We are extremely excited to announce a Sister Club partnership between the Honolulu Galaxy Futbol Club and the Refugees United Soccer Academy in Darfur (RUSA-Darfur) refugee camps in eastern Chad.
For the past several years, Honolulu Galaxy has supported RUSA-Darfur through equipment donations, financial support of Academy players, and by educating the club about their soccer playing peers on the other side of the world. For the 2016-2017 season, Honolulu Galaxy has stepped forward to become a Sister Club.
The Refugees United Soccer Academy is a place for refugee children in eastern Chad to learn about teamwork, leadership, and peacebuilding, all while improving soccer skills. It offers these children, whose families have experienced extreme violence, a safe space to play, heal, and be empowered.
What does this mean? This means that every Honolulu Galaxy player will have the opportunity to connect on a more personal level with a Darfuri player from camp Goz Amer, eastern Chad, including sending and receiving letters or drawings, photos or videos. There will be a Honolulu Galaxy + RUSA-Darfur banner that hangs in camp Goz Amer. The players and families of Honolulu Galaxy will receive updates about their sister Academy and the girls and boys ages 6-13 who have the opportunity to play because of their support.
By becoming a Sister Club, Honolulu Galaxy will be giving $10 for every one of their club players to RUSA-Darfur. To support this, the club has increased their annual dues for each player by this nominal amount. For every $10 given, they support one Darfuri Academy player for an entire year at RUSA-Darfur including the training of four refugees coaches (two men and two women) and their salaries; soccer equipment including soccer balls, cones and other gear; and organized in-camp tournaments between participants.
We are so proud to announce our inaugural Sister Club partnership. We look forward to sharing the amazing spirit and impact of the beautiful game of soccer with the Honolulu Galaxy family, players, and our Darfuri friends.
Refugees United Soccer Academy Coaches sporting Honolulu Galaxy donated jerseys.
Interested in becoming a Sister Club? Contact Katie-Jay Scott at ktj@iactivism.org. It’s just that easy!