Reading kit has made its way to an orphanage in Malawi,
The children have next to nothing and love football, so to receive a new shirt means the world to them.
Please donate any no longer needed kit to KitAid, visit http://www.kitaid.net to find out how you can make a difference.
Surplus Royals kit was last year sent to the charity KitAid to donate to young football fans living in underprivileged communities across the globe. Reading FC home kit was donated to youth teams who are part of the charity Friends of Mulanje Orphans (FOMO). FOMO Malawi is a community-based orphan care programme supporting more than 3,500 children. FOMO covers all aspects of the children’s welfare including health through its outreach clinic, formal and informal education, food security and production. The programme also covers pre-school, out of school activities and further learning through its play schools, computer, driving and tailoring schools. And the provision of school materials, personal items (soap, clothes, blankets, and mosquito nets) and much more. Founded more than 21 years ago, KitAid began when Derrick Williams MBE attended a WaterAid supporters trip to Tanzania in 1998. On the trip he was frequently asked for football kit or equipment. In a remote village he saw a boy wearing a ragged Liverpool shirt and took a photo. On his return, the photo generated a lot of comments and friends offered to donate old shirts. In 2019, Derrick Williams MBE and a number of other supporters visited Malawi – with luggage containing surplus Royals kit from last season. “We saw first-hand the joy this kit brought to the young people we met,” said Thomas. “We also learnt how the donation of kits had allowed FOMO to use football and netball to engage both boys and girls in structured sport and also to teach life skills, responsibility and personal development, massively improving the life chances of those with almost nothing.” “I actually carried the some of the Reading kit in my personal luggage and it was handed out at the Mwamadi Centre in Mulanje District to the FOMO youth teams. It was incredible to see the smiles on the faces of the young players as they pulled on their new kit.”
“The majority of these kids are orphans and they have next to nothing. They love football and so to receive a new shirt and be able to play in organised competitions means the world to them. A massive thank you to Reading Football Club for making that possible through this kit donation.” Aside from delivering surplus kit and equipment to those most in need, Reading FC supporters via the sale of the limited-edition red kit last year raised a magnificent £13,425 for Comic Relief. This money is now supporting vulnerable people and communities in the UK and internationally as part of Comic Relief’s vision to create a just world free from poverty. To all fans who donated, Reading FC would like to thank you.