Marta Vieira da Silva is Woman's Ambassador for Fighting Poverty

Marta Vieira da Silva is the best woman footballer in the world, proven by her four consecutive FIFA Women's World Player of the Year (2006-2009) awards. That's one of the reasons why Marta was recruited by the U.N. Development Program to advocate for women's empowerment as part of a global strategy to fight poverty.

"Marta is a role model for women and girls around the world, and I have no doubt that just as she has inspired them to play (football) so will she inspire others to come together in achievement of the Millennium Development Goals," said Helen Clark, the program's administrator.

Brazilian Marta Vieira da Silva was appointed goodwill ambassador in Stockholm, Sweden, on October 11, 2010.


The U.N. Development Program (UNDP) "works around the world making a positive difference in people's lives and I am proud to add my personal commitment to its work," said the FC Gold Pride's forward. "We all need to contribute to help defeat poverty."

It was in Sweden where Marta’s career flourished, scoring an outstanding 111 goals in 103 appearances between 2004 and 2008. During her time playing for her Swedish club, Umeå IK, the 24-year-old was named the top scorer for 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2008.

In 2007, fellow football players Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane invited her to play in UNDP’s Match Against Poverty in Fez, Morocco, where she became the first woman in the history of football to play in an internationally-sanctioned men’s football match.

Among UNDP’s other Goodwill Ambassadors are soccer stars Ronaldo, Zidane, and Didier Drogba, Japanese actress Misako Konno, Crown Prince Haakon Magnus of Norway, Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova, and Spanish actor Antonio Banderas.

Athletes Got Milk

Milk is important source of nutrition, which contains significant amounts of saturated fat, protein and calcium as well as vitamin C. Since 1993, United States encouraging the consumption of cow's milk through Got Milk? advertising campaign. Many famous figures are participated in this ads up until this moment, including athletes and celebrities.

Among the favorite persons in sports who involved with this milk mustache campaign are Ana Ivanovic-Serena Williams (tennis), David Beckham (soccer), Albert Pujols (baseball), Dara Torres (swimming), Corey Hill (MMA/UFC), Avery Johnson-Josh Howard-Kevin Garnett (NBA/basketball), Danica Patrick (NASCAR/racing), Lalila Ali (boxing), Michael Strahan (NFL/football), and Shawn Johnson (gymnastic).

The Importance of Fundraising in Youth Development

Many professional athletes that famous and successful right now, came from low-life communities. They went to a school with less sport facilities, but they didn't had a choice. They need to became athletes and got sport scholarship so they can went to college and altered their unfortunate condition.

Among those who has been successful, they always remember of their root. They always tell stories about how important is school and education in helping their career. Besides family, school is the most important part in the youth development. School needs to held a lot of events and activities, but in the other hand it has lack funding. Thus, it needs a creative high school fundraising ideas to keep the philosophy going.

Sometimes, school also needs to held a sports fundraiser just to provides a uniform for their baseball team. In other time they will need fund for paid the tournament's fee or to paid the coach.

Discount Cards, one of the quick sell fundraisers

Considering how the sacrifice that their parents and their school gave for them, many pro athletes try to give back something to community. These players from Atlanta are some good examples;


“It’s probably not the best time to start a nonprofit, but God will make things happen,” said Atlanta Braves' pitcher Tim Hudson, who with his wife, Kim, launched the Hudson Family Foundation to aid children’s charities last year. “We play the game of baseball for a living, we’re very blessed. It’s our duty to give back,” catcher Brian McCann added.

Tim Hudson, Atlanta Braves' pitcher

While the Atlanta Falcons Youth Foundation, established in 1985, has provided more than $16 million in grants to nonprofits. Players regularly attend functions such as Boys & Girls Club’s Hometown Heroes gala, held on the field at the Georgia Dome. “It’s always important to reach out to the youth,” quarterback Matt Ryan said.

Now, if you want to follow this athletes' footsteps and giving back to your community, you might want to consider to join global philanthropy forum, an organization which aims to build a community of donors and social investors committed to international causes, and to inform, enable and enhance the strategic nature of their giving and social investing.

Car Donation for Children Charity

Have you ever thought of donate car for the sake of the children? Why not? Even famous athletes do charity works all the time. Take Ray Lewis for example. This American football linebacker from Baltimore Ravens of NFL have a foundation for at-risk youth that called Ray Lewis Foundation.

Become a father of four children himself, Ray Lewis has a great attention for kid's wealth. Besides in his own foundation, he also actives in other charity events. Last March he and hundreds of supporters including current and retired NFL players gathered at the St. Regis Monarch Beach Hotel to raise money for Orangewood Children’s Home which shelters children who have fallen victim to abuse, neglect and abandonment.

Ray Lewis, the charitable linebacker

You might thinking, for a famous and rich athletes, it's easy to do a car donation or give some of their money just to increase their fame. But that's not completely true. Much of these athletes came from the street or a broken family, so they understand well of their root. They simply donated because they don't want any child experiences the violence they had when they were young.

So, it's about taking an action for the greater goods. If the two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Ray Lewis, has set an example for us, now it's up to us to follow his footstep.

Now, besides helping those who needs it, car donation also give a benefit for you. Rather than sell your used car, this donation going to deduct the market value of the donated car from your income tax. You can look more information about tax deduction or legal aspects from IRS website or http://house.gov/ website. Donating a car also much easier than selling it, you won't need to fix your car, because the foundation will accept your car in any conditions.

Athletes Going Nude for PETA

Athletes are no less famous than celebs in term of a public figures. Everything they do can set a trendsetter or attract public opinions. That's why it's important for them to do social activities to become a role model for the younger generation.

There are some athletes which choose a bold way to do a social work. That is posed with no clothes on for PETA (People for Ethical Treatment of Animals). Among these brave athletes are NFL Atlanta Falcon's Tony Gonzales and Olympic gold medals swimmer Amanda Beard.



The Reasons

The football sensation, Tony Gonzales, and his wife October are baring it all in a PETA ad to tell people to wear their own skin and let animals keep theirs. In the ad, Tony and October say "we'd rather go naked than wear fur."

I’ve never done something like this before. I’m usually not a political person…the pictures I saw were pretty gruesome, pretty cruel. If done the right way, maybe. But done the way I saw it, it’s definitely inhumane.

The 10-time Pro Bowler, who holds the NFL record for most receptions by a tight end, is taking the campaign seriously (as he should), and has made changes to his diet, “I eat a little meat now, but it comes from clean sources: grass-fed cows, free-range chickens, wild fish, stuff like that,” he said. “I’m OK with it as long as you do it humanely.”


While for Amanda Beard, posing like this is not for the first time. She done something bolder when she posed for the infamous "bunny" magazine, that has nothing to do with social activity of course.

First off, Amanda doesn’t want people to get the impression that she sheds her swimsuit at every single opportunity:

Like with Playboy, that was more of a personal reason. I wanted to do it, I thought it’d be fun and something I could look back on. And with PETA it was more for a good cause. And I’m not even really naked, I’m covering myself up, so I didn’t see all the fuss in that.

I hope in the future much more athletes (for me, especially the females) are dare to follow the footstep of these two. Not just going with the sexy thing, but much more social and charity activities to set examples for their fans.