football

Few things on earth have the power to unite people the way in which sports do. Rugby, with the help of Nelson Mandela, united South Africa. Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints brought pride and hope back to the Crescent City after Hurricane Katrina. The 2001 World Series between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the New York Yankees brought life to a tired and torn city in the wake of September 11th. And every four years the world puts aside its differences and embraces the Olympics.

In 2009, Belgian photographer and avid soccer enthusiast Jessica Hilltout set out on a seven month voyage across Southern and Western Africa, armed with her camera, a pump, and hundreds of deflated soccer balls. She traveled backroads and stopped in villages far removed from the modern world. With every stop she embraced the culture and community around her, and learned the way they played the game. She photographed tree stick goal posts and handmade balls, many of which were merely trash wrapped kindly in twine.

In return for her photographs, Hilltout gave the young players a freshly pumped soccer ball. They rejoiced through sport and thanked her by simply playing the game they loved. She continued to photograph this unique sub-culture of soccer, taking note of makeshift uniforms and boots. After her travels she compiled her collection into a book entitled Amen: Grassroots Football.

The collection has also been featured in several galleries throughout Africa. Hilltout’s work goes to prove that simple joy can be found in simple things, and that we are all more connected than we realize. Regardless of where we live or what we do, we do it all together. To see the gallery in its entirety click HERE.