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Archive for March, 2009

Crunch

It’s a bit boring to have to say it, but without a doubt, the credit crunch is affecting the Street Child World Cup.

Companies that a year ago would have had generous pots of money to give to exciting new social projects are having to count their pennies a little more carefully. Fundraising, I’ve got to say, is a challenge.

There are still lots of generous people around.

I’ve sent lots of thank-yous this week to good souls who attended our launch and made a financial commitment as a response. *  Hooray for those people!  Others are giving generously in terms of time (cheers for our fantastic volunteers – they include Katie, Shaalinie, Emma, Melanie and Kate) or are creatively finding ways of using their skills and contacts to help us out.

* See here if you want to join them :-) – and send me an email (jenny@amostrust.org) so I can make sure your donation goes exclusively to the Street Child World Cup project.

Simon Mayo talking to Gary Lineker at the Street Child World Cup launch

Simon Mayo talking to Gary Lineker at the Street Child World Cup launch

But back to the launch last week.  We were joined by Gary Lineker, Julian Speroni, Nick Hancock, Angus Deayton, Vikash Dharasoo, and Douglas Alexander, the Secretary of State for International Development.  It was fantastic to be in a room with a whole bunch of supportive people, wanting to make this thing happen.  The crunch is making it more of a challenge than we might originally have anticipated.  But it’s going to happen.  And it’s going to start to make a whole lot of difference to street children. Some things just have to happen – whatever financial crunchiness we find ourselves in. 

Angus Deayton and Nick Hancock at the launch

Angus Deayton and Nick Hancock at the launch

Published on: 27. 03. 2009 | Read more »

Theo Walcott cheers us on

walcott-1-080805mafc-2Theo Walcott, whose leaves his teenage years today (happy birthday, Theo!) says:

“I’ve played football as a teenager with the world watching me.  The Street Child World Cup is a brilliant project which will help hundreds of thousands of teenagers who live on the streets by getting the world to listen to them and give them a fair chance.”

Yup.

More folk from the worlds of football, the arts, television and the media will be joining us for the official launch of the Street Child World Cup this Thursday.  It’s made for a varied email inbox lately – actors and comedians rubbing shoulders with business leaders, child rights experts and footballers agents – along with a pretty awesome Archbishop (see below).  Is it football that brings these people together?  Or the fact that this is a project with the amazing aim of ensuring that street children are heard?  Or that it’s got a global spread? 

Maybe it’s all of these things together. Whatever – it means we’ll all have plenty to talk about when we meet on Thursday to toast the long life and good health of the Street Child World Cup. God bless her, and all who sail in her. 

jenny

Published on: 16. 03. 2009 | Read more »

Non-people become giant people

Last week, a group of artists met up to apply their creativity to this project.  I’m so excited by some of the visions that emerged (how fun artists’ dreams must be).

Imagine… a procession through the streets of Durban, with dancing, drumming, colour, music – and HUGE walk-in puppets that street children have made.  Children who are usually walked past and ignored, reclaiming the streets with bodies 15 feet tall!

Imagine… taking the litter, plastic bags, detritus of the streets and making something beautiful and striking out of them.  Imagine if the figures you made spoke to you in 8 languages as you walked past them.  Imagine being made to look at what is usually seen as rubbish again – to see potential in it.

Imagine…  the words spoken by street children being animated, and projected onto the fantastic buildings of Durban - the art gallery, the university, the beachfront hotels. 

I can’t wait to see them become reality.

If you want to help that happen, you can give to the project here . The Street Child World Cup is an initiative of the Amos Trust – send me an email on jenny@amostrust.org to let me know what you’ve donated, and I’ll ensure that the money goes towards the Street Child World Cup project specifically. 

jenny

Published on: 6. 03. 2009 | Read more »

On a mailboat to Uruguay

The first ever FIFA World Cup, in 1930, drew in 13 teams, most from the Americas.  The sea journey to Uruguay – it took over a fortnight – was kind of a barrier for most European teams – although top marks to the Yugoslav team for using their initiative and hopping on a mail boat from France. 

The rest is footballing history.  204 nations have entered to try and win one of 32 slots in the 2010 finals phase. 

In 2010, eight teams will be competing in the first ever Street Child World Cup.  South Africa, Brazil, India, the UK, USA, Ukraine, Nicaragua and the Philippines are fielding teams, with the help of fantastic street child projects in each country. 

Everything starts somewhere.  Good ideas start with conversations between handfuls of friends or colleagues -sometimes after a great game has loosened tongues.  And the best ideas just have a way of growing beyond anything the originators had dreamed of.

What of the future? Eighty years from now, do we want 204 countries competing to take part in the 2090 Street Child World Cup? 

Well, no.  What we want to see is for countries to commit energy, resources and commitment to addressing the issues which see children forced onto the street in the first place.  If we still need a Street Child World Cup to raise awareness in 2090, something’s gone wrong. 

But four, six, eight years from now?  We want the Street Child World Cup to be making waves.  We want great football to attract attention. We want word to spread and contributors to gather round. 

At times, it’s scary to be in at the beginning.  Without a road map. 

But then, maybe the Yugoslav team in the first FIFA World Cup, running up and down the deck of the mailboat to keep fit on their journey to Uruguay had the occasional misgiving or doubt. Maybe they wondered how this ‘World Cup’ thing was going to work out – and whether, after their long journey, their contribution might just be forgotten. But they decided to give it a go. Looking back, I bet they wouldn’t have missed it for the world.

Published on: 2. 03. 2009 | Read more »

Photos

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Please support us

Endorsements

  • "I know from personal experience just what power football can have to inspire and change young people’s lives whatever their background or nationality. This is what the Deloitte Street Child World Cup is all about and I give it my full support."
    David Beckham, AC Milan and England Midfielder
  • "No child should have to live on the streets. I commend the Street Child World Cup for providing a platform for the rights of street children to be heard."
    Rt Hon Gordon Brown MP, Prime Minister
  • "The Deloitte Street Child World Cup demonstrates the tremendous potential of every single child, and especially street children, who are so often treated as less than human. I am proud that the first ever Street Child World Cup will take place in South Africa – and I urge all governments to guarantee the rights of this most marginalised group of their citizens to lives in which their promise is fulfilled.Quot;
    Archbishop Desmond Tutu
  • "When ever people come across me they laugh. It seems like my mouth is zipped because they talk for us. I wish they could give us a chance to talk for ourselves."
    Mbali, 15, Durban
  • "When people see us by the streets, they say that we are the street boys. But when they see us playing soccer, they say that we are not the street boys. They say that we are people like them. They are people like us."
    Andile, 15, Durban
  • "I experienced hardcore street life in my youth. I know what it’s like. I congratulate the Deloitte Street Child World Cup project in it’s commitment to bring attention to the plight of Street Children through the power of football."
    Manny Pacquiao, Filipino professional boxer, current WBO World welterweight champion
  • "The Street Child World Cup hosted by Umthombo is a wonderful opportunity to hear the forgotten voices of Street Children – often marginalised, this is their time to be heard and to shine on the world stage. From the football field to governments across the world, this is a chance to celebrate the talent that every child has."
    Thandie Newton, star of Crash and 2012
  • "The Deloitte Street Child World Cup will use this game, which is loved all over the world, to help give kids a fairer deal. No child should have to be on the street."
    Gary Lineker OBE, former Tottenham, Barcelona, and England Forward and BBC’s Match of the Day presenter
  • "I am delighted that the first Street Child World Cup will take place in South Africa where I know there is a huge passion for football. No child should have to live on the streets and and I fully endorse this campaign giving street children a voice to claim their rights."
    Sir Alex Ferguson, Manchester United Manager
  • "Football and footballers aren’t always in the headlines for the right reasons but the Deloitte Street Child World Cup harnesses the power of grassroots football to change vulnerable young peoples’ lives for the better across the world through the talent that they have. Good luck to all those taking part."
    David Seaman, Former Arsenal and England Goalkeeper
  • "I’m delighted to endorse the Deloitte Street Child World Cup. This is a fantastic ground-breaking event, aiming to win rights for street children, not only in Durban but across South Africa – and even the world! I’m sure that every team will be a winner!"
    Sir Cliff Richard
  • "I’ve played football as a teenager with the world watching me. The Deloitte Street Child World Cup is a brilliant project which will help hundreds of thousands of teenagers who have been forced to live on the streets by getting the world to listen to them and give them a fair chance."
    Theo Walcott, Arsenal and England Forward
  • "No child should have to be on the streets. I am proud to support the Ukrainian team at the Street Child World Cup. Street children need the chance to show the world their potential."
    Andriy Shevchenko, Dynamo Kyiv and Ukraine Captain
  • "It was a privilege to be invited to the launch of the Street Child World Cup at Downing Street. It gives children a voice through football, a platform to express their rights and celebrate their abilities – I’m proud to add my support."
    Wilson Palacios, Tottenham and Honduras Midfielder
  • "Seeing young people enjoying the magic of football is what the game is all about and I feel honoured to be supporting the event for street children taking place in South Africa. The Deloitte Street Child World Cup is a fantastic grassroots initiative giving a voice to street children through the positive power of football. It’s an example of football making headlines for the right reasons. Good luck to all those taking part!"
    Eduardo, Arsenal and Croatia Forward
  • "I am proud that the first ever Deloitte Street Child World Cup will be held in my country in 2010. Football has the power to unite people from all over the world and gives young people the discipline and focus to let their true talent shine. No child should have to sleep on the street. I am delighted that the Deloitte Street Child World Cup will celebrate these children’s potential and call for their rights to be realised.Good luck to all the teams but especially the South African team Umthombo from Durban!"
    Aaron Mokoena, Portsmouth Midfielder and South Africa’s Captain and most capped player
  • "The Football Association commends initiatives such as the Deloitte Street Child World Championships which use the power of football to make a difference to people’s lives"
    Lord David Triesman, F.A. Chairman
  • "The Street Child World Cup is a superb campaign, bringing to attention the issues faced by some of the most vulnerable children in the world"
    Edith Bowman, BBC Radio 1
  • "My career is testament to the global village that football has become. The Deloitte Street Child World Cup is a groundbreaking campaign highlighting the essential rights that all children must be given. From Montevideo via Brighton and down to Durban – let’s spread the word!"
    Gus Poyet, former Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur midfielder, Brighton and Hove Albion Manager
  • "South Africa 2012 will be watched by most of the World. The Deloitte Street Child World Cup is the ultimate opportunity for us all to invest in the grassroots of football. Great campaign."
    Sam Allardyce, Blackburn Rovers Manager
  • "The power of football in the community is undeniable and football is now a global community. I support the Deloitte Street Child World Cup in raising awareness and support through football for the most vulnerable in our community: street children"
    Owen Coyle, Bolton Wanderers Manager
  • "Throughout my career I have been an advocate of community development through football and the Deloitte Street Child World Cup is an excellent example of uniting through football in support of young people across the World."
    Alan Curbishley, Former Charlton and West Ham Manager

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