A sporting chance in the developing world

Idea exchange
October 11, 2007

A sporting chance in the developing world
Can sports do good? Pope Benedict XVI thinks so. He recently observed, "Sports can help man to see his own capacities as talents and his life as a gift of God."

Some other folks likewise think sports can be much more than just fun and games; they can be tools for social change.

Leaders in the field of sports and social change are gathering at the online community of Ashoka Changemakers , which along with Nike, is rewarding the most effective sports programs through an online competition, Sport for a Better World . Organizers say that sports programs around the world allow participants to learn teamwork and life skills, gain confidence, build community, or connect to other social services and educational programs.

Social entrepreneurs that can show that their project has had some success (in other words, is beyond the conceptual stage) can enter the competition and will be judged on innovation, social impact, and sustainability.

While three winners will be awarded $5,000 each, the competition is also an opportunity for these social entrepreneurs to exchange ideas about the best way to use sports. Ashoka calls its Changemaker competitions "open source and collaborative," making use of the expertise and creativity of participants to find solutions to worldwide problems.

Organizations working on empowering women through sports in Mali, Egypt, Palestine, Nepal, and elsewhere, for example, can exchange notes. In both Uganda and inner-city United States, schools lack equipment and organization to provide safe, character-building activities. The Kids League is responding by putting together kits of sports equipment for Ugandan schools, while Sports4kids sends coaches into schools to organize games during recess and after school.

Anyone can see, evaluate, and comment on such programs, offering new ideas, questions, or connections. The most effective ideas, as judged by fellow Changemakers and a panel of experts emerge as the winners.

The deadline for Sport for a Better World is December 5, but online review, discussion, and judging will continued until January 9. At that point, the panel of judges, including Chicago Bulls star Luol Deng , who was born in Sudan, will narrow it down to 12 finalists and the Changemakers community will be able to vote for the final three winners until January 29. Winners will be announced January 30.—Megan Sweas

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