The LVSL is proudly supporting local Traralgon Olympians SC Senior Player Guguei Malual who is currently pursuing his Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) at Lavalla Catholic College in Traralgon, with his project supporting and creating awareness of Barefoot to Boots.

Guguei wishes to raise a sporting community awareness of his project by creating an understanding of the plight of Refugees in Kenya, as we all know Soccer (football) is the World Game which we all look forward to playing or supporting each weekend.

Barefoot to Boots is an Australian based organisation founded by brothers Awer Mabil and Awer Bul, who were both born at the Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya, what makes his VCAL Project a personal matter is that Guguei was also born in the same Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya prior to being resettled in Australia.

Guguei fully understands the reasons why refugees have no choice in fleeing the violence occurring in their homelands and then the hardships that they endure whilst living in a refugee Camp and how small items and things we all take for granted each day, can completely change a refugees way of life for the better.

Barefoot to Boots Cofounder Awer Mabil is an Australian Professional Association Football Player of South Sudanese descent who was born in Kenya in 1995, since arriving in Australia he has has played for Campbelltown City in South Australia, as well as Adelaide United in the A-League in 2013, before moving to Denmark to play for FC Midtjylland, Mabil has represented Australia at U19 Level in the COTIF Tournament in Spain before debuting as a Senior Socceroo against Kuwait in 2018

Barefoot to Boots helps thousands of refugees gain self-respect and a better chance in life, the organisation travels to Kenya a couple of times a year with donations of second-hand soccer boots, soccer strips, training equipment, school supplies and medical supplies as their received donations will allow.

As well as the Co-founders of Barefoot to Boots, Guguei felt firsthand the hardship of living everyday life in these tough refugee camps, this knowledge has motivated him to try and ease the living conditions for those left behind in the Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya.

The LVSL Administration Office at 50 Buckley Street in Morwell would be very happy to receive any second-hand boots, strips, shorts, socks, balls or training equipment as well as any monitory donations that your club may be able to donate to this very worthy cause.

All donated items or funds will with the help and support of Guguei then be forwarded to the Barefoot to Boots Organisation for shipment to the Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya.

Please look in your Club Storerooms at the boxes of old strips, boots or balls that you no longer use and wont use into the future and instead of letting them rot or be thrown away, give them a new lease of life for young refugee children and teenagers in Kenya that have nothing and would mean the world to them and their friends in the camp.

I have also included some pictures of the young refugee children and teenagers from the Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya, no proper ground  or grass, but still with big smiles on their faces as they play the world game each day when able.

PLEASE REMEMBER SOMETHING THAT WE MAY THROW OUT COULD MEAN THE WORLD TO A YOUNG REFUGEE WHO LOVES PLAYING SOCCER