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Archive for June, 2009

Braai-lliant*

Henley bbq2A few months ago, we challenged people, churches and groups to hold braais (or South African barbecues) to mark father’s day and give a boost to street children – who have often grown up without a father in their lives. 

Henley bbq1Really big thanks and kudos to those who got out the barbecue tongs and took us up on the challenge.  Here’s the Henley braai (not fancy-pants Henley in Arden, or big old Henley-on-Thames, but the really important Henley – pop. 560, hearts: the biggest in the world).  Read that again – population 560 – because the good people of Henley raised nearly £500 between them.  Awesome.  I’m blown away and very grateful.

baby kissing sizweThe smallest attendee of the barbecue also lent his support. 

Father’s day is over for another year, but the summer is ahead of us so braai season continues!  Do contact us for recipes, info and encouragement if you’d like to support the Street Child World Cup by holding a braai yourself. 

 

* Sorry

Published on: 23. 06. 2009 | Read more »

I would tuktuk five hundred miles…

…and I would tuktuk 500 more.  (And then another 500 after that).  Just to be the one who raises several thousand pounds for the Street Child World Cup.

So – Mark Hagley and Larry Jarrett-Kerr of Plain Lazy (the world’s greatest surfing-y, beach-y, peach-y clothing label) have decided to take a tuktuk ride from Nepal to South India.  They’ll be raising money for the Street Child World Cup as they go, and personally, I’m a bit awed by that.  I don’t wish to spend too much time dwelling on their buttocks, but I can imagine that they’ll be a little sore after (by my “look at a google map with your eyes half shut” reckoning) a good 1500 miles of dirt road in a suspension-free auto-rickshaw. 

Do support them.  I have a feeling they might need it.

Published on: 16. 06. 2009 | Read more »

Watch this film

Watch this film.

My favourite part comes 2 minutes and 2 seconds in, and lasts for about 20 seconds.  That’s all I need to remember the ‘why’ of all this.

Maybe forward it to a friend afterwards too.

Thanks.

Published on: 8. 06. 2009 | Read more »

A ban on street children?

Sure, no-one wants to see children forced to live on the streets. As the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child recognises, children who, for whatever reasons – poverty, disease – are deprived of a stable family environment should receive special protection and support so that they don’t have to fend for themselves in the often dangerous and abusive environment of the streets. (that’s article 20 of the UNCRC, fact fans)

But ‘banning’ them as the Mexican government appears to be considering doing, surely rather misses the point.  The Street Child World Cup partners working with street children know the things that help get children off the streets and onto a path to a hopeful future.  Individual care through trusted adults to deal with the specific issues facing each child.  Programmes to help build the self esteem and skills of street children so they can walk into homes or institutions or schools with their heads held high, and not be tempted to run away.  Holistic interventions which work with families and institutions, as well as with kids. 

It’s not simple, and it’s not quick.  But it works.  That’s why specialised street child organisations need specialist funding amd recognition of the role they play.  It may be that the Mexican government will work more closely with street child charities to help build long term futures to help children off the streets – ultimately, that’s what both the state and the charities want.  But listening to children along the way to find out why they’re there – I’d have thought that would be the better first step, rather than a pretty unenforceable ban.

What do you think?

Published on: 5. 06. 2009 | Read more »

How do you eat an elephant?

Before I get onto elephant-eating,  I probably need to address the simpler matter of the two month gap since my last blog.  Oops. 

In online-years (like dog years), that’s probably about 8 months.  In Street Child World Cup years (which – oh, why not? – are more like elephant years), it’s around 2 years.  We’re up against the clock on this one and every week seems packed with several months work.  From galvanising volunteers (those that want to come to Durban in March 2010, those looking at our website and how to improve it, those raising cash…) to pitching to companies, to fine-tuning proposals to charitable trusts, to working on what we really want to see changed in the way DfID fund street child programmes, to chasing media contacts to see what they can offer in terms of telling these stories…    And then there are the weeks when I feel I need to make several months progress, but find myself running into brick walls in every direction (sigh) and get to the end of another day with a still-full to-do list.  And the other weeks in South Africa (yep, another organisational visit there since my last post too) when, with one conversation, we make leaps and bounds…

[An aside:  In South Africa this time, we had the joy of meeting a FIFA referee who's going to referee the Street Child World Cup matches for us.  He tends to work in the South African premier league, also refereeing international matches from time to time.  I think it's safe to say he's qualified - and it gives me a nice thrill to think that one day, our referee is going to be refereeing France v Nigeria - pro players, and the next, Nicaragua v South Africa - Street children.  Hooray for him.  Also for Durban University of Technology, who continue to be fantastically supportive, and Umthombo Street Children, our awesome hosts.  There's more to fill in - I won't leave it two months til my next post.]

Yesterday, we held the first meeting of reps from the international teams involved.  Fantastic organisations from Brazil, India, Ukraine, Nicaragua and Vietnam were there, with virtual involvement from South Africa and the Philippines.  It was really good to see this group of people sharing ideas about how on earth they are going to get their teams to South Africa – and how they are going to ensure this thing has power beyond itself to change some of the ways that street children are viewed and treated areound the world. 

Here’s where the elephant comes in.

There was a sense in yesterday’s meeting that we all had at least one elephant in front of us to tuck into.  A giant task.  To get the children to South Africa.  To prepare them, emotionally, physically, in confidence, for the experience.  To get the world’s biggest insurance, child protection, health and safety and risk assessments worked out (gah!).  To ensure that 10 days in South Africa are not only full and fun and worthwhile for the participants, but attract attention all over the world.

And (and this is what the organisations in question do every day) to stop the enormous and terrible injustices done to street children.

Like eating an elephant – when confronted with something so huge, how do you begin?

How do you eat an elephant?  One bite at a time.

Back to my to-do list, then.  As the partner organisations go back to theirs.  Each bite might seem insignificant, but we’ve got an elephant to eat here.  We have to start somewhere.

Published on: 2. 06. 2009 | Read more »

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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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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