The idea for ECDC began after I spent over a year volunteering for a charity in South Africa known as Play Sport 4 Life (PS4L). Most of my time was spent teaching baseball to children in a lesser developed region known as Kensington. Though the resources were very limited, the passion exhibited by the children was limitless. The very same group of children attended every training session like clockwork, with an unmatched desire to learn and play the game. It quickly became apparent that many of the necessities I had taken for granted my whole life (food and access to sporting equipment), were not guaranteed for many of the children throughout the country. This is when I decided to create ECDC - Every Child Deserves a Chance - a non profit organization dedicated to providing food and sporting opportunities to the children of Africa. Now we can all share the joys of life & sports no matter where we are on the planet.

Do you know what my favourite part of the game is? The opportunity to play. I've been playing a sport ever since I can remember. Baseball in particular, has always been my passion. It has led me to a position where I have witnessed and experienced firsthand how not everyone in the world has an equal opportunity to play a sport. My love for sport provided me with the best childhood memories anyone could ask for, led me to obtaining a university education at a renowned military institution, and provided me an opportunity to travel the world. I have played baseball in America, Australia, Asia, and now in Africa. I have experienced the most extreme variations of the game from the sandlot grassroots to the perfectly manicured professional level. The constant variable throughout all of those levels was the sheer love, joy, and happiness that came with playing a game. Now in South Africa, working for Play Sport4Life, a non-profit organization that uses sport as a vehicle for transforming lives of those less fortunate. I have come to understand that playing sport is not a privilege, but a human right.

Born and rised in Banda parish Nakawa division Kampala City Uganda. He joined baseball in 2003 during his primary six third term holidays on a neighbourhood program under coach Kaddu at Kyambogo playground. He played through secondary school to university and in the course got involved in coaching children and officiating both baseball and softball. His involvent in baseball enabled him and his teammates to stay in school, meet good friends and survive gangsterism that is most availed in his home community. He had opportunity to be featured on a travel team to Mwanza Tanzania to officiate East Africa regional championship games in 2017. He believes baseball and softball operations is his calling for life.

My name is Franco, and I was born and raised in the Netherlands. Back in 2017 I met Jaspreet and Connor while the three of us were working for Play Sports 4 Life. Now a couple of years later I find myself partnered up with their brand-new and wonderful organization. Looking back on the youth I've had I can conclude that sports have had a huge impact on who I developed to be as a person. Not only sport lessons in school, but being able to play football almost everyday when I came out of school, helped me to grow and gain important skills I still use in everyday life. Amongst a lot of other skills it learned me to work hard for my goals, how to deal with losses and how to work in a team properly. It kept me fit and healthy and of course it turned a smile on my face every single time I took that ball outside with me! For me it is clear that sports have the chance to change a life for the better. My goal at ECDC is to give sport back to as much children as we can reach!

Born and raised in Kyambogo, Okello started playing baseball in 2003 at the Kyambogo community baseball program. He currently plays on the Uganda national team, participated in MLB Elite camp two times (2011, 2012), played semi-professional baseball in Japan, worked with MLB scouting bureau for two years, and has been coaching children since 2009.

Bekunda developed a passion for baseball at a very young age after being introduced to the game from his mentor Coach Ole. At the age of 18, he became a member of the Uganda National team and represented his country at the 2011 national championships in Poland. Unfortunately, Bekunda's baseball dreams came to an abrupt halt when he wasn't able to collect the necessary funds to play in the Olympic qualifiers hosted by South Africa. After years away from the baseball, He decided to return to the game he loved as a coach, and joined the Coach Development Program (CDP) held in Jinja in 2017. In 2019, Bekunda happened to meet Jaz Shergill while he was on a baseball development trip in Uganda. The two of them quickly realized their mutual passion for baseball and the rest is history. Bekunda now spends most of his days training the local children in his home town of Kyambogo as a coach for ECDC.

I played my college ball at the university of Delaware for 4 years, where I studied sport management. I was then drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 19th round of the 2013 MLB draft. I bounced around Independent baseball for the next few years, until I started playing overseas for winter ball. This brought me to Australia and finally South Africa, where I played 2 seasons. This is where I found the love and passion for helping out the kids, and community. I’ve helped organize equipment drives and donations since then, and hope to grow it from here. I am now in training for the 2021 Olympics where I’ll be pitching for Team Israel.

My name is Jason Coker and I was raised in Charlotte, North Carolina. I’ve always wanted a way to give back in sport, and I found it with ECDC. My involvement started through a conversation with Founder, Jaz Shergil, at a baseball diamond. It grew beyond that, to coming on board with the organization. I played my college ball at UNC Pembroke before making my way North of the border to the IBL for 3 seasons in Ottawa and Barrie. I played club ball in Canberra, Australia for a season, and finally finished my playing career winning the CanAm League with the Ottawa Champions in 2016. I currently live in Ottawa, Ontario with my wife and 2 daughters. Since being with ECDC we were able to organize a successful equipment drive, but my goals for Eastern Ontario go beyond that. Can’t wait to see what the future holds!

Played 5 seasons of professional baseball. He uses the drive, discipline, and dedication that he learned from 20 years of playing baseball and applies it to his current work in branding and design. He uplifts brands through purpose driven strategy and uses his keen eye for design to create unique and eye-catching identity systems.