The UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) and the IOC (International Olympic Committee) have launched the "Giving is Winning" Campaign, which is designed to encourage athletes and national Olympic Committees to give surplus sportswear to refugees. They have almost met their goal of 50,000 items and the items collected so far have been distributed to refugees in Rwanda, Tanzania, Chad, Moldova, Georgia and Panama. Many young refugees are born in or grow up in camps. As former Ukrainian pole vaulter Sergey Bubka, now chairman of the IOC Athletes Commission, said, "For them the gift of sportswear associated with famous athletes from across the Olympic spectrum can be an enormous morale-booster and a sign that the world does care. A sport uniform inspires refugees and connects them to the world of sport." Team Darfur is happy to see Olympians getting so involved in helping others!
