The Nitty Gritty on KPI

Have you ever thought about supporting a nonprofit organization but weren't entirely sure how effective your contribution would be? Ha, I'm right there with you! I want to see numbers, pictures, stats, the real deal! 

Without further ado, we'd like to share with you the impact that Kids Play International has had on the  youth of Africa*.  It's profound, inspiring, educational, and encouraging (at least we think so, we hope you feel this same!).

Since 2008, here's some ways how KPI has shared the love of sports and education:

-We've established our first Let's Play year-around community sports education program. This program started with 20 kids and has grown to over 300!  

-We have set up a sports room in Malawi and two in Rwanda. These rooms are full of donated equipment that the children of the Let's Play program get to use.

-In May, we organized our first ever Coach's Workshop, training 10 local coaches and even one program director. 

-Through our Girls Dream Big! empowerment program, we are giving the opportunity for over twenty young women to finish their education.

-We have provided over $5000 worth of sports equipment (including soccer uniforms to over 100 kids!).

-Whether it be a new sport or a familiar one, these kids love to play! We've taught baseball, softball, track and field, volleyball, American football, and possibly the most popular sport in the world, soccer.

-It's always great to partner up for a good cause! KPI works with OlympAfrica, City of Joy-Rwanda, and the Rwandan Olympic Committee.

*Try as we might, numbers, pictures and stats still can't describe the real deal experience of helping a child in person. That's why we have volunteer trips!

Fun Facts About Rwanda

A particularly cool perk about spending time in Rwanda with Kids Play International (KPI) is the authentic experience of the culture. With the Let's Play program being held in a small village called Gatagara, we venture off the beaten track and literally onto the not-so-frequented roads. That's right, get ready for some 4-wheeling! 

Now that we have our 2013 Volunteer Trips scheduled and your brain must be overflowing with questions about Rwanda, we'd like to share some fun facts about this beautiful country. 

Warning: These fun facts will not provide the full-on authentic experience that you will get when going on a trip. If we could bring over a silverback gorilla to show you, we would. 

RWANDA

"the land of a thousand hills"

Where am I? Rwanda is surrounded by four countries, Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In Africa, the country is located smack in the middle and a tad to the right (that sounds more official than Central/Eastern Africa, right?). It's also 75 miles south of the equator.

Who's there? The population is approximately 12 million people. Though Rwanda is densely populated, the lush landscape leaves your eyes gazing over the horizon and its endless rolling hills.

Lions, tigers, and bears, oh my! With the unique landscape there is a variety of animal life to match it.  There is a national park in the east called the Akagera National Park, which has large animals including hippo, giraffe, zebra, elephant, and other animals you might see in the savannah.
There are two national parks that have a forest vegetation, the National Volcanoes Park (primates including the renowned silverback gorilla) and the Nyungwe Forest National Park (chimpanzees and monkeys).
*KPI volunteer trips visit the National Volcanoes Park!

Rain or shine? Rwanda has two rainy seasons and two dry seasons. Rwanda is at a higher altitude, which helps explain the rich, fertile soil. Don't worry, we do our best to visit Rwanda when the weather is at its best.

Hi, bonjour, & muraho! The official language of Rwanda is Kinyarwanda, French, and English.

Would you like something to drink? With all this lush landscape, all sorts of things are growing! The major the exports here are coffee and tea. Yum!


Such a tease, there's so many more! Stay tuned to see what else this vibrant country is all about!

Olympism, the foundation of Kids Play International

Here's a question for you. What was your favorite Olympic moment growing up? A race, an event, a story, a triumph? Did it inspire you to think beyond the norm and dream BIG? Heck ya, it did! That's the beauty of the Olympic Games, they're a time for setting and reaching ferociously audacious goals, celebrating athletics at its purest, and bringing countries together.

The Core
When you pull away all the layers of the Olympic Games, you come to the core definition of Olympism: "The practice of sport is a human right. Every individual must have the possibility of practicing sport, without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity, and fair play."

This is the true essence of Kids Play International.  Needless to say we're pumped up about the upcoming Games, as they're a welcomed reminder of what can be achieved when you have a dream and a goal. Cheesy? Maybe a little. Inspiring? Absolutely (which rules out the cheesiness).

Two Olympians in action! Perhaps we found a new Olympic sport?

This summer is about to get wild. I'll be making a raucous in London as a social media Storyteller for lululemon athletica. They will be hosting some rockin' events in town, while sharing the gift of yoga with the international community. Let's get our game face on, cheer signs out, and cover ourselves in body paint, it's time to put you smack dab in the middle of all the excitement! Be sure to check in here for behind-the-scenes stories and adventures!

On our trip to Rwanda, Emily Cook (Olympian and elite ambassador for lululemon) and I had a chance to get our yoga on...in the rain!

Not too familiar with yoga or lululemon? Have no fear, my dear! lululemon is a yoga inspired athletic wear company that also offers in-store complimentary yoga classes. You can check each store's website for details.

A Healthy Combo
Get ready folks, the 2013 trip calendar includes a Yoga Volunteer Trip! We'll have the opportunity to lengthen, strengthen, restore, and reenergize while giving back in the lush land of a thousand hills. All levels welcome, stay tuned for all the delightful details!



psst! My favorite Olympic moment from growing up? Honestly, anytime the Olympic fanfare by John Williams came on, I'd be glued to the TV, like a dog and his dingleberries. It became a big part of my pre-game music mix during college (the song, not the d-berries).

This athletic-loving blog is by: Jaime Komer
These too-cool-for-school photos are by: Don Cook

The Great KPI Volunteer Recap!

A Lively Bunch
What happens when you put ten motivated and successful individuals in a foreign country together for two weeks?

Nothing less than an unforgettable adventure!  Just like any sports team you've ever played on, it's wonderful when a group can naturally become cohesive, with each each person adding their own unique twist and pizazz to the mix.  

Let me introduce you to our lively crew of 10: Tracy Evans, Cameron Myler, Emily Cook, Anne Poulin, Kathy Kendrick, Cindy Burkhardt, Kirsten Elleby, Don Cook, Janelle Allen, and myself, Jaime Komer.  As usual, Don Cook is hiding behind the camera!

A Resilient & Vibrant Land

Powerful.  Moving.  Emotional.  These are just a few things that come to mind when taking in the experience when visiting the Genocide Memorial.  
The Children's Wing (right) is an area dedicated to the youth of Rwanda who were murdered during the genocide.  Countless photos hang on the wall, some with personal descriptions of the child's name, a favorite activity, a best friend, and finally, how they died.  Needless to say the emotions one feels when walking through this area is profound and heart wrenching.  Yet it is something that I think we should all experience to help us to better understand this country's history, culture, and livelihood.  


Let's Play Kids Camp

Kids Play International (KPI) put on a special three day Let's Play Camp in Gatagara, the same town where the colorful KPI Sports Room is located.  We were expecting about 100 kids and guess what, we knock the ball out of the park with approximately 300 kids attending!  


So how exactly do ten KPI Volunteers and several Rwandan Coaches motivate and challenge 300 kids?  Maybe you'll just have to come out to get a first hand experience!  We did it all: Volleyball, baseball (for most, a new sport to learn!), soccer, and track & field!  

A major highlight during this time for me (and I'm guessing for a few others!) was seeing the joy that playing sports can bring to a child. This is something that is shared cross-culturally, across borders, and across the world.  
At the end of our camp, we handed out certificates, photos, and a goodie bag full of school supplies!  
What a special opportunity to bring the community together and support a healthy and active lifestyle!  

Coaches Clinic

This was the first Kid's Play Coaches Clinic held in Rwanda and we had a great turnout!  This was a special time to share with all the coaches the core values behind KPI (do you remember the first core value we chatted about last week?  Hint: it starts with an "S").

It was also a chance for us to get to know each coach and learn about their goals and core values when coaching!

Gorillas in the Mist

How close can you get to a gorilla in their natural habitat?  Apparently pretty gosh-darned close!

Rwanda is known for its lush landscape, rolling hills, and of course the majestic gorillas!  So human-like in their gestures and mannerisms (though I did notice that they did appear to pass gas a bit louder than most humans do), being in the presence of these gorillas left me awestruck and mesmerized (no longer talking about the gas, mind you).

Truly an adventure worth putting on that bucket list of yours, gorilla trekking takes you right into the jungle to the gorilla family.  Each family is followed by trackers who radio to your Ranger where to meet them.  These trackers not only stay with the gorillas all day (they sleep outside the jungle at night) but also help protect the families from poachers.  

This is truly but a nutshell of our life-changing experience on the May 2012 KPI Volunteer Trip.  

"Life-changing" is a big statement.  But let's face it, this was a big trip.  

This blog was written by:  Jaime Komer

These gorgeous photos were taken by: Don Cook

Why SCHOOL is an important part of SPORTS!

Kids Play is kicking off July with a spotlight on one of our SPORTS for Life values: SCHOOL!

No question that SPORTS are at the heart of everything that Kids Play does: we love teaching kids in our Let’s Play! program in Rwanda how to spike a volleyball, hit a home run, dribble a soccer ball and pass a baton. However...as much as we love teaching kids how to excel ON the field (our founder, Tracy Evans, is a 3x Olympian, so no surprise!), we really love using sport as a tool to teach life lessons that can be used OFF the field. 

Kids Play's SPORTS for Life values are the foundation of our Let's Play! community sports education program and our Girls Dream Big empowerment program. 

Here's what those SPORTS values are all about!

• S: school – importance of getting an education
• P: physical fitness – leading an active and healthy lifestyle
• O: opportunity –  equal opportunities for both girls and boys
• R: respect – for yourself and others
• T: teamwork – achieving more by working together
• S: self-esteem – building confidence in yourself and your abilities 

Warming up before our Let's Play! program

In our Let's Play! program, after the kids take a warm-up lap around the field, we gather in a circle and discuss one of the SPORTS for Life lessons. We focus on just one lesson every week, which gives our in-country coaches the chance to engage the kids in a two-way conversation and get them thinking about how they can use the lesson in their own lives. 

So, SCHOOL...why is it one of Kids Play's core values? According to UNICEF, physical education has been shown to improve the learning performance of kids by increasing school attendance and the desire to succeed academically. One of the UN's Millennium Development Goals is to ensure that by 2015, children everywhere - both girls and boys - will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling. While many African countries are getting close to achieving that goal, there's still a problem with kids - particularly girls - starting, but then not finishing, school. More than 30% of primary-school students in sub-Saharan Africa drop out before graduation. 

Tracy and the kids taking a break from the field

We use our Let's Play! program to address the problem by engaging the kids in discussion and reinforcing the importance of staying in school. Kids Play also identifies kids who are not in school and provides financial sponsorship so that they are able to complete their educations.

We agree with UNICEF: sport is not just an end in itself, but also an effective tool to help improve the lives of children, families and communities!

We’ve got volunteer trips to Africa on the books for May and June of next year, so come check out our programs and our SPORTS for Life values for yourself! 

Til next time!