Africa & the Middle East Forums

Start a new topic Change Forum
Advanced search

Trip Report Balls of Peace in Morocco

Jump to last reply

Everywhere you go in Morocco you see little boys playing soccer. Usually their balls are beat up or totally deflated. Often they use tin cans or boxes. A new ball is almost unheard of -- who indeed can afford the $7-10 dollars for such a thing. So, rather than pennies or chocolates or small balls, I got my driver to take me to a walmart equivalent and bought about 8 inexpensive soccer balls. Everywhere we saw kids playing without a proper ball, we stopped, and the driver lined them up, got them to agree on how to share and who would be in charge -- and left behind a beaming group of young men, who knew on that "the American" bought them a soccer ball. I truly urge you to pass this one while you are there, even if you only do one.

Unfortunately I never came up with anything as good for girls. Jump ropes, jacks, and yes they do love pens (they cost a LOT there) and small notebooks are true treasures... but in most places where I was , the girls don't play outdoor sports.

Perhaps you can't afford much and this trip is for you, as it was for me, a once in a lifetime... but when you get there, and you see the poverty, you will be glad to have brought a few things to give away. The money I spent was a lot for me, but the smiles of joy were far more payment than I deserved.

TF

4 Replies |Back to top

| Add a Reply

Sign in to comment.

Recent Activity

View all Africa & the Middle East activity »
  1. 1 Favorite shoes for safari
  2. 2 When is the best time to visit Israel?
  3. 3 River Cruise for Several Days in South Africa (or adjacent) ?
  4. 4 Best way to go from Morocco to Barcelona
  5. 5 Trip Report Morocco . . . Rough Around the Edges
  6. 6 Kenya + Ngorongoro or Serengeti?
  7. 7 Trip Report 17 days in Israel our way
  8. 8 Africa Safari
  9. 9 Central v. Northern Serengeti
  10. 10 Advice on Porinin camps?
  11. 11 RSA: Tswalu vs Mashatu vs Phinda
  12. 12 Tanzania in 2014
  13. 13 Cairo Downtown or Giza Area?
  14. 14 Currency Exchange in Morocco
  15. 15 Morocco - private tour operators
  16. 16 what kind of plug adapters to use in south africa
  17. 17 How to find if safari company is legit ?
  18. 18 Trip Report Tangier - A four day city break
  19. 19 6 nights in Morocco - how long to spend in marrakech and fes each?
  20. 20 Best Budget Tour Operator
  21. 21 Is now a good time to visit Yemen
  22. 22 How to choose tour group for Egypt
  23. 23 2 weeks in South Africa with teens
  24. 24 Driving Aswan to Luxor
  25. 25 phone service
View next 25 » Back to the top