Though they are often trips of a lifetime, it is not unusual for people in their late teens or early twenties to go travelling and visit places like Australia, South East Asia or Africa. Last month, former University of Sheffield student Chris Grindley packed his bags and set off for Bulawayo in Zimbabwe. But Chris did not become one of the many young people hoping to make a difference to the poverty-stricken lives of young Zimbabweans. He had already made a difference. His trip to Southern Africa confirmed to him just how significant that difference was - and continues to be.
Chris, along with other former Sheffield students Andrew Trott and Elliott Bryan, runs a charity by the name of Kits4Causes . The charity was founded by five students in Sheffield in 2009 as Afrikit and the Sheffield connection remains key in the charity's future, with the University being a major point of contact for those who run it.
Chris was not one of the founders, but became involved in the summer of 2011. He graduated with a degree in politics in July and, upon leaving university, began to juggle four jobs - one of which was stepping up his role of running Kits4Causes.
The power of sport
The charity's aim is very simple: collect people's old and unwanted football shirts and equipment and, through partner charities, send them to good causes around the world. Donations often come from parents whose children have grown out of shirst or from fans whose favourite player has moved to a rival (Fernando Torres and Robin van Persie are common names on the back of donated shirts, for example). From then on, the work is done by the power of football and sport. The kits are used by other, less specialist, charities who request the kit from Kits4Causes to help them in using football to break down barriers between communities, as an educational tool, in helping to break down the stigma attached to HIV/AIDS and, simply, to put a smile on the faces of thousands of disadvantaged people.
The charity's website quotes Nelson Mandela's famous line of "sport has the power to change the world, the power to inspire, the power to unite people in a way that little else can." It is a powerful sentiment that Kits4Causes has been keen to express ever since its original incarnation as Afrikit three years ago. Even more powerful, is the idea that such a simple act as giving an old, unwanted football shirt - which so many people own - can help. In a big way.
Chris explains: "Half the time I was there, we didn't have any running water or electricity - it was just out. It put everything into perspective of how comfortable life is for most people in the UK.
"A football kit, which you can just forget about in your cupboard because it doesn't mean anything to you, can mean the absolute world to somebody that has nothing. It really hit home how important the work of charities is."
Chris noted that while the UK economy is struggling, the problems are virtually non-existent in comparison to those he witnessed in Bulawayo: "Speaking to some people in Zimbabwe, there's a major problem with boredom. Kids will leave school and they have got nothing to do. In the UK, although times are tough, if you really want a job, you can get one of some kind. In Zimbabwe there are no jobs. I met people who were 23-24, who had been out of education since they were 16 and never been able to find a job, because when a job does become available, there will be thousands of people apply for that one job."
While in Zimbabwe, Chris met with numerous local dignitaries and Zimbabwean football legends, including - in a continuation of the South Yorkshire connection - former Sheffield United winger Peter Ndlovu. He also met with the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) , and agreed to kit out every one of the 2,500 young people playing in the youth football leagues of Bulawayo.
Partner Charities
By no means is Kits4Causes unique in being a charity aiming to improve the lives of people through the power of football. But the specialist work that Kits4Causes do is rather different to charities like the Thimbalethu Soccer Academy , who Chris visited Zimbabwe with. Nevertheless, Kits4Causes' work marries brilliantly with that of their partner charities in that it provides the simplest of tangible objects (in the form of football kits and equipment) to go alongside the intangible and immeasurable effects of joy, better health, better education and, ultimately, hopefully, peace.
"When you see the work that charities like Thembalethu do, and how they need an organisation like Kits4Causes to help facilitate what they're trying to do and give them what, to them, is such a precious commodity of a football kit for free, it really hit home how important it is to carry on with Kits4Causes and make it very successful."
And what about the Nelson Mandela quote? Did Chris agree that sport could really be that powerful? "Before I went there, I believed it, but I'm not sure why I believed it," Chris admitted, "but to actually go there, it really hit me to think, 'wow it does make a difference!'" It is for sure that Chris' voice would be echoed by the 15,000 plus people who have benefitted from Kits4Causes work so far.
To see what happens to your shirt, from being an unwanted item in the darkest depths of your wardrobe to being an invaluable force in another part of the world, view the audio slideshow at the top of this page.
For information about Kits4Causes, visit their website at www.kits4causes.org
by Stuart Hill
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