ABOUT US

To conserve Botswana's natural resources by using sport to engender self respect and inspire a generation of kids who care.

The HIV/AIDS rate in Botswana is one of the highest in the world. Besides the youth and elders not infected, the middle aged population has over a 50 percent HIV/AIDS infection rate. Coaching for Conservation (C4C) Basketball is a nonprofit program that targets Botswana kids before they are sexually active (ages 8-15) and teaches them through sports about "Respect Yourself, Respect Each Other, Respect Your Environment."They have successfully implemented a soccer/football program in Botswana, but this is the first year we will bring basketball there.Even though the kids know how to play soccer, they do not know about the sport of basketball. Many of the girls play a sport called "net ball," which is very similar to basketball. Through your donations we hope to be able to bring the sport of basketball to the children of Botswana in order to educate and encourage them to live safe and healthy lives. If nothing is done and the spread of HIV continues, there is no certainty that a future generation in Botswana will even exist.Botswana has been dealing two with serious problems: (1) the destruction of its natural resources and wildlife, and (2) the destruction of its people.The Botswana Predator Conservation Trust (BPCT) was created over 20 years ago as a wildlife conservation research program based in Okavango Delta. Recognized worldwide today, its focus is on effective management of Africa's precious natural resources, specifically the wildlife. In 2007, Wild Entrust International (WEI) was established as a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization in the United States to continue to grow the 17-year-old BPCT project led by two North American researchers and authors Dr. J. Weldon "Tico" McNutt and his wife, Lesley Boggs, in Africa.Coaching for Conservation was then started as a program within WEI to focus on the latter of the nation's problems-- the destruction of its people (2). Started by Lesley Boggs, her goal was to focus on the country's youth to teach them, through sports (specifically soccer/football) about what it means to "Respect Yourself, Respect Each Other, and Respect Your Environment."USC's student group A,L,I.V.E."Always Living in View of the Environment" founded by Ashley Ellis joined on board with WEI and BPCT for the last two summers. In 2010, Wildlife Entrust International and Coaching for Conservation decided to add a basketball program to the already existing football (soccer) program for children in Botswana. Because basketball is not a well-known sport in Botswana, Lesley asked Ashley Ellis, the founder of USC's A.L.I.V.E. for her help in bringing together a strong group from United States to bring over the program.The C4C Basketball Executive Board Team is a strong group of passionate individuals that includes Ashley Ellis (Managing Creative Director), Leslie Strauss (Corporate Sponsorships Director, Event Coordinator & Web Design), Le'Sheala Dawson (Marketing Director, Coach & Player Relations Consultant), and James "Oren" Wilkes (Operations & PR Director). The coaches will be led by former NBA players Dale Ellis (University of Tennessee '79-'83 and NBA '83-'00) and James Wilkes, Sr. (UCLA '77-'80 and NBA '80-'83). In addition, C4C Basketball will be working hand-in-hand with a few USC students from the A.L.I.V.E: "Always Living in View of the Environment" group who will also be joining the team in Botswana. Starting January 1, 2010, we 6 months until the start of the C4C Basketball Program on the week of July 1, 2010. That's only 6 months to raise $39,250.

Special Thanks to Corporate Sponsors