We are currently looking to expand our projects throughout areas of Arusha but have established sports and music programs that volunteers can contribute to with a variety of instructional methods and our resources offered. However, we are in need of some equipment for students that volunteers are welcome to contribute to the programs offered.

We are currently working to provide more youth within Arusha with resources to allow them to learn beyond the organized classroom and engage in a range of activities that are offered in other parts of the world like music and sports.

Our current programs are well-organized and are open to volunteers with backgrounds or interest music, arts, and sports and who have a love for children. Although a background in the chosen subject matter would be wonderful, this is by no means a necessity and we are welcome to having volunteers in these programs with a wide range of backgrounds and experiences!

Volunteers are welcome to assist in organizing official games with neighboring community schools and are encouraged to engage as many areas of the region as possible with athletics beyond soccer, basketball, and volleyball. Most students at Good Hope have participated in some organized athletic activities but the main activity is soccer.

Athletics we are looking for:

Volunteers to teach sports such as volleyball, basketball, and soccer, just to name a few. We are open to having a broad range of activities within our program and welcome athletes of all types.

Currently, we provide the children at GoodHope with the room to play but we currently have few soccer and baseballs, no basketballs, and no uniforms or shoes for students to play with and welcome volunteers to bring any of their old jerseys, shorts, shoes, and other sports equipment.

Most of our children know the basics of soccer and love the game. In fact, on most weekends, there are matches at Good Hope with youth from the surrounding community that last until dusk! The members of Good Hope would love to have volunteers who can assist in coaching and organizing the teams for a more professional experience.

The playing ground at Good Hope currently has a basketball goal that is not utilized often but many children are familiar with the game or a similar version called Netball with some slight variations and are nevertheless familiar with the famous basketball star, Michael Jordan.

We would love for volunteers to assist in the instruction and organization of basketball-related activities because the goal is often unused by the students. Likewise, the students know some fundamentals of volleyball but do not currently have access to a net and do not often have organized volleyball matches. Soccer, Basketball, and volleyball are three examples to highlight the status of our current offerings but we offer a wide variety and encourage additions of western world influence.

Volunteers are able to work with the children several times throughout the day. The students at Good Hope are given several break periods throughout the duration of the school day and are usually playing around with a soccer ball or throwing a baseball back and forth.  Most students run to their homes for lunch and return to the school with up to an hour of time before their next course and would be thrilled to have volunteers facilitate activities during that time.

LOOKING AHEAD

As mentioned prior, we would love to have more options available to students and children and are currently investigating other areas of Arusha for potential engagement for our volunteers. We have visited a variety of centers and are trying to find a way to expand our athletic programs to engage with different centers and projects in the area. We are eager to have volunteers who want to show something different, and who are interested in the growth of our program. We would like to introduce more sports but encourage volunteers to bring any available materials from home that would not be readily accessible in Arusha. Additionally, new materials would encourage children to practice more and allow them to progress in their growth as well as facilitate development in the program as a whole.

Conclusion:

Goals

• Engage with more schools and centers in the Arusha region.
• Introduce new ideas to children in the region.
• Acquire volunteers with a variety of experiences and perspectives who can share their story and their ideas to potentially perpetuate the development of the program.
• Provide children with a better understanding of different global and cultural activities.
• Build lifelong relationships and bring smiles to the kids in our communities.
• Help children to progress in a way that they wouldn’t otherwise be able to through traditional means.

Items for donation

• Athletic shoes
• Shorts
• Jerseys or pennies/matching athletic attire
• Equipment such as balls (volleyball, basketball, softball), nets, lacrosse sticks, bats, gloves (baseball), etc…