Carol and Lew Smith of Just Fare Market recently traveled to Anusha, Tanzania to present our Fair Trade soccer balls to the Compassion International project team.
Lew, pictured below in the white shirt, presented the ball himself in honor of Thomas, the Smith’s sponsored Compassion Child. Thomas is the young man in the photo, along with Moses, the Director of the CI project. Thomas is 15 years old and is an avid football fan (that’s soccer to us North Americans).
Every time I see one of our Fair Trade balls in the hands of a child, it reaffirms that we are doing the right thing. The time, money, and effort that goes into building Fair Trade Sports as a sustainable company is definitely worth it when I see the smiles on the children’s faces for whom we are doing this. To know that our effort has made it to the kids that need it the most is one of the most satisfying things in my life. It makes me smile even after a relatively frustrating week at work. We all get caught up in so many tasks that ultimately make no difference; it’s uplifting to see our own customers get involved on this level – to actually make a direct difference.
Our time on this planet is relatively short – we’ve each got 100 years or so if we are lucky – and no one wants to leave without leaving a positive mark. When you look back over the course of your life and ask yourself, “What have I done to better mankind and this world?” you don’t want to see a blank slate. You want to remember the smiles on the faces of those whose lives you have touched and the gratitude that is inherent in those smiles.
This sort of gratification is great (and helpful to get through trying times), but what is most important is that the lives of these children are enriched. Sports may seems like a trifling thing to some, but it’s the little things in life that make a difference, no matter who you are. A little thing like having a real soccer ball to play with can make a huge difference in the life of a child and have an effect on where their life goes over the next several decades. Couple that with the message behind a sustainable soccer ball, who made of eco-friendly materials and Fair Trade labor practices, and you are looking at a sea change in the long run.
Global citizens like Carol and Lew Smith are making a difference; it is there for all to see and become encouraged. Our Fair Trade soccer balls are winging their way around the planet to deserving kids courtesy of organizations such as Just Fare and Compassion International; we owe them our thanks.
