KICKING IT IN OAXACA
Soccer the most sport inneed thetoworld. You Soccer is the is most popular sportpopular in the world. You only find a round object and an empty piece land and then let your imagination to the greatest only need tooffind a round object and take an you empty piece stadiums of the world. of land and then let your imagination take you to the greatest stadiums of the world.
CAMP NOU STADIUM - BARCELONA SPAIN
SOCCER IS UNIVERSAL
For thousands of kids who live in poverty in third world countries, Soccer is an opportunity to travel around the world by just closing your eyes.
THE PURPOSE OF MY JOURNEY
I will travel through the isolated terrains of Oaxaca Mexico and distribute soccer balls and related equipment to Oaxacan youth within four different regions of Oaxaca; La Mixteca, La Canada, Papaloapan and Sierra Norte.
MAP OF OAXACA
WHAT IS MY GOAL?
To bring many smiles and create as many dreams as possible. To make a kid dream for a moment that he is in the Barcelona Stadium playing with Messi. I can help them close their eyes and dream like I did when I was a kid. I cannot change the living condition of these kids with a ball, but I can give them a tool to dream.
MESSI
MY STORY STARTS BACK IN MY HOME STATE, OAXACA....
Oaxaca ranks among the poorest states of Mexico and faces a complex social environment. Located in the southeast region of Mexico, it is also the third most economically impoverished state in Mexico.
This is due to a very high poverty rate and illiteracy rate. 61.9% of Oaxaca’s population lives under the national poverty line and 23.3% live in extreme poverty.
Despite all of these poor statistics, being a kid in Oaxaca is an experience I will never trade. Something as seemingly insignificant as a soccer ball can leave beautiful childhood memories and for a moment you are the happiest kid in the world.
OAXACA!
Oaxaca is best known for its indigenous peoples and cultures. Over half of Oaxaca’s population live in the rural and mountainous areas where access to these regions is very difficult.
Due to the blight economic conditions in the region, it is almost impossible for parents to provide a soccer ball for their kids and as kid you learn not to ask. Kids in this region start working with their parents at 8 years old. So having that moment to be a kid is priceless.
"THE PRECARIOUS ROAD CONDITIONS ON THE ISOLATED AREAS WILL BE MY GREATEST CHALLENGE"
The precarious road conditions on the isolated areas will be my greatest challenge, since all the roads that lead to these communities are dirt roads. I will visit a few communities in each of four designated regions. I will provide at least 50 soccer balls and related equipment to each community I visit.
LA SIERRA NORTE
My first region to visit will be “La Mixteca”. An impoverished and isolated area that has one main road (Road #15) that links the main cities of this region. Connected to this main road are the dirt roads that will lead me to my destination communities. LA CANADA
I will then visit the region of “La Canada” region, then La Sierra Norte” and then finally the region of "Papaloapan” . These three regions represent an opportunity for adventure and discovery that I would love to have.
I am not sure what to expect to find in these now unfamiliar territories. However, the one thing I am sure about....In all of these communities there is a kid who dreams of kicking the ball in Oaxaca.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION