Project Play was conceived by Mike Mitchell based
on his experiences while serving in the Peace
Corps in Niger from 1983 to 1985. Mike arrived in
the town of Zinder with a love for the game of
soccer and a duffel bag containing 8 balls.
Accordingly, the balls were his ticket into the lives of the local children.
Within a short time Mike became an integral part
of the provincial club team L'Equipe Espoir (Team Hope), which eventually won the 1984 Nigerian Championship (see photo). Project Play's goal of returning to Niger with an estimated five thousand soccer balls, will be the first fruit borne of Mike's dream to reconnect with the children of Africa and enhance global understanding through sport.

Project Play is dedicated to enriching the lives of children and adults in African nations   through the world's most popular sport, soccer. This collaborative effort will provide   educational incentives, promote self-esteem and foster community pride while generating confidence and hope to those in impoverished African nations.

Goals:

"Develop and maintain a non-profit entity to facilitate
our mission of providing healthy activities, educational
incentives, self-esteem, community pride, motivation
and positive role models to both youth and adults
of African nations.

"Collaborate with the African Football Federations and Peace Corps volunteers to coordinate and implement Project Play in impoverished African nations.

"In phases, send Project Play staff to African nations to implement the program and coordinate the distribution and use of soccer balls at schools, work sites and community centers and health facilities in association with the Football Associations and the local Peace Corps volunteers."

"Provide Peace Corps volunteers with a manual showing various ways to utilize soccer balls to achieve the goals of the program and assist them with implementing the program."

"Implement Project Play in other African nations.