Success Stories
SportsWorks International NGO secures the naming rights to a sports complex in Nakaziba, Uganda
Video announcement of the naming rights
Video announcement of the naming rights
Claire Funderburk
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Constructing a Sports Complex In Nakaziba, Uganda In Partnership With Ba Nga AfayoNakaziba is a small village located in Uganda’s Kayunga district. The Kayunga district, located near the Great Lakes region of Africa, is home to large agricultural businesses representing ninety percent of the total employment in the region. The people of Nakaziba struggle with poverty, hunger, and lack of access to formal education. Yet, the village is not short of intelligent, hard-working, and self-motivated people driven to learn and teach themselves new skills for the betterment of their own lives and the lives of people in their community. One of these people being Joseph Ddiba, an IT expert, self-taught website designer, and community non-profit director. Unlike many children in Nakaziba, Ddiba was blessed with the gift of education which opened many doors for him throughout his life. With the gift of education Ddiba was given, he was able to start a movement working towards accessible education for children of all ages in his community.
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Ba Nga Afayo, translating to “show you care” in the Luganda language, is the name of Ddiba's non-profit created to help the people of his village who are in need. Ba Nga Afayo has several programs including child protection, early education, back-to-school programs, primary education for out-of-school children, girl child empowerment, vocational education, and sport for development. Many of Ba Nga Afayo’s programs are centered around education due to the proliferation of child labor in the region, keeping children out of school, or causing them to drop out early. If children do not have exposure to programs that help them to gain valuable skills, learn new languages, and develop critical thinking styles, they are unlikely to financially succeed later in life. Thus, making it difficult to break the cycle of familial poverty.
Young girls face additional challenges when formal education is made inaccessible to them. Young girls born into low-income families, who cannot pay for education, are often left with less decision-making power when it comes to marriages. They often marry early without another option or the freedom to decide how they will form their families. Ba Nga Afayo’s girl child empowerment program works to build the decision-making capacity of adolescent girls, increasing their autonomy and eliminating gender gaps in education.
Education also plays a crucial role in Ba Nga Afayo’s sport for development program. Sports have many developmental, emotional, and social benefits for children, yet low-income groups lack access to adequate facilities and equipment to integrate sports into the everyday lives of their community. The sports for development program works toward offering athletic spaces that serve as a multipurpose platform for skill development, community engagement, and learning opportunities. Sports can bring significant value to the lives of marginalized groups, especially those that lack access to primary and secondary schooling. The goals of Ba Nga Afayo’s sport for development program strongly align with SportsWorks Int’l NGO’s mission to enrich the lives of economically disadvantaged children and youth through sports instruction.
SportsWorks International NGO has been cultivating strong partnerships with Ba Nga Afayo and working to provide the small village with a sports complex. This sports center will be a clean and safe space for children to not only learn new athletic talents, but also acquire transferable skills for higher education, future careers, and social life. This space will be used for learning new athletic talents, becoming familiar with the English language, and providing a space for building community resilience and empowerment.
The clearing of the land for the sports complex has already begun. “We have a few materials, and we are at the beginning stages of the construction process,” relays Joseph Ddiba. Children have already started playing on the grounds of the cleared land for the complex location and SportsWorks Int’l NGO has donated equipment as well. “It is great to see the impact this facility is already having on the children, as many had fallen into depression after the Covid-19 pandemic,” when children were unable to attend school or spend time with friends. Joseph Ddiba sees the impact that the partnership between his non-profit, Ba Nga Afayo, and SportsWorks Int’l NGO has already had on the children and is “grateful for the support that SportsWorks has given our community so far.”
To continue building upon this project, SportsWorks Int’l NGO is working towards gaining more funding and forming partnerships with organizations that have a similar mission and an appreciation for the value that sports can bring to marginalized communities. SportsWorks Int’l NGO is looking forward to growing its support for communities like those in the village of Nakaziba, Uganda and others around the world. With the help of sponsors and generous partners, more children in Nakaziba can have the same opportunity of access to education as Joseph Ddiba had and more children will be able to pass the benefits of their education on to their families and community. By spreading the gift of sports to communities around the world, SportsWorks Int’l NGO hopes to build the capacity of vulnerable groups and enhance the lives of children everywhere.
- Claire Funderburk, 06/25/2022
Young girls face additional challenges when formal education is made inaccessible to them. Young girls born into low-income families, who cannot pay for education, are often left with less decision-making power when it comes to marriages. They often marry early without another option or the freedom to decide how they will form their families. Ba Nga Afayo’s girl child empowerment program works to build the decision-making capacity of adolescent girls, increasing their autonomy and eliminating gender gaps in education.
Education also plays a crucial role in Ba Nga Afayo’s sport for development program. Sports have many developmental, emotional, and social benefits for children, yet low-income groups lack access to adequate facilities and equipment to integrate sports into the everyday lives of their community. The sports for development program works toward offering athletic spaces that serve as a multipurpose platform for skill development, community engagement, and learning opportunities. Sports can bring significant value to the lives of marginalized groups, especially those that lack access to primary and secondary schooling. The goals of Ba Nga Afayo’s sport for development program strongly align with SportsWorks Int’l NGO’s mission to enrich the lives of economically disadvantaged children and youth through sports instruction.
SportsWorks International NGO has been cultivating strong partnerships with Ba Nga Afayo and working to provide the small village with a sports complex. This sports center will be a clean and safe space for children to not only learn new athletic talents, but also acquire transferable skills for higher education, future careers, and social life. This space will be used for learning new athletic talents, becoming familiar with the English language, and providing a space for building community resilience and empowerment.
The clearing of the land for the sports complex has already begun. “We have a few materials, and we are at the beginning stages of the construction process,” relays Joseph Ddiba. Children have already started playing on the grounds of the cleared land for the complex location and SportsWorks Int’l NGO has donated equipment as well. “It is great to see the impact this facility is already having on the children, as many had fallen into depression after the Covid-19 pandemic,” when children were unable to attend school or spend time with friends. Joseph Ddiba sees the impact that the partnership between his non-profit, Ba Nga Afayo, and SportsWorks Int’l NGO has already had on the children and is “grateful for the support that SportsWorks has given our community so far.”
To continue building upon this project, SportsWorks Int’l NGO is working towards gaining more funding and forming partnerships with organizations that have a similar mission and an appreciation for the value that sports can bring to marginalized communities. SportsWorks Int’l NGO is looking forward to growing its support for communities like those in the village of Nakaziba, Uganda and others around the world. With the help of sponsors and generous partners, more children in Nakaziba can have the same opportunity of access to education as Joseph Ddiba had and more children will be able to pass the benefits of their education on to their families and community. By spreading the gift of sports to communities around the world, SportsWorks Int’l NGO hopes to build the capacity of vulnerable groups and enhance the lives of children everywhere.
- Claire Funderburk, 06/25/2022
Orphanages in Punjab, Pakistan Help Women and Children Forced Into Bonded Labor In Brick Kilns
Of the four provinces of Pakistan, Punjab is the most populous and prosperous region of the country. Yet, this prosperity comes at a cost to women, children, and impoverished families who work in the brick kiln industry of Punjab. Thousands of people migrate each year to the rural areas of Punjab where seasonal brickwork is available for those who can’t find sources of employment elsewhere or are unable to sustain themselves off the land. People are forced to migrate in order to escape the possibility of starving at home, so workers take a loan from the brick kiln owners at the start of the season. Throughout that season, they must work making bricks in order to pay off that debt. However, most of the time, workers aren’t provided their wages or don’t learn that their debt has been worked off until the end of the season. This makes it difficult to leave the kilns and leads to a form of bonded labor or slavery.
Workers are paid for molding one thousand bricks. It doesn’t matter how many hours go into making those one thousand bricks. Most adults work fourteen hours a day making the bricks for less than minimum wage. Nor does it matter how many hands go into making the one thousand bricks. In the Punjab brick-making industry, children make up around twenty percent of the workforce. They typically work seven to twelve hours a day and do not go to school. Women make up over forty percent of the workforce in the brick kilns, yet they are rarely recognized as workers and are not paid. Families are paid as a unit with all money usually paid to the male head of the family. This puts women in difficult situations and often leads them to seek money elsewhere through sex work. This work can be dangerous and poor for women’s health.
Our partner, Healing Hands Ministries of Pakistan, operated by Qaisar Shahzad and others, has worked to open boys’ and girls’ orphanages as a sanctuary for children affected by the brick kiln industry or other blights of poverty. There are forty boys and forty girls living in each orphanage. These children, who were being sexually exploited or forced into bonded labor at the brick kilns in the sweltering heat, now have safe places to sleep, nutritious meals, are offered education, and receive Christian devotionals and prayers.
It is up to NGOs like SportsWorks International and Healing Hands Ministries to provide respite to these families fallen into the cycle of the bonded labor system. Police and Pakistani government forces do not recognize the system of bonded labor that exists within the country. They deny the system of bonded labor because “bonded labor” is no longer physical. Although the chains are not visible, families still cannot leave. The means with which the brick kiln owners use to bondage laborers is different, they withhold wages instead and make threats to families who try to leave. The payment system itself underpins bonded and child labor. Proper records are not maintained, so workers cannot argue in court if they are given the wrong wages. There is an extreme hindrance to achieving justice when authorities don’t recognize the invisible system of slavery that is at work. Furthermore, the people buying bricks and supporting the industry are the elite of Pakistan who are indifferent to what happens to these laborers. NGOs must work to help families, provide them shelter, better opportunities, and curtail a corrupt legal system that turns a blind eye to child labor and young girls turning to sex work to support their families.
In order to provide continuous support to the children in orphanages in Punjab, Pakistan, SportsWorks Int’l NGO is partnering with Healing Hands Ministries of Pakistan to coordinate alternatives for women and children escaping the bonded labor system and appreciates all support from donors or other partners seeking to help. There is strength in numbers when facing corrupt systems and power in building community. By giving the gift of community, education, shelter, and faith within these orphanages, SportsWorks Int’l NGO saves lives every day. With the help of generous partners, we can continue our work and mission, so please reach out with any questions if you or your organization feel called to get involved in the cause to fight bonded labor.
- Claire Funderburk 07/22/2022
Workers are paid for molding one thousand bricks. It doesn’t matter how many hours go into making those one thousand bricks. Most adults work fourteen hours a day making the bricks for less than minimum wage. Nor does it matter how many hands go into making the one thousand bricks. In the Punjab brick-making industry, children make up around twenty percent of the workforce. They typically work seven to twelve hours a day and do not go to school. Women make up over forty percent of the workforce in the brick kilns, yet they are rarely recognized as workers and are not paid. Families are paid as a unit with all money usually paid to the male head of the family. This puts women in difficult situations and often leads them to seek money elsewhere through sex work. This work can be dangerous and poor for women’s health.
Our partner, Healing Hands Ministries of Pakistan, operated by Qaisar Shahzad and others, has worked to open boys’ and girls’ orphanages as a sanctuary for children affected by the brick kiln industry or other blights of poverty. There are forty boys and forty girls living in each orphanage. These children, who were being sexually exploited or forced into bonded labor at the brick kilns in the sweltering heat, now have safe places to sleep, nutritious meals, are offered education, and receive Christian devotionals and prayers.
It is up to NGOs like SportsWorks International and Healing Hands Ministries to provide respite to these families fallen into the cycle of the bonded labor system. Police and Pakistani government forces do not recognize the system of bonded labor that exists within the country. They deny the system of bonded labor because “bonded labor” is no longer physical. Although the chains are not visible, families still cannot leave. The means with which the brick kiln owners use to bondage laborers is different, they withhold wages instead and make threats to families who try to leave. The payment system itself underpins bonded and child labor. Proper records are not maintained, so workers cannot argue in court if they are given the wrong wages. There is an extreme hindrance to achieving justice when authorities don’t recognize the invisible system of slavery that is at work. Furthermore, the people buying bricks and supporting the industry are the elite of Pakistan who are indifferent to what happens to these laborers. NGOs must work to help families, provide them shelter, better opportunities, and curtail a corrupt legal system that turns a blind eye to child labor and young girls turning to sex work to support their families.
In order to provide continuous support to the children in orphanages in Punjab, Pakistan, SportsWorks Int’l NGO is partnering with Healing Hands Ministries of Pakistan to coordinate alternatives for women and children escaping the bonded labor system and appreciates all support from donors or other partners seeking to help. There is strength in numbers when facing corrupt systems and power in building community. By giving the gift of community, education, shelter, and faith within these orphanages, SportsWorks Int’l NGO saves lives every day. With the help of generous partners, we can continue our work and mission, so please reach out with any questions if you or your organization feel called to get involved in the cause to fight bonded labor.
- Claire Funderburk 07/22/2022
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Simon KahigaSimon Kahiga is a Kenyan based Lawyer who has 13 years experience in public service. He is a freelance writer passionately advancing on various topical issues, Law, social and economic, current affairs humanitarian assistance, investment law, consultancy, commercial Law, Business Law. He also researches on diverse economic aspects, legal, impact investing and humanitarian assistance . He is also an entrepreneur having founded Excel fortune Company LTD a company incorporated in Kenya.
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New Hope Waves: A Mission Of Giving Hope And Empowering The Youth Through Sports
When Auldridge Chibbwalu graduated from his University with a degree in developmental studies his vision was to empower the youth with skills that could equip them for their lifetime. This would distance them from the pangs of poverty as they would be able to harness these talents and nurture them to make progressive careers out of sports. Mr. Aulridge worked for various local and international charitable organizations before he resigned from employment and embarked on a serious mission. In 2015 he registered New Hope Waves as a company limited by guarantee and acquired a non-profit legal status with PACRA in Zambia.
New Hope Waves NGO works with underprivileged, challenged, and vulnerable boys and girls between the ages of 10 years and 25 years in the slums of Malaba in Livingstone town some 150 km West of Lusaka the capital city of Zambia. Livingstone is a town of 81,000 people as per the official government census of 2012. It is where the famous Victoria Falls is situated. The town receives thousands of tourists from all over the world who come to visit the magical, eye-catching Victoria Falls. Many young people in slums and low-income areas such as Malaba are exposed to all evils associated with the allure of wanting to live easy lives and try to ape the tourists that come across.
The organization runs its program in two tiers or arms. The first arm is a sports academy. The sports academy is hosted in a church compound where the catholic women's center has rented out the offices where New Hope waves NGO has its headquarters and offices. The organization utilizes the women's center compound as a playing, training, and outdoor activity field.
The second arm is the new Hope Waves NGO School which is affiliated with a private organization. It is an academic institution with 150 children and caters to kids between the ages of 4 to 15. It runs a preschool offering early childhood education and a primary school hosting young children in grades 1 to 7. The school uses premises rented by a larger private institution that sublets it. The school classrooms, offices, and the playing field is owned by the Catholic church youth community center.
New Hope waves NGO's impetus is mainly empowering the youth in football (soccer). The small and young organization has bestowed upon itself the task of impacting the skills of young people by giving them a platform to sharpen their skills in football through coaching, mentoring, providing a playing field, and providing them with game kits( football shoes, jerseys, etc.).
New Hope Waves NGO funds its programs from sources such as major donors, well-wishers, individuals, other charitable organizations, church-based organizations, youth foundations, and sporting clubs. Donations are made through funds, soccer kits, uniforms, free transport, etc. Many of the organization’s instructors and teachers work voluntarily after heeding calls from the director of the New Hope Waves NGO.
New Hope waves NGO has been engaging young people in other activities to keep them busy and teach them teamwork. Young people are trained in agricultural practices and agri-business skills. This way the young ones are made job ready so that they can take up jobs for themselves and create a sustainable livelihood. The knowledge imparted by the NGO also prepares them for various leadership and management roles to help them to change their fortunes in the future.
New Hope waves NGO has joined partnerships that are very important for the furtherance of its mission and vision. One such partnership was formed last year between the New Hope Waves NGO and SportsWorks International. A nonprofit organization based in Canada that also has the same mission. When Mr. Auldridge met Mr. John Klintworth, the director of Sportworks International NGO in 2021, he formed a partnership immediately, bringing forth a cordial lasting relationship. Being a global franchise, SportsWorks International has been aiding New Hope Waves in the form of donations, sports kits, jerseys, football boots, and more.
New Hope waves NGO has been facing a myriad of challenges that have hampered its activities and rendered them short of achieving its mission to its fruition. These challenges include a lack of sustainable sources of income that can allow the organization to pay for utilities and expenses. Mr. Auldridge has been working relentlessly to obtain a sustainable solution in the areas of funding. He urges you to acknowledge his work and the role he is playing in shaping the minds of our future and help him on his journey in any way you possibly can. To quote Sir Winston Winston Churchill, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”
New Hope Waves NGO works with underprivileged, challenged, and vulnerable boys and girls between the ages of 10 years and 25 years in the slums of Malaba in Livingstone town some 150 km West of Lusaka the capital city of Zambia. Livingstone is a town of 81,000 people as per the official government census of 2012. It is where the famous Victoria Falls is situated. The town receives thousands of tourists from all over the world who come to visit the magical, eye-catching Victoria Falls. Many young people in slums and low-income areas such as Malaba are exposed to all evils associated with the allure of wanting to live easy lives and try to ape the tourists that come across.
The organization runs its program in two tiers or arms. The first arm is a sports academy. The sports academy is hosted in a church compound where the catholic women's center has rented out the offices where New Hope waves NGO has its headquarters and offices. The organization utilizes the women's center compound as a playing, training, and outdoor activity field.
The second arm is the new Hope Waves NGO School which is affiliated with a private organization. It is an academic institution with 150 children and caters to kids between the ages of 4 to 15. It runs a preschool offering early childhood education and a primary school hosting young children in grades 1 to 7. The school uses premises rented by a larger private institution that sublets it. The school classrooms, offices, and the playing field is owned by the Catholic church youth community center.
New Hope waves NGO's impetus is mainly empowering the youth in football (soccer). The small and young organization has bestowed upon itself the task of impacting the skills of young people by giving them a platform to sharpen their skills in football through coaching, mentoring, providing a playing field, and providing them with game kits( football shoes, jerseys, etc.).
New Hope Waves NGO funds its programs from sources such as major donors, well-wishers, individuals, other charitable organizations, church-based organizations, youth foundations, and sporting clubs. Donations are made through funds, soccer kits, uniforms, free transport, etc. Many of the organization’s instructors and teachers work voluntarily after heeding calls from the director of the New Hope Waves NGO.
New Hope waves NGO has been engaging young people in other activities to keep them busy and teach them teamwork. Young people are trained in agricultural practices and agri-business skills. This way the young ones are made job ready so that they can take up jobs for themselves and create a sustainable livelihood. The knowledge imparted by the NGO also prepares them for various leadership and management roles to help them to change their fortunes in the future.
New Hope waves NGO has joined partnerships that are very important for the furtherance of its mission and vision. One such partnership was formed last year between the New Hope Waves NGO and SportsWorks International. A nonprofit organization based in Canada that also has the same mission. When Mr. Auldridge met Mr. John Klintworth, the director of Sportworks International NGO in 2021, he formed a partnership immediately, bringing forth a cordial lasting relationship. Being a global franchise, SportsWorks International has been aiding New Hope Waves in the form of donations, sports kits, jerseys, football boots, and more.
New Hope waves NGO has been facing a myriad of challenges that have hampered its activities and rendered them short of achieving its mission to its fruition. These challenges include a lack of sustainable sources of income that can allow the organization to pay for utilities and expenses. Mr. Auldridge has been working relentlessly to obtain a sustainable solution in the areas of funding. He urges you to acknowledge his work and the role he is playing in shaping the minds of our future and help him on his journey in any way you possibly can. To quote Sir Winston Winston Churchill, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”
Sinkumunchis: A Fascinating Peruvian Story Of Love Of Sports And Integrating Football With Andean Culture.
By Simon Kahiga
Sinkumunchis in Peru’s aborigine language of Quechua Literally means “we roll together”. When I first heard the word “Sinkumunchis” from Mr. John Klintworth, I was hyper enthusiastic to learn the origin of the word and the interesting story it might hold. This story was presented to me by two cousins: Diego and Gonzalo. The unforgettable word ‘Sinkumunchis’ has a rich history that positively exhibits a love for culture and a fathomable journey in the quest to explore a rich Peruvian rural culture.
Peru has a rich history and possesses a rich ancient culture. This multicultural country has at least 33 million people residing in it. Peru is a country in South America; it is one of the world’s richest countries in terms of natural resources and has world-class touristic geographical locations. Peru is a middle-income country and it faces many of the same problems faced by low-income countries. Many communities in rural areas especially the youth, girls, and women are susceptible to poverty, underage marriages, lack of employment, gender inequality in access to opportunities, poor nutrition, lack of basic education, domestic violence, and discrimination against the aborigines, etc.
Peru is famously known for being home to the Andes Mountains, the Amazon rainforests, and Machu Picchu, an ancient Incan city high in the Andes Mountains. Other attractions include the Sacred Valley, the Inca trail, and the city of Cusco which is the old capital of the Inca Empire. The story of Sinkumunchis revolves around the farming area inhabited by Quechua-speaking communities in Pisac, a small town located in the Sacred Valley near Cusco.
Sinkumunchis has been registered as a non-profit organization in both Peru and the United States by Gonzalo Garcia, his cousin Diego Garcia and a friend Francesco D’Angelo. The nonprofit has various objectives such as introducing soccer in Quechua-speaking communities, raising healthy children and young adults with values of team spirit, the principles of team sports as a virtue that nurtures youth development, and promoting gender equality. Sinkumunchis achieves this by providing consistent soccer training (over 3 hours a week) and taking teams to soccer tournaments outside of their communities. To promote gender equality, they provide communal training for every gender. Their soccer facilities and infrastructure aid them in providing high-quality sports and physical education to the youth aged 4 to 18.
The organization runs its programs by working with impoverished rural communities and providing them with soccer training through football schools. Sinkumunchis operates in the already built schools and community sporting facilities. These programs are taught strictly in the Quechua language teaching and coaching both boys and girls in a mixed training setup, this helps in empowerment for women to fight vices such as domestic violence against women. The age-group categories are under 6, under 8, under 10, under 12, under 14, and 18 for both men and women, with around half of the participants being women. The program mostly commences after school hours. They also try integrating these football programs with the regular school as “extra-curricular” activities to help in mentoring the young children and monitoring their academic progress.
Sinkumunchis’ founders
The three partners have rich academic backgrounds and an array of experiences that keep Sinkumunchis afloat. Gonzalo Garcia was born in Peru and has degrees in coaching and Industrial engineering. He has coached in Peru and Spain for over 7 years in different leagues for both girls and boys. During his stint in Barcelona-Spain, he furthered his education and doubled as a football trainer before he pursued his passion for the integration of local Peruvian aborigine languages in sporting academic and cultural activities. While growing up Gonzalo learned Spanish but not the aborigine language of Quechua. This formed the foundation in which he connected with his cousin Diego. They returned to his hometown in Peru to start Sinkumunchis together with Francesco.
Diego Garcia was also born in Peru and attained excellent academic laurels that took him to the US. There he studied International business and marketing which led him to work in marketing, advertising, and product development. Most recently he worked as a product marketing Manager at Facebook, focusing on developing and launching new products across different industries. He took a sabbatical leave in March 2020 to attend to his passion - soccer in Peru. He visited his hometown and together with his cousin and a friend formalized the formation of Sinkumunchis as a soccer program.
Francesco D’Angelo has a degree in Anthropology from the Universidad Catolica Del Peru. He has been working with farming communities in the district of Pisaq and Maras in Cusco whereas he is still furthering his graduate studies in Anthropology. Francesco has been working on projects in agriculture, tourism, and gastronomy in rural communities. Francesco teamed up with the two cousins to help the youth in the communities that he has worked with access quality physical education.
The three partners have been working harmoniously to ensure that Sinkumunchis is formalized in the USA where Mr. Diego runs the branch of Sinkumunchis aimed at supportive programs such as fundraising to ensure that the organization gets funding to help it successfully run programs in Peru.
SportsWorks International x Sinkumunchis
It was during the quest to join hands with splendid partners to form alliances and network with like-minded organizations that Diego met Mr. John Klintworth, the director of SportsWorks International. SportsWorks International has graciously, through Mr. John made financial donations, and donated sports equipment, wear, and sports kits. The nonprofit has also supported them by offering training, counseling, advice, ideas, and general mentorship and guardianship to the young Sinkumunchis. These efforts have aided in the growth of Sinkumunchis.
Though Sinkumunchis is a young organization and just about 2 years old, the partnership between Sinkumunchis and SportsWorks International has enabled efforts dedicated to exploring ways of further partnership that will help to alleviate many of the challenges that young start-up organizations like Sinkumunchis face.
CHALLENGES
Sinkumunchis faces an array of challenges and herculean tasks which can be discouraging. These include difficulties in raising funds to pay for trainers. Most of the sources of the organization’s funding include donations from family members and friends. These might not remain viable options in the future and thus, not sustainable.
In August Sinkumunchis received 501(c)(3) status and is a registered charity in the United States, making them eligible for federal taxes exemptions. They believe this will help them receive more funding from public and private entities in the USA.
The organization has a hard time meeting all its logistical needs such as - Transport for the youth to and from sporting events and coaching sessions. Its programs entail long commutes and as most of the youth are of school-going age, and come from dependent backgrounds, they depend on Sinkumunchis to foot the transport costs.
Communities have fairly good sporting fields but the youth find it difficult to access them and can only do so during the day as these fields aren’t lit. This is a challenge because the hours reserved for extra-curricular activities such as training and coaching are very short and mostly in the evening. The sporting fields need light and the communities who own the field need Sinkumunchis to foot the bill to have floodlights installed in the fields. This way they will be able to ensure the youth get unfettered access to the field during the early evening hours. Sinkumunchis is unable to raise adequate funds to undertake this task.
Sinkumunchis face one more challenge, that of not being able to find the right and adequate trainers. They would like to have international coaches volunteer to coach the kids but volunteers need facilitation and funds to recruit, retain, accommodate, and help the volunteers access the areas where their services are most needed in Peru.
The story of Sinkumunchis has just started. The three founders are enthusiastic and have high hopes that collaborations and the development of new networks will enrich the organization and open new avenues to aid their journey. Together they hope to bring “a sporting revolution” to Peru through cultural integration and inclusion.
Sinkumunchis in Peru’s aborigine language of Quechua Literally means “we roll together”. When I first heard the word “Sinkumunchis” from Mr. John Klintworth, I was hyper enthusiastic to learn the origin of the word and the interesting story it might hold. This story was presented to me by two cousins: Diego and Gonzalo. The unforgettable word ‘Sinkumunchis’ has a rich history that positively exhibits a love for culture and a fathomable journey in the quest to explore a rich Peruvian rural culture.
Peru has a rich history and possesses a rich ancient culture. This multicultural country has at least 33 million people residing in it. Peru is a country in South America; it is one of the world’s richest countries in terms of natural resources and has world-class touristic geographical locations. Peru is a middle-income country and it faces many of the same problems faced by low-income countries. Many communities in rural areas especially the youth, girls, and women are susceptible to poverty, underage marriages, lack of employment, gender inequality in access to opportunities, poor nutrition, lack of basic education, domestic violence, and discrimination against the aborigines, etc.
Peru is famously known for being home to the Andes Mountains, the Amazon rainforests, and Machu Picchu, an ancient Incan city high in the Andes Mountains. Other attractions include the Sacred Valley, the Inca trail, and the city of Cusco which is the old capital of the Inca Empire. The story of Sinkumunchis revolves around the farming area inhabited by Quechua-speaking communities in Pisac, a small town located in the Sacred Valley near Cusco.
Sinkumunchis has been registered as a non-profit organization in both Peru and the United States by Gonzalo Garcia, his cousin Diego Garcia and a friend Francesco D’Angelo. The nonprofit has various objectives such as introducing soccer in Quechua-speaking communities, raising healthy children and young adults with values of team spirit, the principles of team sports as a virtue that nurtures youth development, and promoting gender equality. Sinkumunchis achieves this by providing consistent soccer training (over 3 hours a week) and taking teams to soccer tournaments outside of their communities. To promote gender equality, they provide communal training for every gender. Their soccer facilities and infrastructure aid them in providing high-quality sports and physical education to the youth aged 4 to 18.
The organization runs its programs by working with impoverished rural communities and providing them with soccer training through football schools. Sinkumunchis operates in the already built schools and community sporting facilities. These programs are taught strictly in the Quechua language teaching and coaching both boys and girls in a mixed training setup, this helps in empowerment for women to fight vices such as domestic violence against women. The age-group categories are under 6, under 8, under 10, under 12, under 14, and 18 for both men and women, with around half of the participants being women. The program mostly commences after school hours. They also try integrating these football programs with the regular school as “extra-curricular” activities to help in mentoring the young children and monitoring their academic progress.
Sinkumunchis’ founders
The three partners have rich academic backgrounds and an array of experiences that keep Sinkumunchis afloat. Gonzalo Garcia was born in Peru and has degrees in coaching and Industrial engineering. He has coached in Peru and Spain for over 7 years in different leagues for both girls and boys. During his stint in Barcelona-Spain, he furthered his education and doubled as a football trainer before he pursued his passion for the integration of local Peruvian aborigine languages in sporting academic and cultural activities. While growing up Gonzalo learned Spanish but not the aborigine language of Quechua. This formed the foundation in which he connected with his cousin Diego. They returned to his hometown in Peru to start Sinkumunchis together with Francesco.
Diego Garcia was also born in Peru and attained excellent academic laurels that took him to the US. There he studied International business and marketing which led him to work in marketing, advertising, and product development. Most recently he worked as a product marketing Manager at Facebook, focusing on developing and launching new products across different industries. He took a sabbatical leave in March 2020 to attend to his passion - soccer in Peru. He visited his hometown and together with his cousin and a friend formalized the formation of Sinkumunchis as a soccer program.
Francesco D’Angelo has a degree in Anthropology from the Universidad Catolica Del Peru. He has been working with farming communities in the district of Pisaq and Maras in Cusco whereas he is still furthering his graduate studies in Anthropology. Francesco has been working on projects in agriculture, tourism, and gastronomy in rural communities. Francesco teamed up with the two cousins to help the youth in the communities that he has worked with access quality physical education.
The three partners have been working harmoniously to ensure that Sinkumunchis is formalized in the USA where Mr. Diego runs the branch of Sinkumunchis aimed at supportive programs such as fundraising to ensure that the organization gets funding to help it successfully run programs in Peru.
SportsWorks International x Sinkumunchis
It was during the quest to join hands with splendid partners to form alliances and network with like-minded organizations that Diego met Mr. John Klintworth, the director of SportsWorks International. SportsWorks International has graciously, through Mr. John made financial donations, and donated sports equipment, wear, and sports kits. The nonprofit has also supported them by offering training, counseling, advice, ideas, and general mentorship and guardianship to the young Sinkumunchis. These efforts have aided in the growth of Sinkumunchis.
Though Sinkumunchis is a young organization and just about 2 years old, the partnership between Sinkumunchis and SportsWorks International has enabled efforts dedicated to exploring ways of further partnership that will help to alleviate many of the challenges that young start-up organizations like Sinkumunchis face.
CHALLENGES
Sinkumunchis faces an array of challenges and herculean tasks which can be discouraging. These include difficulties in raising funds to pay for trainers. Most of the sources of the organization’s funding include donations from family members and friends. These might not remain viable options in the future and thus, not sustainable.
In August Sinkumunchis received 501(c)(3) status and is a registered charity in the United States, making them eligible for federal taxes exemptions. They believe this will help them receive more funding from public and private entities in the USA.
The organization has a hard time meeting all its logistical needs such as - Transport for the youth to and from sporting events and coaching sessions. Its programs entail long commutes and as most of the youth are of school-going age, and come from dependent backgrounds, they depend on Sinkumunchis to foot the transport costs.
Communities have fairly good sporting fields but the youth find it difficult to access them and can only do so during the day as these fields aren’t lit. This is a challenge because the hours reserved for extra-curricular activities such as training and coaching are very short and mostly in the evening. The sporting fields need light and the communities who own the field need Sinkumunchis to foot the bill to have floodlights installed in the fields. This way they will be able to ensure the youth get unfettered access to the field during the early evening hours. Sinkumunchis is unable to raise adequate funds to undertake this task.
Sinkumunchis face one more challenge, that of not being able to find the right and adequate trainers. They would like to have international coaches volunteer to coach the kids but volunteers need facilitation and funds to recruit, retain, accommodate, and help the volunteers access the areas where their services are most needed in Peru.
The story of Sinkumunchis has just started. The three founders are enthusiastic and have high hopes that collaborations and the development of new networks will enrich the organization and open new avenues to aid their journey. Together they hope to bring “a sporting revolution” to Peru through cultural integration and inclusion.
A Cricket Club That Does More Than Just Playing Cricket
Approximately 430 miles away from mainland Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal, lies Bijaynagar, a quaint village tucked away in rural Nepal. The nearest city to Bijaynagar is Narayanghat, and it takes about 2–3 hours to reach by road, which is also the only mode of transportation to and from the village. Most people living within a radius of 150 miles have to travel this distance for good healthcare and supplies for their daily living. With around 2500 dwellers, this village is a primarily agrarian community that hasn’t yet modernized its mode of farming. Crops like paddy (rice), mustard, and potatoes are grown here along with other crops for the consumption of the people of the region. And from young children to the elderly, everyone is involved on the farm in some form.
A flock of travelers from the mainland en route to a jungle safari spotted a young group of boys hard at work in the fields one hot-sunny day and decided to introduce them to the sport of cricket. Cricket became a household sport among the children thereafter, and this group of enthusiastic cricketers wanted to pass on the skills. They joined together to form the Bijaynagar Champions Cricket Club. Since its formation, most children and teens looking to add to their knowledge began enrolling in the club, and soon the club needed to have tryouts before enrolling more people. The club now looks after children from underprivileged backgrounds by giving them a platform and gear to play the sport and represent their villages at leagues and tournaments.
When the pandemic struck, businesses of most kinds shut down, and funds were hard to come by. The members tried to run the club on the resources at their disposal, but these were scarce. When the Bijaynagar champions cricket club was on the verge of shutting down, Samar Bania (Sammy), a twenty-two-year-old BSc student and member of the club since 2011, was determined to save the club. He knew the only way he could do so was by thinking outside the box. Recalling his quest, he said, "It really was a do or die situation for us and I must have sent out 50-60 emails to every sports federation, brand, or nonprofit seeking help. Our Addidas got back to me, but they denied my request, seeing that there was no mutual gain for them. The younger kids would come and ask me if they would get to play the next day or get the equipment they needed. "
At the most critical point, SportsWorks International reached out to Sammy. The nonprofit believes that every child deserves to have a bright future filled with hope regardless of their economic background and strives to ensure that every child is equipped with the means to do so. Upon a conversation with him, they realized that helping Sammy save his sports club aligned perfectly with the mission of the nonprofit, and they provided Sammy with the necessary funds to keep the club afloat. Sammy ensured all the gear and equipment were distributed to the players and they continued training. With SportsWorks International's help, they were able to participate in a tournament and they came in second. This won the team a cash prize, and they were able to invest in some professional-grade coaching.
Sammy is an ambitious young man who has had first-hand experience of what economic hardship in the village looks like. He is doing his undergraduate studies remotely from Tribhuvan University and is one of the 5 students that study there. Since Sammy is a bright mind, his professor pays for his internet connection that he shares with the rest of his friends. His college starts at 5:40 am and till 11:00 am he attends college and then teaches the younger children in the village as the nearest school is 15-20 miles away.
Sammy has the vision to use the resources available at his disposal to make his village self-reliant. By modernizing their farming methods and incorporating the modern technology of tractors, chemical fertilizers, and manure, they will be able to yield more crops. This will enable them to feed the growing population of their village and earn them more money. The village’s environment and climatic conditions make it suitable to grow high-demand crops such as kiwi and avocado. These fruits have a high market value, and their saplings also fetch a hefty price.
Fish rearing isn’t popular among Nepalese, but with the recent pandemic and the benefits of Omega-3 coming to light, a lot more people are consuming fish. Sammy wishes to capitalize on this growing demand and rear fish in his village. All these steps can help see a boom in the village’s economic condition, and they will be able to afford basic necessities like the internet and schooling for their children in the future. SportsWorks International wants to support Sammy in every way possible to bring his vision to life, but they need your help. We helped this passionate young cricketer save his cricket club. Now let’s help him save his village and secure the future of the younger generation of his land.
A flock of travelers from the mainland en route to a jungle safari spotted a young group of boys hard at work in the fields one hot-sunny day and decided to introduce them to the sport of cricket. Cricket became a household sport among the children thereafter, and this group of enthusiastic cricketers wanted to pass on the skills. They joined together to form the Bijaynagar Champions Cricket Club. Since its formation, most children and teens looking to add to their knowledge began enrolling in the club, and soon the club needed to have tryouts before enrolling more people. The club now looks after children from underprivileged backgrounds by giving them a platform and gear to play the sport and represent their villages at leagues and tournaments.
When the pandemic struck, businesses of most kinds shut down, and funds were hard to come by. The members tried to run the club on the resources at their disposal, but these were scarce. When the Bijaynagar champions cricket club was on the verge of shutting down, Samar Bania (Sammy), a twenty-two-year-old BSc student and member of the club since 2011, was determined to save the club. He knew the only way he could do so was by thinking outside the box. Recalling his quest, he said, "It really was a do or die situation for us and I must have sent out 50-60 emails to every sports federation, brand, or nonprofit seeking help. Our Addidas got back to me, but they denied my request, seeing that there was no mutual gain for them. The younger kids would come and ask me if they would get to play the next day or get the equipment they needed. "
At the most critical point, SportsWorks International reached out to Sammy. The nonprofit believes that every child deserves to have a bright future filled with hope regardless of their economic background and strives to ensure that every child is equipped with the means to do so. Upon a conversation with him, they realized that helping Sammy save his sports club aligned perfectly with the mission of the nonprofit, and they provided Sammy with the necessary funds to keep the club afloat. Sammy ensured all the gear and equipment were distributed to the players and they continued training. With SportsWorks International's help, they were able to participate in a tournament and they came in second. This won the team a cash prize, and they were able to invest in some professional-grade coaching.
Sammy is an ambitious young man who has had first-hand experience of what economic hardship in the village looks like. He is doing his undergraduate studies remotely from Tribhuvan University and is one of the 5 students that study there. Since Sammy is a bright mind, his professor pays for his internet connection that he shares with the rest of his friends. His college starts at 5:40 am and till 11:00 am he attends college and then teaches the younger children in the village as the nearest school is 15-20 miles away.
Sammy has the vision to use the resources available at his disposal to make his village self-reliant. By modernizing their farming methods and incorporating the modern technology of tractors, chemical fertilizers, and manure, they will be able to yield more crops. This will enable them to feed the growing population of their village and earn them more money. The village’s environment and climatic conditions make it suitable to grow high-demand crops such as kiwi and avocado. These fruits have a high market value, and their saplings also fetch a hefty price.
Fish rearing isn’t popular among Nepalese, but with the recent pandemic and the benefits of Omega-3 coming to light, a lot more people are consuming fish. Sammy wishes to capitalize on this growing demand and rear fish in his village. All these steps can help see a boom in the village’s economic condition, and they will be able to afford basic necessities like the internet and schooling for their children in the future. SportsWorks International wants to support Sammy in every way possible to bring his vision to life, but they need your help. We helped this passionate young cricketer save his cricket club. Now let’s help him save his village and secure the future of the younger generation of his land.