I don't know if anyone still pops in to check this site from time to time but I love having a record of our partnership with Sakala so I am updating it here anyway!
In 2020, we officially celebrated 10 years since Stanley's homecoming and he wanted to do something to commemorate that. SO, we started a simple Facebook fundraiser, hoping to raise a few hundred dollars. But, almost $5,000 later, we decided that we would celebrate 10 years with $10,000 in 2020. Then COVID hit. The world shut down and people understandably focused on their families and their own communities.
Meanwhile, life was only growing more difficult on our favorite island. Years of civil unrest culminated in the assassination of Haiti President Jovenl Moise on July 7, 2021 and then on August 14th Haiti withstood the unthinkable- another earthquake. This one was on the southern coast- near Stanley's hometown of Les Cayes. Les Cayes is simply one of the most beautiful places on earth and the images of the destruction were hard to watch. It brought back the traumatic memories of watching the 2010 earthquake coverage while not knowing if Stanley had survived.
Immediately, people began reaching out- asking for the names of reputable organizations to support. While there are absolutely lots of good people doing good work on the front line, our hearts and minds went back to Sakala. We know how much those children have endured and that while everyone rushes to support medical aid organizations, Sakala still needs help to keep their programs running for the kids in Cite Soleil who have suffered compounded trauma. The 6 minute video below is worth the watch....
As Dane and Stanley geared up for going back to school and we brace ourselves for another busy soccer season, we are reminded once again how unfair it is that every kid doesn't have the same opportunity to live and play safely. We decided to renew the fundraiser and see if we could match the donation total for 2010. Thanks to the generous donations of friends, families, and teammates, we are already halfway to that goal!
If you are interested, please consider donating directly via: https://gofund.me/2b471f24
It’s inspiring to see sport being used as a tool for peace and community building. Whether it's on the soccer pitch or engaging with the global community through a platform like cbtf, the positive energy is what matters. Keep up the great work
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