A city-wide basketball tournament for teens in South Africa

PeacePlayers International
Durban, South Africa

THE ORGANIZATION

PeacePlayers International uses basketball to unite, educate and inspire young people to create a more peaceful world. Based on the premise that children who play together can learn to live together, they implement consistent, year-round sports activities that bring together children from opposite sides of religious, ethnic and cultural divides to develop friendship and mutual respect.

The project

PeacePlayers brings every team, nearly 500 kids, to one location in Durban’s city center for the largest youth basketball tournament on the African Continent. The children are placed on mixed teams and play with youth from other PeacePlayers schools. Kids First Funds are used for their citywide tournament, enabling 500 children to directly benefit from creating a safe environment for them to learn, develop and have fun.

School supplies for low-income families in New York

The Sharing Shelf
Port Chester, New York

THE ORGANIZATION

The Sharing Shelf collects new and gently used children’s clothing and supplies. Social workers, therapists, teachers and others working with low-income families submit requests for children in their care and volunteers then create personal packages filled with a week’s worth of clothing and other care and comfort items for the children.

The project

The Sharing Shelf fills and distributes new backpacks at the start of each school year to low-income homes where finding the resources to purchase new school supplies is an added strain as the families struggle to make ends meet. A Fund Their Future grant provided 100 backpacks filled with grade appropriate supplies for elementary school children including notebooks, folders, pencils, erasers, markers, crayons, scissors, glue sticks, colored pencils and a pencil case, allowing the children to start the year off with the basic and necessary supplies for a successful year.

A sala for at-risk children in Thailand

THE ORGANIZATION

The Freedom Story helps prevents child sexual exploitation and trafficking in Thailand. They do this by providing vulnerable Thai children and youth with scholarships and resources to help them break the cycle of poverty, avoid the dangers of child trafficking, and lead productive, independent lives.

The project

A Fund Their Future grant allowed The Freedom Story to build a large covered shelter area (which the Thai call a “sala”) that has a cement floor and is raised off the ground. The sala provides a place for the students to play and learn outdoors during weather-challenging months – the rainy season and months of intense heat –and a place to host events and training seminars for the parents, students and others in the community.

Educational materials for school girls in India

Sahasra Deepika
Bangalore, India

THE ORGANIZATION

Sahasra Deepika, which means "a thousand lights", is a home and school for underprivileged girls. The school aims to develop the girls’ intellectual, social, and academic potential so that they can feel self-empowered and contribute to the community at large.

The project

Sahasra Deepika uses funds from Kids First to purchase necessary textbooks, notebooks, stationery, and workbooks for their 65 students for a full school year curriculum so that the girls can complete their studies. The school has increasing enrollment and the Kids First grant for these educational materials makes a significant difference for them as they expand.

 

A playroom for a daycare center in Colombia

Fundacion Desayunitos
Bogota, Colombia

THE ORGANIZATION

This daycare center is located in a suburb north of Bogota in a poor, unsanitary and dangerous area. Fundacion Desayunitos, which means "little breakfast", started by giving breakfast to vulnerable children on the street. The center now takes care of 65 children of single mothers, allowing the women to work to support their families and keeping the children off the streets.

The project

The daycare center was in desperate need of a playroom renovation. With the help of Kids First, the floors of the teaching room and playroom were replaced and nap mats were purchased, providing a comfortable and safe place for the children to read, sleep and play.

Art supplies for an after-school program in Brazil

Casa do Zezinho
Sao Paulo, Brazil

THE ORGANIZATION

Casa do Zezinho is an oasis for young people in an area of Sao Paulo once known as the “death triangle” due to its high rate of violence, drugs and crime. The center serves as an after school programming site where 1200 vulnerable children are involved in educational projects, art classes, and cultural activities.

The project

One of the most popular art programs at Casa do Zezinho is the mosaic room, where children can transform old and unused glass and pottery into something new and beautiful through their imagination. A Fund Their Future grant provided the glass, supplies and instruction for dozens of children to participate in the mosaic classes.