As the 2008 school year drew to a close in China, Let Me Play competitions were organized for migrant youth in four cities - Nanjing, Guangzhou, Beijing and Shanghai. These events, organized by China Children and Teens’ Fund and supported by Nike Sports (China), let the kids compete for the first time in basketball, football and track events. Youth who have migrated from rural regions to urban centers often face discrimination and live in isolated, impoverished neighborhoods.
These competitions are part of Nike’s Let Me Play school-based sports program for migrant youth. To date, the program has reached 135,000 kids in 255 schools through specially developed curriculum, teacher training and improved sports facilities and equipment.
Over 120,000 students trained throughout the school year but only 2,600 were selected to participate in the Let Me Play Year-end finals. Program partners, China Children and Teens’ Fund and New Great Wall, helped mobilize the 500 volunteers that included 35 Nike employees and hundreds of students from 10 different universities.
“The events were simple but memorable for the participants,” said Kelly Lau, Nike China’s Corporate Responsibility Director. “For many of the kids, it was their first formal competition. For volunteers, it was a personal experience in ability of sport to empower youth.”