Östersund FK (ÖFK), a professional Swedish football club located in Östersund, Sweden, has officially partnered with Darfur United (DU). ÖFK players and staff members have promised to donate a percentage of their salaries to iACT through the Zero Point One campaign, in order to promote and support humanitarian work and youth football clinics in the Darfuri refugee camps in eastern Chad.
The Zero Point One initiative collects 0.1% of the income made through ÖFK, and donates these profits and proceeds to Darfur United and the Refugees United Soccer Academies (RUSA) in Chad. DU and RUSA are programs of iACT, a Los Angeles-based international organization providing humanitarian action to aid, empower, and extend hope to those affected by mass atrocities.
“The Zero Point One Initiative is amazing,” says Moubarak Abdallah, Darfur United team captain. ”Maybe we can spread the idea to other companies in Sweden,” he adds. “The ÖFK guys are amazing and this makes an incredible difference to the lives of so many, back in Chad.”
Media:
ÖFK’s fine gesture – donates a percentage of wages to Darfur United, “Is Amazing”
Darfur United Reunited After Two Years
MEDIA CONTACT
iACT, Katie-Jay Scott
ktj@iactivism.org
+1 (310) 738-0285
ABOUT DARFUR UNITED
Darfur United (DU) is a men’s soccer team of resettled refugees from Darfur, Sudan, based in Östersund, Sweden. In a joint effort with the Darfuri refugee community, the UN Refugee Agency, and soccer fans, iACT formed DU in 2012. That year, iACT took the team from refugee camps in eastern Chad to Iraqi-Kurdistan to participate in the Viva World Cup, where the team competed and scored the Darfuri community’s first international goal. Two years later, iACT facilitated the team’s participation in the 2014 ConIFA World Football Cup in Östersund, Sweden. During this tournament, DU players shared their stories with the world and iACT began forming partnerships with Swedish communities. Thirteen of the original Darfur United players were able to claim asylum in Sweden in 2014. Not only is Darfur United an opportunity for the refugees to represent their people while playing the “beautiful game,” it is also a movement—a movement to bring hope, inspiration, and joy to the people of Darfur.
ABOUT iACT
iACT is an international organization providing humanitarian action to aid, empower, and extend hope to those affected by mass atrocities, creating a world where people are connected and equipped to act. Learn more at iact.global and follow iACT on Facebook & Twitter.