Indestructible footballs for peace

For children living in abject poverty, where basic necessities like food, water, and roofs are luxury items, a needle and a pump to inflate a soccer ball falls somewhere between "say wha—?" and "you really don't get it, do you pal?"

Even if the youngsters own a ball, that is.

Most days, because a traditional ball is unaffordable to inner-city and refugee-camp youths, they construct a homemade version from rocks, trash, string, or rags—their love for the world’s most popular game is that deep.

If only there was an indestructible, inexpensive ball that never goes flat and never needs a pump. This, and probably only this, would allow kids to play anywhere at anytime to their heart's content, not simply until the ball is destroyed.

Thanks to a renaissance man and rock legend, there is One World Futbol.

Invented by Timothy Jahnigen, a lyricist and music producer, and funded by Sting—yes, that one—more than 1,700 One World Futbols have been donated to 123 nonprofit organizations working in refugee camps, United Nation hot spots, and conflict zones in 113 countries. An additional 2,487 balls have been sold to nonprofit organizations.

TakePart caught up with Jahnigen at the Sustainable Brands Conference in Monterey last month for a wide-ranging discussion on the ball's buy-one-give-one business model, how and why its undeniably sustainable, and Sting’s involvement.

Read the full interview with Timothy Jahnigen on TakePart's website.