2017: Uniforms & School Supplies
This was an incredibly busy year for Share a Care, as we decided to take on two projects simultaneously.
The Uniform Drive
During the winter, Nia led the uniform collection project with the goal of equipping Senegalese children with team uniforms for soccer, the country’s most popular sport. While the kids loved to play, they didn’t have the resources to supply the team with cohesive uniforms to distinguish between teams, making organized games difficult. To tackle this problem, Nia partnered with the Edina Basketball Association to collect used uniforms, and as the project gained attention, other athletic groups joined in. One of the biggest contributions came from Steve Tshida, the athletic trainer at Edina High School, who donated all of the leftover uniforms after their garage sale.
In total, Nia collected over 3,600 uniforms, ranging from basketball jerseys to cheerleading outfits. These uniforms made it possible for 32 elementary schools, 16 middle schools, and 4 high schools—stretching from Medina Wandifa to the capital city of Dakar—to form teams and participate in organized sports. The project also highlighted the importance of sustainability, as these uniforms, which could have ended up in landfills, were given a new purpose and brought joy to children halfway across the world.
The School Supply Drive
Later in the summer, Mariam launched a school supply drive after recalling the lack of materials available to the students in Medina Wandifa. The school’s storage room was almost empty, with only a few old and worn-out items remaining. Mariam recognized that having the right materials is essential for learning and having something new is what makes school fun. With that in mind, she reached out to Target and secured a wide range of back-to-school supplies, including notebooks, calculators, pencils, chalk, markers, and much more. These efforts resulted in enough supplies to support the entire school (K-12) for two years, transforming the learning environment and making the kids eager to attend school with brand-new materials in hand.
Both projects had a profound impact on the children, allowing them to fully engage in their studies and sports in ways they hadn’t been able to before. These initiatives also marked our first collaborations with other organizations, opening our eyes to the incredible potential of community partnerships. We are deeply grateful to Target, the Edina Basketball Association, Steve Tshida, and the many supporters who helped make this year a success.
Want to know what the girls did for 2018? Click the button below to find out!