What have you done today to make you feel PROUD...

What an experience! What a privilege! What fun!
 
A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to be part of a small team from Singapore supporting PeopleStories in kick starting ‘football dreams’ at Phum Ou School in rural Siem Reap.
 
Football is my passion. I have been trying to play the game for over 50 years. The game has given me so much over the years…taken me to so many places and introduced me to so many friends for life. However , never in a million years could I have imagined myself as part of team coaching the beautiful game to 120 boys and girls - between the ages of 8 and 12 – at a school in Cambodia. Now that truly is living the dream!
 
No all-weather surfaces here. No goal posts or any other fancy coaching aids that you see on You Tube! What we did have though was 120 children bursting with excitement, infectious enthusiasm and boundless energy. A warm up (as if that was needed in Cambodia), few drills in smaller groups and some games. Really competitive…lots of cheering, loads of ‘high fives’ and big smiles. Humbling but above all INSPIRING!
 
There were so many highlights for me personally from this, my first volunteering experience-
 

• The girls participating/competing alongside the boys and getting totally ‘stuck in’. TALENTED!
• The young man that picked up the award for ‘player of the day’ with the prize of a football. Fixing the ball to the back of his bike and cycling home. We passed him about 30 minutes later out in the ‘street’ playing football with some friends. PRICELESS!
• Being part of this shared experience with friends will be a cherished lifelong memory. PROUD!

 
I now better understand the role of ‘football dreams’ in the broader purpose of PeopleStories in advancing education in the rural Siem Reap area-this work can make a meaningful and sustainable difference. And it will not be long before I am back on a plane heading that way to do more. Cannae wait!