If you are new to our Have A Ball community or have been wondering what we have been up to lately this frequently updated site will help you learn a little about who we are and what we have planned for the future. For those readers meeting us for the first time you probably have some questions and we love sharing our adventure with newcomers.
December 2016: Our first project took us to an orphanage and boarding school in Tepatitlan de Moreles, Jalsico, Mexico. Here, we were the first group of supporters from outside of the community to offer service to the school. During our 2 day visit we were able to provide unpoppable futbols, school/ supplies and non-perishable food items. This initial trip established a relationship between our program and the educators and administrators. Through this relationship we have grown close to the students, teachers and families that strive to improve their community. We are pleased to report that we continue to provide service to this school and have aspirations of doing so for years to come.
July 2017: We tested the limits of our abilities when we ambitiously shipped, received and delivered over 50 ultra-durable One World Soccer balls to 2 Social Protection Centers and Hope Center in the Northern Region of Vietnam. After what turned out to be a week long struggle with receiving our packages, we celebrated the arrival of our cargo by delivering the the futbols along with several learning tools and food items to the awaiting staff and students. This was a pivotal moment in the development of our projects. It was at this point, that in the spirit of better serving the community and for logistical reasons that all goods and services would be developed from within the community moving forward. This encourages long lasting relationships and develops the economy from within, with the intent of creating a greater sense of community and encouraging positive change.
August 2018: After a visit to the school in Tepatitlan, Mexico was cut short due to a chickenpox outbreak in April of 2017, we made our return to continue to support and provide services to the facility. Following in the footsteps of our previous trips we provided learning tools to the students and educators. However, this trip was unique in that a teacher expressed concern that some of the classroom and living conditions were beginning to deteriorate and the facility was not receiving its usual amount of funding. What we learned that this means for the students in that several of the older female students are helping to care for the infants and toddlers that live on the campus. This is troubling for several reasons and once again shifted our focus from simply providing and encouraging healthy and active modalities to creating a community network for learning and in this case improvements to the facility.
November 2018: Having overcome a few obstacles and with 1 successful trip to Vietnam under our belts, we headed to the small mountainous villages of Northern Vietnam. However, having learned our lesson during the first trip, our cargo consisted of a single box which was easily transported as checked baggage. Months prior to the trip, the groundwork was laid with the help of our local liaison. (the Incredible Ms. Linh) This time care packages containing blankets, non-perishable food items, cooking supplies and school supplies were provided to individual families within the community. Additionally, we worked along side local leaders in the community to assess repairs to some of the schools and buildings. Local architects, educators and fundraisers joined us while we visited 3 schools and several villages in the remote mountainous regions of Vietnam. During this project we established a network of educators and administrators from within the community. We share a common goal of extending the projects and not just providing and encouraging healthy modalities, but creating and developing sustainable programs from within the community.
October 2020: Tentatively, we have a trip scheduled to Tepatitlan to visit the school. We will of course be doing our best to provide some relief to the children and residents in the form of PLAY. This means that we will still be providing hygiene items, art/school supplies and recreational items. In addition to these items and games we will be meeting with the teachers to determine which aspects of the facility can be repaired and we will review the curriculum that pertains to physical education, nutrition and personal health. The goal of this review and meeting is to collectively determine a course in which our projects can have a positive impact on the overall health of the students and community as we all prepare for the uncertain times ahead. We are excited for all of the possibilities that lie ahead and can’t wait to share our adventures with you.