July 02, 2010
Jessica Smith is a Marketing & Communications Intern for Grameen Foundation based in our Seattle, Washington office.
At Grameen Foundation, many of us are soccer enthusiasts- especially around this time, when every four years the world comes together to rejoice in the beautiful game! Who doesn't love the thrill of that perfect goal sinking into the net? That final second of the game when the face-painted fans go wild (this year accompanied by the ubiquitous sound of the vuvuzela). Our 2010 World Cup office bracket pool was especially exciting as we had FIVE countries in which we have a footprint, participating:
Brazil, Cameroon, Ghana, United States and....South Africa!
Mexico vs South Africa in Soccer City, Johannesburg 2010 by Celso Flores
As the World Cup Final draws closer (everyone hold your breath for July 11th!) we want to encourage each one of you to take part in the worldwide celebration of the "beautiful game," but with a slight twist... While this worldwide competition is going on, Grameen Foundation is currently participating in a competition as well: Members Project®. We have the chance to receive a $200,000 grant on August 30th, 2010 but our victory is dependent on YOU, our supporters, voting for us! We need you to vote once per week, every week, and to spread the message to everyone you know to Vote for Grameen Foundation! With $200,000 we could reach more people living in the grips of poverty, making the world a better place for ALL of us, one person at a time. Check out our staff video series for more ways we could spend the $200,000.
So, here's our challenge for you:
This July 11th, 2010 host a World Cup party and encourage your friends/family to vote for Grameen Foundation by advertising "your admission is your vote!" Set up your computer for and have people register & vote at the then and there. It can be 5 people, it can be 50 people- every single vote matters! It's an easy action to take that tackles an incredibly important issue. Take pictures/videos at your party, of everyone giving a shout-out cheering "Vote for Grameen Foundation!" and you could end up on our website when you streetteam [at] grameenfoundation.org (send us) your photos & video links to You may not become as famous as Ronaldo or Beckham, but we'll see what we can do! If you host parties before the final, feel free to do the same, but we really encourage as many people as possible to vote together on July 11!
Children playing soccer in Mozambique by Adam Valvasori
You can celebrate the global game by helping to end global poverty, it's a win-win situation!
Photo credits to Celso Flores and Adam Valvasori via Creative Commons.
Comments
I am not aware about the total budget or fund that has gone in for this World Cup 2010. All said and done, people world over seem to be crazy and frenzy about this ball-game. Thank God, it is coming to an end this Sunday the July 11. It does not matter who wins or who loses, for me.
Are we, the twenty-first generation, concerned about hunger and poverty? What happened to the Millennium Development Goals? How else we should create awareness about the daunting task and offer solutions? After all, every one has a right to live with dignity? But, having experienced two major world wars and gone through several financial crises, have we not learnt to improve the quality of life of our fellow citizens? Will this situation go on and on forever unresolved?
Rich-Poor gap remains unattended. Politicians, Bureaucrats and Businessmen continue to rule and exploit the economies everywhere. Has Research and Technology not given adequate tools to eradicate the word called Poverty? What about the sacrifices made and solutions given by Scholars like Dr Muhammad Yunus? Go unattended and unheaded? I am not convinced that we can drive away poverty forever.