Darfur United Soccer Drive

Working in concert with members of Westwood, Natick, and Newton Youth Soccer Organizations, Lucy Somers, a junior at Westwood High School, is running a drive to collect gently used soccer uniforms, equipment, and referee gear to send to the children living in the refugee camps in Chad. 

There are approximately 75,000 children living in 12 refugee camps on the border between Chad and Sudan. The Darfur United Soccer Academy provides a sheltered place for children 6-18 to play the sport they love with the necessary equipment. The Academy provides boys and girls with the opportunity to develop life skills critical to peace-building, equality, and health promotion, as well as ensuring a safe environment and a stable social network. Sports programs like the Academy’s have been shown to expand health education, increase school attendance, and challenge gender norms.
Contact Lucy Somers with any questions at: 15lsomers@wpsstudents.org