"Football for Hope: Strategic CSR in Action" by Kristina Brzezinski

Fifa and streetfootballworld founded the Football for Hope Movement to use football (soccer in the States) as a tool to address issues such as health, education, gender equality, peace building, the environment, and HIV/AIDS.

My class had the privilege of visiting the first Football for Hope Centre in Khayelitsha Township outside of Cape Town (see photo below). The centre uses football as a tool to attract youth ages 10-16 to the centre, and then invites them to join educational programs as well. While the centre does have about seven staff, it is mostly run by volunteers from the township.

In addition to various educational programs run by different nonprofit partners, the youth are also taught leadership skills, so they can address and solve problems in their communities. Volunteers are also able to gain much needed skills and after so many volunteer hours they can also gain access to training opportunities; for example, a 42-year-old woman got her driver’s license for the first time.

There are a number of 2010 World Cup sponsors, but Yingli Solar stands out for providing solar panels to each of the 20 centers around Africa (including the five in South Africa) as this method of support helps the centers and the environment long-term, while also aligning with Yingli Solar’s business strategy.

Although the center only opened in January of this year, the staff and volunteers have already witnessed the youth developing new skills and learning how to protect themselves, their families, and their country from HIV/AIDS. Football for Hope and its grassroots efforts for social change is just one of the legacies the 2010 World Cup will leave South Africa and Africa.

First Football for Hope Centre in Khayelitsha Township outside of Cape Town

Kristina Brzezinski Global MBA, 2011

"Hello from the Rainbow Nation!" by Kristina Brzezinski

I’m currently in South Africa for a study abroad class, and my group project is on the World Cup’s impact on the environment, economy and society in South Africa. Before I write about that, though, I first must say that South Africa is truly the Rainbow Nation in every way from the diversity of its people and languages to the diversity of its beautiful climates.

The first World Cup to be hosted on African soil is so important to South Africa and Africa, not just for the direct economic and social benefits of the World Cup, but because it puts South Africa and Africa on the world stage in a positive light when so much Western media coverage of Africa is consistently negative. Such coverage can scare off tourists, investors, and companies holding back Africa’s development and denying the rest of the world everything Africa has to offer.

Yes, South Africa may be more developed than many African countries, but its richness isn’t in the new airports, public transit, or stadiums, but in its warm and welcoming people; its extreme sports and myriad other tourist attractions, its history, from which, my country could probably learn a few things about healing after racist oppression; and the present and future economic opportunities.

In regards to safety and security, it’s no different than being in any large Western city; there are areas that are safe and areas that aren’t. When in a big crowd, keep an eye on your purse or wallet, and don’t wander alone into unfamiliar areas at night.

While I hope that the media coverage becomes more responsible and accurate, South Africa hopes all its World Cup guests become unofficial ambassadors to the rest of the world. They can count me as one.

Kristina Brzezinski Global MBA, 2011