Breaking the Vicious Cycle of Poverty with Water

Studies show that access to clean water is the single most important factor for a community's health, education, and safety. Most of us can access clean water whenever we need it, at the turn of a knob or the twist of a bottle cap. Water to wash our dishes, bathe our children, or simply to quench our thirst.

How this connects to Pickleball? I have witnessed the enormous potential of pickleball to bring people together, build bridges, and break down barriers; a vehicle toward creating peaceful community.

A few years ago I met Kabanda Shafick and learned of his work to start the Dream Team Pickleball Academy, a.k.a. Dream Dinkers, the very first pickleball academy in Uganda. Inspired by his mission, We dedicate our all to change lives of underprivileged children through playing pickleball. No limit., I wanted to do something to bring more to these kids in his village.

In 2007, I had the great fortune to be connected with Martha Wells Hoffman, founder and CEO of Call To Care Uganda. Martha came to speak with my small group of students at CT Experiential Learning Center (CELC), a program I co-founded in 2009. Martha shared her story about how her path took her to Uganda, after having recurring dreams of large numbers of children, all surrounding her and in celebration, and a small purse with an image of a young girl knit on it. Martha was then given this purse, the same one she had seen in her dream over those many nights, and she discovered it was made in Uganda. She had to follow this call.

When Martha first traveled to Uganda in 2006, she saw the devastating effects of a water crisis: people who have to walk miles through unsafe areas every day, sometimes multiple times, to fetch water for their families. Water that is often dirty or unsafe to use. This simple act of drinking or using this contaminated water is the leading cause of death and disease across the country of Uganda and is responsible for the death of thousands of children every year.

Equipped with this knowledge and a determined heart, Martha started Call to Care Uganda and began bringing clean water to these communities in need. Almost 17 years, hundreds of volunteers, and 93 wells later, the organization is still hard at work helping make clean water dreams a reality.

My dream - that each pickleball player will make annual donation to the Carpe Dink'em Pickleball For Good Club to support this and future projects. Your donation today will make an enormous impact by bringing clean water and helping to sustain the lives of DreamTeam pickleball Academy and their entire community. I see it as a way to serve for the highest good, what we experience through the joy of this game is transferred to elevating the lives of all.

Thank you in advance for being part of this movement - Let's Seize the Dink (and the drink, of water) and Seize the Day for Good!

With gratitude,

Melinda Alcosser

A bit more about my journey: As a Pickleball player, certified IPTPA coach and travel specialist, I organize Carpe Dink’em Pickleball trips with a focus on Pickleball Travel With Heart. Each of my organized group trips includes a “giving exchange,” designed to connect travelers with those who live in that destination. Pickleball With Heart intends to provide immersive experiences, cultural exchange, service-learning, and experiential travel, alongside some awesome Pickleball! For more information, please visit https://www.withhearttravel.com/with-heart-experiences

Pickleball For Water Carpe Dink'em Giving Club

Carpe Dink’em Pickleball With Heart - It all starts with water!