Soccer balls to spread post-World Cup football fever

Wednesday, 21 July 2010

A FIFA partner aims to take the spirit of the recent World Cup further by rolling out football fever to children with limited access to sports and educational opportunities across the continent with the launch of the ‘One Million Dream Balls for Africa' project.

As part of its global Corporate Social Responsibility programs, the Hyundai ‘One Million Dream Balls for Africa' program will see children across Africa receiving soccer balls as a symbol of hope and motivation to achieve greater things in life as well as allow for educational development and the identification of greater opportunity.

Over the period of a year, children in all 53 African countries in Africa will benefit from the programme, which aims to teach life skills such as team work and strategy, build confidence and motivate performance through the realisation of their inner potential. The delivery of soccer balls to all corners of the African continent will be assumed by NGOs and organisations under the auspices of the United Nations from July to December 2010.

Of the 100,000 footballs already prepared, 30,000 will be delivered to 6 counties selected for the Hyundai ‘Africa Road Tour' of the continent, with the other 70,000 distributed by the UN and other NGOs in several countries and the rest of the 1 million gradually spread out across Africa throughout the year.

The road tour recently kicked off in Soweto, South Africa at Moletsane Sports Complex at an event attended by 1200 school children who participated in life and soccer skill activities such as a quiz and soccer clinic. Legendary footballer Doctor Khumalo gave the kids a talk about having hopes and dreams as representative from the UN and Hyundai handed the balls over to the kids.

Following Soweto, further stops will be made in Nigeria, Ghana, Algeria and Morocco before ending in Cairo, Egypt. Hyundai will explain the Dream Ball project along the road, distribute soccer balls and exhibit the company's famous Goodwill Balls as well as the latest vehicle models. The `Africa Road Tour' will be filmed for a documentary by the National Geographic Channel and aired in Asia and Europe in August or September.

At the launch of the ‘One Million Dream Balls for Africa' initiative on the 8 June 2010 at the ‘Sports for Peace' UN Gala held at Constitution Hill, Johannesburg, President and CEO of Hyundai Motor Company, Steve S. Yang, handed over the first soccer ball to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in a gesture of goodwill between the two cities.

"We wish to convey a message of hope and dreams to children in Africa through this project. As a global company, Hyundai will continue its efforts to fulfill its corporate social responsibilities worldwide," said Mr. Yang, President & CEO of Hyundai Motor Company.