Row4Life

Row4Life will, though rowing competitions mitigate conflict, foster friendships among all ethnicities and genders, establish national pride, and avoid a return to civil war in South Sudan.

Row4Life Actions:

• Provide Concept-2 (world standard) erg rowing machines to various locations (schools, community centers, etc.) throughout South Sudan. 
• Students (boys and girls) between ages 12 and 19 will be introduced, and trained, and encouraged to compete.
• Competitions will be sponsored throughout S. Sudan, and can be between schools, towns, States, and also between SS and other countries. Modest monetrary awards will be given to encourage participation. In S. Sudan, the average wage per month is about $20 USD, so a $20 prize is a big deal.
• Athletic super-stars will be identified, nurtured, and coached.

This project has several positive effects on the youth of South Sudan: 

1. Mitigate conflict amongst the youth of South Sudan by providing an outlet for competition other than crime, violence, and mortal combat. 
2. Groom future leaders of South Sudan by discovering rowing prodigies amongst the youth, who can then be awarded athletic scholarships from top world-class universities (Harvard, Penn, Oxford, etc.). Upon graduation, these athletes (men and women) are South Sudan’s future leaders.
3. It is important to note that #2 above is not just a vision or hope. Scholarships are already being awarded to American high school students and their score on the Concept-2 ergometer is a critical metric.

NATIONAL PRIDE

It is our dream as well as our realistic expectation that within ten years South Sudan can enter and competitively race in world-level rowing competitions (Olympics, World Games, etc.) as the South Sudan Rowing Team.