Tracy McGrady's Darfur Dream Team
by ERICA LIEPMANN, Causecast Associate Editor
I’m a huge NBA fan – but I’ve often wondered, with all of the fame and fortune that our professional athletes have, what could they do to make an impact on our world’s problems? I’ve seen the “NBA Cares” videos about the community outreach the teams do in their cities, which is cool. But it would also be great to see more individual players getting involved with issues they care about and using their resources to make a difference.
In 2007, the Houston Rockets’ Tracy McGrady did just that. Having learned about the conflict in Darfur and the people displaced by it, McGrady traveled to Chad to visit with Darfuri refugees living in camps there. His experiences with Darfuri children inspired him to create The Darfur Dream Team, a nonprofit organization working to provide educational resources for refugee children.
According to its mission statement, the Darfur Dream Team’s Sister Schools Program’s dual mission is:
(1) to provide a quality education to every refugee child from Darfur
(2) to develop connections between students from Darfur and the United States and promote mutual understanding
McGrady has brought together a diverse array of individuals and organizations to get on board with this cause, including other NBA players, the Enough Project and the U.N. Refugee Agency. Among the other basketball stars to get involved is LA Laker Derek Fisher.
This video from the Enough Project is an awesome summary of how the Darfur Dream Team was founded and what it is accomplishing today:
If this story really strikes a chord with you, check out more information on how to get involved. Maybe you can even sign your school up for the Sister Schools Program!
- Posted by Causecast
Related causes: Human Rights
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Very good write up. I like to see athletes step up and reach out to those not just at home but abroad as well. Good way to connect with youth from a far, especially in Darfur. It just shows the importance of being educated and the effect it has on not only a community but an entire country.