Giving Back in Qwaqwalada, Abuja, Nigeria (2017)

Ikenna and friends visited Qwaqwalada, one the poorest neighborhoods in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria. Although many people in Qwaqwalada lack access to clean water and electricity, their love for sports is as strong as a rock. They have a local playground where the youth meet every evening to play basketball and soccer. According to Ikenna, about 90 percent of the athletes on the basketball court and the soccer field had no footwear on their feet. Some of the athletes have never played with footwear on their feet and have suffered many injuries because of that.

However, the field and the court are where these athletes have found peace and happiness. This playground is a place where they can all go to escape a life of stress and poverty. Just like these athletes in Qwaqwalada, many young athletes in Africa (especially those living in intense poverty) cannot afford to buy the appropriate footwear for their sport. With your support, we can provide athletic shoes to those athletes who cannot afford to their own.