About Us
"By providing the tools for playful social integration, we help enable people to eliminate violence and poverty."
The people who work with Project Play are filled with and inspired by HOPE:
Honesty & integrity
Optimism & collaboration
Proactive focus and execution
Energy & intelligence
Our staff and partners are morally strong individuals who work and play in a non-prejudice environment which favours diversity and preserves the United Nations universal declaration of rights.
Who we are?
Project Play Soccer was inspired by Mike Mitchell, Founder and President, while he was a Peace Corp volunteer in Niger, West Africa from 1983 to 1985. There he saw first hand the poverty and despair in the communities he visited. A collegiate soccer player, Mike found a common ground with the people of Niger – the love of soccer.
Coaching youth soccer and playing as the only non-national on the local men’s soccer team, he experienced how a soccer ball was a tool against violence and poverty and brought hope and happiness, especially to children. Over twenty years later in 2006 Project Play Soccer was incorporated as a non-profit organization.
Short Term Goal
Nurture and expand Project Play operations in Niger via the creation of a long term sustainable coordination which is responsible for the 1,400 schools, 11,700 one-world footballs, and the participation of over 100,000 children.
Mid Term Goal
Via prior experience and dedicated strategical planning, Project Play will establish country wide presence in 4 additional Sub Sahel countries and consolidate it’s structure to advance into other regions where the play concept can provide benefit.
