PeacePlayers International

PeacePlayers International is a non-profit organization which uses the game of basketball to unite and educate children and their communities.

PeacePlayers International has four main objectives:

PeacePlayers International was founded in 2001 on the premise that “children who play together can learn to live together.” PeacePlayers International effectively blends together proven theories of social modeling, conflict resolution and public diplomacy to operate basketball and life-skills programs in historically divided regions that bring together thousands of children from different religious, racial, and cultural backgrounds.

The programs attract children to participate in basketball and life-skills activities that enable them to learn leadership skills and how to live as friends and neighbors. A key component to PeacePlayers International's effectiveness is that the programs target children aged 10–14. These are the children old enough to pick up the basics of the sport, but young enough that many prejudices have not yet been cemented. Through the power of sport and education and the strategic integration of public diplomacy, PeacePlayers International is altering the pattern of preconceived prejudice and equipping children with the skills and education needed to address the serious social and health issues they face.

Since inception, PeacePlayers International - South Africa has:

• Taught the game of basketball to over 25,000 children from the city of Durban, its suburbs and its surrounding townships

• Actively involved 7,000 10- to 14-year-old boys and girls from 98 schools who participate in inter-community leagues, life skills clinics, tournaments and clubs

• Trained and employed 100 young South African adults to serve as coaches and youth mentors

• Built 45 outdoor basketball courts each of which is affixed with AIDS awareness message

• Held eight tournaments each involving over 2,000 children who participate on mixed teams

• Developed and implemented a program-wide HIV/AIDS Awareness initiative in partnership with Harvard University's School of Public Health and the University of Natal.

• Become a registered charity in South Africa led by an active board of directors

• Enlisted funding from the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, The Nelson Mandela's Children Fund, the South African government and several corporate sponsors

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