Sub-Sahara Africa is the poorest region in the world and was severely affected by the outbreak of the HIV/AIDS virus, the legacy of which continues to impact communities and families across the continent. A consequence of the HIV pandemic, and the failure to reduce poverty in Zambia has led to mass unemployment. 64% of Zambia’s 12 million population earn less than the equivalent of one US dollar a day. Which is why Friend of EduSport has chosen to partner with an organization offering employment opportunities and which has been seen as a role model to other businesses in the employment of people with a disability and those with a positive HIV status. Perhaps more fundamentally though is the underlying desire to promote and develop sport across Zambia; and for that there is a need for balls!

Alive & Kicking 

Alive and Kicking is a not-for-profit organization which specializes in production of handmade footballs, netballs and volleyballs. They have factories in Kenya and Zambia. Our Trustee Emily Reynolds and IDEALS team leader, Andrew Jenkin went to find out more about them when they were in Lusaka earlier this year. 

First thing to note is that Alive & Kicking is a Zambian run company, using leather from Zambeef and employing local labour. Importantly, they offer their workers salaries above the minimum wage and good working conditions.  They advocate ‘against child labour’ and promote valuable health messages with HIV and malaria prevention printed on all their balls. 

Their workforce comprises of around 62 staff, of which 48 are specialized stitchers. Again leading the way, Alive and Kicking employ 17 female stitchers. Their commitment to the status of women in society can be seen by their ongoing partnership with the EduSport Foundation’s Go Sisters Programme - female empowerment through sport. Furthermore they employ 4 stitchers with physical disabilities and another 3 of which have hearing impairments. It is important to note however that Alive & Kicking operate under a social enterprise model of business, each stitcher aspires to the company target of 3 balls a day. This may not sound a lot to anyone who has never tried to stitch a ball themselves but each ball is hand printed, hand stitched and all balls are tested to ensure they meet Alive and Kicking’s high standard of expectation. 

Andrew and Emily sat with Chris (one of the stitchers) to hear about his standard day, they recall “the pride in his place of employment was evident from the way he spoke, as was his enthusiasm for Alive & Kicking’s staff football team which play in a league every Saturday which he was keen to tell us about”. “On entering the factory we were greeted by a dozen smiles, everyone appeared pleased we had come to visit and we immediately felt very welcome” noted Emily. 

Alive and Kicking work with many sport organisations including NGO’s working in ‘sport for development’ in Zambia. They make over 28,000balls annually in Zambia alone. For a business started back in 2007 they have grown in reputation with close partnerships with SPAR, Sport in Action, UK Sport and the EduSport Foundation to name but a few.  One of their annual contracts includes the UK Sport and Wallace Group IDEALS (International Development of Excellence and Leadership in Sport) project which specifically buy footballs and netballs to use during their placements in communities to develop sport. Andrew (IDEALS Team Leader, 2010) said “even in the terrains of the compounds where the IDEALS students operate, the Alive and Kicking balls are hard wearing and do not fall apart – something more famous production company’s products could be accused of”. 

Working Together

Friend of EduSport is delighted to announce a partnership with Alive & Kicking to work together to develop sport in Zambia and support local enterprise. We would like to thank Chad (Managing Director, Alive & Kicking Zambia) and his staff for welcoming Andrew and Emily into their factory for such an insightful visit. To kick off our partnership we have purchased 10 footballs with Friend of EduSport and Alive & Kicking logo’s emblazed on them. We know these will get great use at our various events across the UK, none more so than at our signature event of the Go Sisters World Series which will take place on 7/8^th May 2011. We hope to see a team representing Alive & Kicking at our London event next year to take on Friend of EduSport’s finest! We also hope to be able to use Alive & Kicking balls at each of our Go Sisters World Series school events which will be used to mark World Women’s Day Centenary of 8^th March 2011; schools across the UK are already signing up to take part!

We are delighted to be working together to ‘educate, empower and inspire’ while promoting ‘Made in Africa, by Africa, for Africa’!

Want to learn more about Alive & Kicking’s work, please visit their website at www.aliveandkicking.org.uk 

Inspired? Why not buy a unique gift for family or friends, even better buy one and give one away! You can order Friend of EduSport personalised footballs for just £12.50 to keep or to donate to the EduSport Foundation to further their work promoting sport across Zambia. 

(This article is produced by Fiona Campbell & Andrew Jenkin. Umutima!)