You can read all of the updates about Team Brasil and their time in South Africa on ABC Trust’s website at:
http://www.abctrust.org.uk/news02.html
You can also hear what Jimena Page (ABC Founder) has to say about the tournament and see some photos South Africa!
Rai takes part in a training session with Team Brazil for the Street Child World Cup
“I want to shoot, but I’m afraid,” said Josilene dos Santos when she saw Rai in goal. Lene, as she is better known by her teammates, was the only player who managed to score while the football legend was in goal – and the fear became a huge grin after she succeeded. On Saturday, the former Brazil team player participated in the team’s penultimate training session, who will be representing Brazil in South Africa at the Street Child World Cup starting next Monday 15th March.
Rai spared no effort to meet the demands of the team: he played in goal, in line, signed autographs and gave them plenty of advice. As well as already having played in the professional’s World Cup, the player also has valuable experience in drawing people’s attention to social causes through sport, such as in the work he leads in the NGO he runs in Brazil, “Atletas pela Cidadania” (Athletes for Citizenship).
Rai shows his support for the Street Child World Cup
“The Street Child World Cup project is everything I believe in: using the power of sport to raise awareness and bring people’s attention to the great injustices of the world,” said the player.
The smiles on the faces of those children, from beginning to end of the training shows how much it means to them to have such a footballing legend on their side, fighting for the rights of street children.
Rai talks to the team about his experiences in the World Cup and offers some golden advice
The ABC Trust is very grateful for the overwhelming kindness of Rai de Oliveira, who shares the organisation’s vision for this project and we are delighted that accepted the invitation to participate in a training with the Brazil team for the Street Child World Cup.
Photographer: Renato Cordeiro
With the Street Child World Cup kick-off a mere 9 days away now, we have been speaking to the young players, who will be representing Brazil in the tournament and at the conference that follows, about their hopes and expectations for the project.
Rogéria Souza de Oliveira
Nickname: Rozinha
Age: 16 years old
Expectation:“The competition should be honest and very cheerful! But my favorite part will be the Conference. I hope people will listen to me, even if they don’t agree with my ideas.”
Rodrigo José Inácio
Age: 16 years old
Expectation: “That good football is played and that people can hear our story. Politicians should stop stealing and think about what they could do for us.”
Eduardo da Silva Souza
Nickname: Dentinho
Age: 16 years old
What do you like the most about this project? “The opportunity to visit another country and meet people from abroad.”
Vicente Silva dos Santos
Age: 16 years old
Expectation:“I hope to make new friends and get to know different people. It’s going to be great! They will get to know our reality and us theirs.”
The Brazil team from São Paulo has been created, with some hard work both on and off the pitch. Our squad, ‘Time do Brasil’, have so far had 30 hours of football training and 70 hours of workshops helping them to consider all the aspects of their ‘Life on the Streets’, reviewing what made them turn to the streets through to who helped them to leave and seek a different future.
Introducing the team:
The team has completed most of the preparations needed to be able to fully participate in the Street Child World Cup and the conference. They have already started to communicate their stories and raise their voices in Brazil.Our press launch which was held at the contemporary arts space, Escola São Paulo on February 9th, was a great success, with an array of media there. The major newspapers and radio stations were eager to finally meet the team that will represent Brazil in the first ever Street Child World Cup.
(Names left to right)
Standing: Rogéria, Rodrigo, David, Alexandre, Eduardo and Vincente.
Kneeling: Carlos, Washigton, Douglas and Josilene
Every single player in our team has their own story to tell, and in some cases, histories that they still find difficult to come to terms with. Of the team, some have lived in the streets as infants, whilst others ran away from violent homes and have siblings who did not survive . They have all witnessed violence against themselves and others and all but one child in this group now live in shelters on a permanent basis.
Unlike the other teams, Team Brasil has 10 players in the squad. This is because of the guidelines in bringing girls into the team. We had to try to have three girls in our squad, but for a long while we had only two.
Through their long term contact with Project Quixote, they have all taken the steps needed to come to terms with their past and continue to seek a better future. Their lives are now stable and hopeful, and through the SCWC they have an opportunity to use their spirit to inspire others with what they have overcome. They are all in school now except for the youngest team member who is still waiting for a place and they are all excited about representing their country and children who have lived similar lives to them in South Africa. They are more articulate about their lives and experiences and aim to explain the things they would wish for the thousands of other children who face a deeply challenging reality. This team will raise their voices to represent their peers in Durban in March and throughout this project.
In Brazil two organisations are working hard to enable their team to go to South Africa. Here is a short introduction to their work.
Quixote is responsible for coaching the Brazilian Street Child World Cup’s national team. The organisation was founded in 1996 to transform the history of children, young people and families at risk. Through the arts, education and health, Quixote has served six thousand people and with them constantly seeks alternatives to get round the daily challenges in Sao Paulo.
With 25 years of experience in Rio de Janeiro, São Martinho advocates for the rescue of the dignity of socially vulnerable children and adolescents. Their young people are working their fingers to the bone to give voice to this campaign. In their Blog ‘Serious Talk’ they exchange dreams, expectations and information with young people of Quixote’s project. Together, they will decide on the topics to be discussed by the Brazilian team on the conference in Durban.
For more information on their work in Brazil please contact ABC Trust info@abctrust.org.uk
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