Cleats and Balls for Eritrea
The Schlafman girls are putting together an on-going cleat/soccer ball drive this spring season, summer and fall for the African youths living in Eritrea. Our mom’s college soccer coach from Cornell University, who lived in Africa, has done a drive once before and was able to collect bags of deflated soccer balls and cleats for kids our age who all have a passion for Eritrea (more specifically in the city of Massawa) They could not have bee more grateful for this equipment.
WHO: For kids/teens who play soccer in Asmara, Eritrea
WHAT: New or used cleats that are in good used condition (Sizes 4-7) and deflated (or we will deflate) new or used soccer balls in good condition (sizes 4 and 5).The balls do not have to be expensive ($10-$20).
WHERE: We will be decorating boxes that will be placed at the New Canaan soccer fields locations on soccer weekends. We will be maintaining and collecting items on a consistent basis.
WHEN: Collection will begin this 2021 spring, summer and fall seasons. Our mom’s college soccer coach, Berhane, hopes to travel to Africa late summer/early fall.
WHY: The young athletes in Eritrea are not as fortunate as we are and oftentimes will play soccer in sandals or barefoot (see pictures of the sandals). They also only have 10 balls for every 200 kids. Many of these kids are very talented and deserve to have better equipment to be competitive in the game of soccer/football. Currently, there are 600 youths in three locations throughout Massawa that we could help provide this equipment for. This drive is really going to help the soccer program there and encourage more kids to play this loved sport. If you don’t have cleats or soccer balls but still want to donate to the cause Venmo @Julie-Schlafman with a label “cleats” or “soccer ball.”
HOW: We also will be holding fundraisers through lemonade stands and bake sales etc., to help raise money for shipping costs. Mrs. Schlafman’s coach, Berhane Anderberhan will be taking our collected equipment with him in stuffed suitcase bags (it is cheaper this way than to ship directly). If you would like to donate to this cause Venmo @Julie-Schlafman with a label “shipping costs”.
THANK YOU: Our goal is to have players in town donate as many cleats and soccer balls as possible. If every one of our friends and players could contribute a soccer ball and a pair of cleats think about what we could achieve.