Thank you for taking the time to read my page and hopefully support this project! For those that don't personally know me, my name is Stevie Dunning and since graduating from The University of Maryland and officially hanging up my competitive soccer boots, I’ve channeled my education, passion for soccer and interest in humanitarian work into the non-profit and non-governmental organization (NGO) sector. I've focused a lot of energy into NGO's focused on marginalized members of society, namely youth, through community programs with aims of enhancing intercultural communication, sustainable development and positive citizenship. 

      I was recently offered the opportunity beginning January 15, 2010 to spend six months in Ndejje, Uganda (12 km outside Kampala) working with urban refugees and nationals for Soccer Without Borders. Uganda is home to one of the largest populations of refugees and internally displaced peoples in Africa, and besides an astonishing lack of social services their largest barrier is lack of access to educational opportunities and integration into local communities. Aside from these obstacles, UNICEF reported that due to many young refugees in Uganda having been abducted and forced to be child soldiers the ability to resume a normal childhood is an exceedingly difficult task that must be addressed through community and social development. 

       Along with local partner HOPE Primary School (Helping People of all Ethnicities), the Ndejje Youth Center will target both refugee and national youth, ages 12-24. The refugee population is largely comprised of Congolese, Rwandese and Sudanese families. Many of these youth are out of school and jobless, and are in need of a positive outlet as well as structured training for their future survival. Besides community development and project sustainability my responsibilities will be to establish the youth center as a welcoming and safe environment, initiate and run soccer programming and educational activities, create solidarity programs for girls, institute clear policies for the community as well as systems for managing and distributing equipment, and lastly contribute to the very under resourced Hope School and Ndejje community.

  Everyone who was or currently is involved in youth soccer soon recognizes that it is the aspect of community that transcends this game. It is belief that yields the most substantial of rewards, and I know I wouldn’t have achieved anything in life, let alone in soccer, if it hadn’t been for the community of people that believed in me. And whether it's the World Cup final or a Saturday morning local youth game, when the ball hits the back of the net every fan and player recognizes that same feeling of pride...when unwavering belief and determination result in success. I’m asking you to believe in the power soccer has in a community and believe in the change I can make for these young people. Please help me raise a minimum of $3,000 to be able to jumpstart this project as well as benefit the Ndejje community.

Soccer Without Borders is a recognized tax exempt organization under section 501 (c) [EIN 20-3786129]. A few of their US operating partners are The International Rescue Committee, Refugee Transitions and Girls For A Change, and they have worked in association with Major League Soccer, namely the New York Red Bulls. I encourage you to check out their website and learn more at www.soccerwithoutborders.org

Thank you for visiting my fundraising page, and please feel free to contact me with any questions: stevie@soccerwithoutborders.org.

Donating through this website is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to support my fundraising efforts.

Many thanks for your support -- and don't forget to forward this to anyone who you think might want to donate too!

Kindest Regards,

Stevie