International Rescue Committee (IRC)

Soccer Without Borders

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Photo: (Photo: Lauren Markham/The IRC)
  • The young campers, who ranged in age from 5 to 18, were of Karen, Liberian, Congolese, Somali and Meskhetian Turk backgrounds.
    (Photo: Lauren Markham/The IRC)
    The young campers, who ranged in age from 5 to 18, were of Karen, Liberian, Congolese, Somali and Meskhetian Turk backgrounds.
  • In addition to sports, the camp featured class-style sessions in dance, gardening and nutrition.
    (Photo: Lauren Markham/The IRC)
    In addition to sports, the camp featured class-style sessions in dance, gardening and nutrition.
  • For students who arrived in the U.S. just a few weeks ago, the soccer camp was their first organized educational experience in the U.S.
    (Photo: Lauren Markham/The IRC)
    For students who arrived in the U.S. just a few weeks ago, the soccer camp was their first organized educational experience in the U.S.
  • Warming up with partner stretches.
    (Photo: Lauren Markham/The IRC)
    Warming up with partner stretches.
  • A soccer team gets ready to play.
    (Photo: Ben Gucciardi/The IRC)
    A soccer team gets ready to play.
  • A group cheer
    (Photo: Liliana Vargas/The IRC)
    A group cheer
  • Students and coach take a break at the end of the day.
    (Photo: Lauren Markham/The IRC)
    Students and coach take a break at the end of the day.
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(August 2007) Forty refugee kids from around the world gathered at a field in Oakland, California, this month for six days of soccer drills, exercise and tournament-style games. The soccer camp was organized by the IRC and Soccer Without Borders. Though only a week long, the camp managed to build a community where students of different national, religious and ethnic groups could come together and forge friendships. As Eugenia, a nine-year old refugee from Liberia said, “I want to give a shout out to all of us for showing up and playing our hardest and making new friends.”