"Trading Footballs" is a concept conceived by the Africa Goal team during the 2006 campaign, where Africa Goal traded 'genuine' factory stiched footballs in exchange for hand-crafted footballs along their route. These balls, made out of all kinds of materials (discarded plastic bags, fabric, string, wool, grass, rubber, to name but a few) are a symbol of African creativity and their passion for football. The fact that many people can not afford to buy a football does not stop them from enjoying the 'beautiful game'.

By the end of the 2006 journey the team had collected over 300 unique hand-crafted footballs from nine different African countries. These footballs have been exhibited in galleries in the United States, in Kenya, and in Zimbabwe, most recently as part of the Africa Goal 2010 Project Launch Exhibition at the Harare International Festival of the Arts (HIFA). These exhibitions have helped fund the purchase of more footballs as well raise money for HIV and AIDS projects, using football as a tool for development.

During the 2010 Campaign the Africa Goal team will again be trading footballs along the route. The footballs have been donated by Werder Bremen Football Club, SAfAIDS, Select Ltd. and Alive & Kicking. The hand-crafted footballs that the team will collect during the 2010 campaign will be exhibited as part of the SADC Global Village Exhibition in Johannesburg, South Africa, at the end of the 2010 World Cup.

For more information please visit the Africa Goal 2006 exhibition website.