The charity Foundation Solibad, Badminton without Borders, launches today its new campaign to raise funds “1% for Solibad” and calls for all badminton fans, from top stars to leisure players around the world to give for children in the need.
Hans-Kristian Vittinghus, who is playing today in the semi final of the Malaysia Masters is one of the leaders of the campaign as he feels top stars should be set an example : he vowed to give 1% of his yearly prize money to the charity projects, which look after children in the need.
“I’m joining it because I believe in giving back. The badminton community has given me so much over the years and with prize money taking another rise, now is the perfect time to start giving back, not only with my performances”
The Dane has recently visited one of the Solibad programs in Bekasi, in the outskirts of Jakarta, where children and their families live from garbage recycling, literally living on a giant garbage dump. With the help of Solibad, a local organization has started organizing activities for these children to forget about their difficult daily lives as some are not even going to school – badminton is one of the activities that has been very successful, with some children now joining an intensive badminton program, to open up their future as potential assistant coaches or players for local companies.
“It’s was an unbelievably humbling experience. So far away from my daily reality, but amazing to see how everyone their really appreciates what they have, instead of focusing on what they don’t have. And to see the joy of the kids as soon as we entered the badminton courts was just fantastic. Definitely a visit I will never forget” says Vittinghus
Other players have vowed to join – Indonesian star Debby Susanto has made known she would be happy to give back 1% of her prize money – some others are expected to join as well in a near future. A lot of top stars have helped Solibad in the past, giving shirts and rackets for auction or simply making donations as a regular basis, such as Tai Tzu Ying, always a great supporter of the cause – the World #1 wore the Solibad logo on her shirt on many occasions as did the current Olympic champion Carolina Marin – all with no financial compensation.
“Not only top stars can participate – we hope that anyone involved with badminton can join this campaign. For most of us, 1% of our income is not much – we can live with going to the restaurant a little less, or buy less clothes that we don’t really need. But this 1% really makes a huge difference to those children we try to help” says Solibad founder Raphael Sachetat, a photographer and journalist, who has also joined the campaign and will donate 1% of his yearly income for the charity.
Leisure players, badminton fanatics, sponsors, coaches, umpires, fans of players are welcome to join this cause and make a symbolic gesture towards the ones who are less fortunate than them.
An online platform will soon be available online for all those wishing to join the campaign like Hans-Kristian Vittinghus and Debby Susanto.
Players, umpires, coaches, fans can fill this short online form to join the program
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