Imani Project at Portland Barefoot Soccer Tournament

The Imani Project was once again invited to be a presence at the annual Portland Barefoot Soccer Tournament, held on Sunday, June 8 at Concordia College. 

 

The Portland Barefoot 3v3 small-pitch event is both a tournament and a festival, with the goal of teaching young people about global HIV/AIDS.   Around 520 children participate, and over 1,500 people attend the tournament. 

 

 

 Internationally, Grassroot Soccer is an HIV prevention program that uses the power of soccer to educate, inspire and mobilize communities to stop the spread of HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. Already, over 630,000 adolescents and teens have graduated from the program in 16 African countries. At the Portland tournament, there were appearances by the Portland Timbers, the Portland Thorns, African drumming and music groups, and many community organizations. 

 

There was also an opportunity for the grown-ups to play bubble soccer, in which each player’s body from the knees up is encased in a big plastic bubble; it’s pretty hilarious to play, and to watch. 

 

This is the second year that the Imani Project has had a booth at the Portland Barefoot Soccer tournament. 

The Imani Project Booth

We raised a little money selling crafts we brought back from Kenya, but more importantly, our presence gave people at the tournament a chance to talk about, and to learn about the global scale of HIV/AIDS, and about the work the Imani Project is doing in Kenya.  It was great fun to be there, to watch the kids play, and to talk with all the people who stopped by the Imani Project booth.  I can’t wait to do it again next year!

There's Lots of Silliness

If you want to know more about the tournament, you can go to www.portlandbarefootsoccer.org.

Virginia Scott, IP Board Secretary