to act as our ambassador and spread the love of the game ever further around the world.

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