Alive and Kicking

Alive and Kicking’s vision is of an Africa where every child can play with a real ball, where thousands of jobs are sustained in the production and distribution of balls, and where sport significantly contributes to the health and quality of life of young people.

A+K manufactures sports balls in its not-for-profit stitching centres in Kenya, Zambia and Ghana. By employing people from disadvantaged communities and vulnerable job groups these operations lift families out of poverty by generating sustainable, ethical, fairly paid jobs. Proceeds from selling the balls in the local markets go towards donating balls and running football based health and wellbeing programmes which focus on HIV, malaria and mental health.

Working within the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) Alive and Kicking directly impact:

• NO POVERTY – A+K creates ethical employment in communities facing disadvantage, empowering families to lift themselves out of poverty.

• GOOD HEALTH AND WELL-BEING – A+K uses football to teach vital health and wellbeing education to children and young people as well as donating balls enabling children to play.

• DECENT WORK AND ECONOMIC GROWTH – A+K has created a new industry within Africa being the only formal sports ball manufacturer on the continent. Balls are made with local materials by local staff and sold across local markets.

• REDUCED INEQUALITIES – A+K employs people from vulnerable job groups and ensures young people, regardless of their background, are able to participate in sport and take part in health outreach programmes.

Since 2004 A+K has • Made over 880,000 balls • Donated over 170,000 balls • Provided over 1,000 ethical employment opportunities • Given over 7,000,000 young people access to an A+K football through ball donations • Trained over 1,000 sports coaches to deliver health education • Reached over 30,000 young people directly through our health programmes • Supported over 5,000 people to check their HIV status and receive follow up support