Hey ENOpians !
We’ve posted before about how we like to help people who help others, and boy do we have a good example here!
Scott Brelsford first crept onto the ENO radar with some awesome ENO photo contest entries a year ago. We saw all the fabulous places he visited with his ENO – Argentina , Brazil, Chile, Congo, Boston to name but a few – read about his eye opening hammocking experiences – escaping from a knife wielding mugger in Buenos Aries and sleeping in the tree tops in Boston – and laughed over his original ways to use a hammock – “‘hammock acrobatics.’ Backflips, front flips, 2 person backflips, handing upside down.”
Somewhere between these adventures, Scott joined the non-profit Sports4HOPE , an organization aimed to prevent and reconcile conflicts by inspiring hope, improving the quality of life, and empowering youth in conflict-affected areas through sports and peace education. Working in the Democratic Republic of the Congo , Scott and his team have permanent accommodations in the large hub Bunia , but have to travel to smaller, more rural villages (where a large part of the recent conflict has occurred) for up to a week at a time.
Realizing the villages would not have any accommodations for them, Scott had an idea and came to us with an interesting proposal! He explained what they were doing, how they were doing it, and where they would be traveling and based. Describing how they are still in need of bug nets even though they have been vaccinated, and how it will be the rainy season when they’ll be there, Scott asked ENO if we would like to donate the required items ( hammocks , rain tarps and bug nets ) to himself and his team members. How could we refuse?
After Scott’s team makes the initial connection with the villages, they work to introduce a soccer league that marks the beginning of a peace education program within the individual communities. Eventually, they will expand the soccer league to link all the villages they work with. An unbelievably inspiring mission!
- Scott and his friend Stephen in some of ENOs donated hammocks!
- Scott and Stephen wowed by ENOs!
-
- Scott hammocking at the ruins of an old Belgian colonial home destroyed by war.
- Scott resting during a hike in the mountains outside of Bogoro.
- An image from Congo.
- ENO hammock acrobatics!
We think this is an awesome project and are super happy to be able to help out! You can read more about the organization and Scott’s personal exploits on their Web site and on Scott’s blog, “ Kicks From Congo .” We will also provide updates from his progress as and when they come! Enjoy! And next time you’re in your ENO, just think that somewhere in Congo, Scott and his team are hanging in their ENOs trying to inspire peace.
