A junior at Tampa Prep is raising money to help build a soccer field back in his birthplace of Arusha, Tanzania.

Jordan Peloubet said the field would provide a wonderful opportunity to the children of the village and their families. Led by his father, Drew, the Peloubet family has been able to work with the organization love.fútbol, a non-profit group that builds soccer fields in developing countries.

“Creating this heathy mental aspect of their life for building even a better future through sports, and soccer,” Peloubet said. “Like the saying says, ‘a healthy mind leads to a healthy life.’”

Peloubet, 17, said he always knew he wanted to give back to the place he came from and to help those who were not as lucky as him.

Credit Jordan Peloubet Tampa Prep junior Jordan Peloubet is giving back to his village of Arusha, Tanzania.

“I’ve always had this dream that in my future I was going to go back home and help my family, my community and my whole village…I went home…thinking what ways a seventeen-year-old could make a difference in their hometown village.”

That’s when it hit him. Peloubet reflected on the times he had in Arusha, playing soccer with a ball made from pieces of plastic and other loose materials held together only by tape.

“I remembered playing soccer back home and the struggles we had with the environment. No field to play on, just dirt grounds with rocks and pebbles that made it hard to kick the ball around, and remembering the passion all the children had for soccer and how much they enjoyed it.”

With $85,000 raised out of a goal of $115,000, the Peloubets and love.fútbol have made major strides towards their objective, but there is still more that needs to be collected.

An anonymous donor has offered a challenge-a $15,000 dollar-for-dollar match for money raised between now and Saturday.

“It would really mean a lot for everyone to participate and make a difference together and be a part of something big” Peloubet said, adding “our idea was to have all the funds by September so that we’re able to finish the construction and have inauguration day in November, during my Thanksgiving break.”

To learn more about the project, or to donate, please visit https://lfarusha.org/