Chevrolet Delivers 1 Millionth One World Futbol

Chevrolet and One World Futbol Project have distributed nearly indestructible futbols to more than 60 countries in Africa, Asia, the Americas and Europe Donation of 1 millionth One World Futbol is part of celebration of Chevrolet’s restoration of primary school pitch in South Africa Manchester United legend Gary Bailey participates in ball delivery and pitch dedication

DETROIT -- Spet. 15, 2014: Chevrolet’s effort to demonstrate all things are possible through play has reached a milestone with its donation of the 1 millionth One World Futbol.

The millionth One World Futbol was among 50 delivered Saturday to the Mabu-a-tlou girls’ primary school in Hammanskraal, South Africa. The delivery took place during the unveiling of the Mabu-A-Tlou Lebala La Metshameko pitch, which Chevrolet revitalized to enable the Hammanskraal Girls Soccer program and surrounding community to enjoy greater participation in football.

“For Chevrolet, it’s not just about what the One World Futbol is, but what the ball enables us to do,” said Tim Mahoney, chief marketing officer, Global Chevrolet. “The donation of the 1 millionth ball is a tremendous milestone in our effort to help children everywhere realize that through play, all things are possible.”

As founding sponsor of the One World Futbol Project, Chevrolet in 2012 committed to donate 1.5 million Chevrolet-branded One World Futbols over three years. The balls are distributed to programs and schools in war-stricken zones, refugee camps, disaster areas and other disadvantaged communities worldwide through a broad network of organizations that use sport and play to teach conflict resolution, gender equality, health awareness and other essential life skills.

Chevrolet-branded One World Futbols have been delivered to more than 60 countries and have brought the possibility of play to more than 26 million youth in Africa, Asia, the Americas and Europe, including:

22,000 One World Futbols in Colombia are teaching children to use play as a way to overcome or find relief from life’s daily challenges 5,000 balls donated in Thailand have brought the power of play to orphanages and schools in the most rural regions of a country, where seven out of every 100 Thai children do not have parents to care for them 250 balls in the United States helped transform a Chicago neighborhood associated with gang culture into a place where children can play and learn valuable life skills Just 10 balls are helping girls find their voices in the most remote areas of Kenya, where women have few rights And two balls helped those who lost limbs in the brutal civil war in Sierra Leone find hope, courage and joy—and feel like heroes when they play. Chevrolet executives were joined in South Africa by One World Futbol Project Founders Tim Jahnigen and Lisa Tarver, Manchester United legend Gary Bailey, local dignitaries and schoolchildren.

The ultra-durable One World Futbol represents a breakthrough in technology for a recreational, multi-sport ball as it never goes flat, even when punctured multiple times, and will last for years in the harshest play environments.

Delivery of the 1 millionth One World Futbol and the unveiling of the Mabu-A-Tlou Lebala La Metshameko pitch are part of Chevrolet’s global “What Do You #PlayFor?” campaign, launched in March to bring football fans closer to the sport and demonstrate that through play all things are possible.

To learn more about how Chevrolet is helping children around the world realize anything is possible through play, visit Chevrolet FC.