Soccer Fever: Goals Worth Striving For
		INTRODUCTION - Safety Nets, Soccer-Style - Score One for AIDS Awareness

Introduction

Recently, the eyes of the world focused on a frenzied World Cup in Germany. In several countries where "football" is the most popular sport, Mercy Corps is using its lure to build stronger communities.

Say Yes to Soccer

From Africa to Central Asia to the Balkans, Mercy Corps is harnessing the power of the world's most popular sport to bring people together, spark community reinvestment and teach young people about HIV/AIDS. The agency sponsors tournaments, provides seed money for sports clubs and, thanks to a strong partnership with Nike, outfits teams and equips schools and athletic leagues.

As the three stories in this series show, a simple sport can be turned into a powerful tool to build better, healthier communities.

Just as dreams of victory played out on soccer's biggest stage, the game is also changing lives in lesser-known parts of the globe.