Earlier this summer, I had the opportunity to travel to Nairobi, Kenya as part of a team partnering with Mission of Hope International (MOHI) — an organization doing incredible work to support children, families, and schools in underserved communities. Our team spent the week working alongside local educators, sharing strategies, leading activities, and most importantly, building relationships through movement and play.
When Movement Speaks Louder Than Words
One of the most powerful parts of the trip was witnessing how movement transcends language and background. We brought a variety of physical education equipment generously donated by Gopher Sport, including balls, cones, parachutes, pinnies, and other essential tools for active play. What may seem like simple gear made an enormous difference. It provided the structure, excitement, and resources to create safe, inclusive movement experiences for hundreds of students across multiple schools.
Small Equipment, Big Impact
From warm-up routines and relay races to adaptive games and team-building challenges, the equipment allowed students to participate in ways that were joyful and meaningful. In one activity, students navigated a partner-based challenge where they carried a ball between their shoulders without using their hands, sparking laughter, teamwork, and an infectious energy that rippled through the entire field.
Laughter, Teamwork, and Joy in Action
Across all the schools, students engaged with curiosity, creativity, and an eagerness to play. Many had never used some of the equipment before, but their enthusiasm was immediate. Teachers and volunteers worked together to model games and adapt activities, ensuring that everyone regardless of ability, age, or experience had a chance to participate.
The schools we visited often lack reliable access to PE equipment, making Gopher Sport’s support especially impactful. These materials didn’t just help us teach lessons, they helped spark moments of connection, inclusion, and joy that students will carry with them far beyond our time together.
More Than Games: Building Confidence and Community
Beyond the physical activities, the trip reinforced a universal truth: every child, no matter where they are in the world, deserves access to quality health and physical education. The environments may look different—dusty schoolyards instead of polished gym floors—but the outcomes we strive for are the same: confidence, cooperation, creativity, and community.
As I reflect on this experience, I’m incredibly grateful to Gopher Sport for their generosity, and to the staff at MOHI for their partnership and hospitality. But most of all, I’m thankful for the students! Their smiles, energy, and willingness to engage reminded me why this work matters.
Movement is powerful. It builds bridges. And in places where resources may be limited, it becomes an even more essential tool for learning and growth.
Let’s continue to champion physical education that uplifts, includes, and connects, wherever in the world we’re called to teach.
