“Young boys are starting to realize their dreams and do what ever they can to make sure that those dreams come true even if they must get themselves dirty. [...] They don’t have money to buy a soccer ball….. they make it on their own. This how the ball is made: Firstly you look for old clothes or blankets. Then you put a few condoms around, which you blow up with your mouth, but not with too much air. Just so it’s the same size as a soccer ball. After this you put either a plastic bag or a piece of old clothing over the condom. Then to make it strong, you tear up the old clothing or blanket into long strips and tie the strips all around the condom to strengthen the shape of the ball and make it heavier. Once you can feel it bounces well, you take a strong plastic bag and wrap it around the ball. Lastly you reinforce it by wrapping strong rope or tire wire around it.”
Check out the full article at:
http://www.afrigadget.com/2009/06/15/football-handmade-in-south-africa/
One Comment, Comment or Ping
If there was ever going to be a sport that gets young boys excited and passionate the world over, football would be it!
Malawi uses an exorbatant amount of plastic bags, and with no recycling system, they get tossed here and there, which makes the environmentalist in me scream! But there is a very natural recycling method here… young boys and homemade footballs. They gather up all these used plastic bags, heat them over a fire till they get all melty… then mold them with their hands into balls just a bit smaller than a football… and get playing! The bags eventually fall off with all the kicking, but there are plenty more to replace them and melt back on.
July 31st, 2009
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