The short answer: Susan Swern, founder of the Pickleball for Good Fund, arrived in Nairobi, Kenya, with 54 paddles, 58 balls and a net for Operation PaddleLift, a Global Pickleball Federation initiative. Her deliveries support the Pickleball Federation of Kenya and Pickleball Uganda, with equipment and funds also destined for Madagascar, Rwanda, Seychelles and South Africa.
BY CAPT COLLINS MUNENE, CAF SECRETARY AND CHIEF AFRICA CORRESPONDENT
The wheels of the aircraft touched down in Nairobi, Kenya, carrying more than just a traveller and her personal belongings. Inside Susan Swern’s luggage sat 54 paddles, 58 balls, and a net, the seeds of a sporting revolution.
As the founder of the Pickleball for Good Fund, Susan knows that for most players in the U.S., a fresh paddle or a new container of balls is a simple trip to the store. But across the African continent, these items are more than just gear; they are keys to community, health, and national recognition.
From one suitcase to five nations
Susan’s arrival in Kenya marks a pivotal moment for Operation PaddleLift™, a global initiative led by the Global Pickleball Federation (GPF). While her immediate hands-on delivery will empower the Pickleball Federation of Kenya and Pickleball Uganda, the ripple effect is much larger.
The equipment she carries, and the funds being raised, are destined for a grand voyage across borders, reaching Madagascar, Uganda, Rwanda, Seychelles and South Africa.
“Changing lives isn’t a spectator sport,” Susan says, reflecting on the fund’s motto. For her, this is more than a delivery; it is the “trip of a lifetime” to prove that pickleball can heal and unite.
The $1,000 bridge
The passion for pickleball is already there, shouting from schoolyards in Ghana to parking lots in Rwanda. The barrier is the sheer cost of logistics rather than a lack of interest. Often, shipping, customs, and import fees cost more than the high-quality equipment itself.
Operation PaddleLift™ has set an urgent goal: Raise $20,000 by April 1, 2026. Every $1,000 raised covers the complete delivery of one “Starter Kit” to a national federation that has, in some cases, been waiting over a year. These kits, featuring Franklin X-40 balls and donated paddles, can instantly transform any flat surface into four active courts. To donate to the cause, you can go here.
This goes beyond weekend recreation. Dr. Kwabena Akufo, Founder of the Ghana Pickleball Association, notes that these kits are the literal “fuel” for grassroots development. Formal equipment allows these associations to gain recognition from their respective Ministries of Sport—a vital step toward the GPF’s ultimate goal: making pickleball an official Olympic sport by the 2032 Brisbane Games.
As Ruth Rosenquist of the GPF’s Community Development Committee puts it, this effort is a “blueprint for global growth,” closing the gap between under-resourced countries and the world stage.
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