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Nike has been working closely with Mercy Corps, aiding in their efforts to use sports – particularly soccer – as a method of community rebuilding and to bring hope to the world’s youth.

In Sudan, Nike donated soccer boots and equipment to the children returning to their homes after years of civil war. And in Uzbekistan, they harnessed the popularity of soccer to help reduce tensions amongst the area’s youth, helping to organise a three-month-long tournament, as well as refurbishing a playing field and donating uniforms for all the players.

Mercy Corps and Nike have partnered to help Japan’s long term rebuilding efforts from the 2011 earthquake and tsunami implementing the Moving Forward program. Moving Forward uses sports, games and other activities to provide positive, healthy and structured opportunities for play. It also provides youth with mentors who know how to help them cope with the emotions resulting from disaster and displacement, and a community of peers who share a common experience.

Nike and Mercy Corps have also been working together for the past five years on Let Me Play community based programming. Mercy Corps distributes almost 300,000 units of Nike product every year in communities around the world to create a movement to unleash youth potential through sport. These communities in EMEA include countries such as Sudan, Zambia, Morocco, South Africa, Uganda, Kenya, and more.