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Soccer Without Borders Uganda is grateful to announce its partnership with the newest member of Common Goal — German footballer Sebastian Rode, who currently plays for the Bundesliga’s Eintracht Frankfurt. As a Common Goal member, Rode is pledging a minimum of 1% of his earnings to support three community soccer programs including SWB Uganda.
Rode has teamed up with three football-based community organizations on three different continents: KICKFAIR (Germany), ISF (Cambodia), and Soccer Without Borders (Uganda).
“As a footballer, right now it is even more important to set an example, to do even more for society, for the people who are not doing so well,” said Rode. “Through football I have become a public figure and I reach a lot of people, many people also listen to me and so it was very important to me relatively early on and is all the more important now in the Corona period. And that was the decisive factor for joining.”
Through Common Goal, members of the professional football community are pledging 1% of their salary to social change efforts globally. Common Goal was founded by Juan Mata of Manchester United and streetfootballworld’s, Jurgen Griesbeck with the mission to unite the world of football behind a shared social vision.
“It was always important to me to support causes, initiatives and organisations that take the money to where it is needed most,” continued Rode. “I know that I am very fortunate in life, which is certainly not the case for everyone. And many people also find themselves in situations of need by no fault of their own and so it was important to me to help.”
As a Common Goal and streetfootball world member, Soccer Without Borders continues to benefit from its partnerships within the global soccer community. Other SWB sites receiving Common Goal pledges include SWB Boston from Allyson Swaby, AS Roma and Jamaica Women’s National Team defender and SWB Nicaragua from Ana Cate, midfielder for the Nicaraguan Women’s National Team and KR of the Icelandic Premier League. The East Africa Global Goal 5 Accelerator program was launched as a Common Goal Collective Project together with Women Win and partners from across the region.
Read more about Sebastian Rode’s pledge to SWB Uganda and commitment to social justice here.