Street Child United
London, UK
The third Street Child World Cup took place in May 2018 in Moscow. The first Street Child Cricket World Cup was held in Cambridge and London in April/May 2019. The Final took place at Lords on May 7th. For more details, see the SCU website.
It all started in 2010 when eight teams of street children, including three girls in each team, came together in Durban to play some of the most passionate 7-a-side football of the year. They also undertook a massive art project highlighting their experiences and their rights, in conjunction with township schools nearby. In addition there was a three-day conference when the children were able to share their stories and opinions.
SSSK has helped with the funding of every event from Durban onwards, and has also been represented by one or more volunteers, to be there for the entire event.
The Amos Trust is the UK charity which organised the first Street Child World Cup (SCWC) in Durban, South Africa in March 2010. Because of the extent of the work involved in organising future events, a new charitable trust – Street Child United – was set up to organise and run them.
The SCWC is much more than just a football tournament. It celebrates street children’s potential, and allows their stories to be heard. At each event there has been a Congress, during which the participants are challenged to discuss their needs and to share their experiences and demands with other young people. The last event is a General Assembly where the participants can share their demands for action by governments and civil society.
The events also enable the NGOs from all over the world to get together and share their different experiences and expertise. The next events will be the SSWC in Dohar in 2022, and the SSCWC in India in 2023.
For many street children, football really is more than a matter of life or death. It’s the only good thing in their lives. It’s a break from hunger, abuse and fear. The participants are, of course, supported by a good local NGO (like the ones we support) who will facilitate their education and health, and help them get the necessary identity documents so that they can have a passport.
In Rio in 2014, the players came from 19 different countries, and included 10 girls teams. 230 former street children were involved.
The participating street children received high quality training in football coaching, as well as help and advice over advocacy and about child rights, to support them to build futures as peer mentors in their own countries. They returned as ambassadors for street child rights.
You’ll find an interesting overview, and some really good pictures at http://scwc2014.tumblr.com/
For a summary of its impact, see: http://streetchildworldcup.org/impact/ and look at a selection of videos from the 2014 SCWC collection (below).
In 2010 the hosts in Durban were the Umthombo street child project based there. Umthombo seeks to integrate children back into family units and to change the way street children are treated within South African society. For more details look at the page on Street Child World Cup Outcomes which includes a number of videos, together with The Durban Declaration and the Street Girls Manifesto at the end.
The most recent events have been the football in Moscow in 2018, and the cricket in 2019 in Cambridge and London. We have put a number of videos on our Home page. They will be moved in due course.
The Street Child World Cup (SCWC) in Rio 2014
You’ll find an interesting overview, and some really good pictures at http://scwc2014.tumblr.com/
For a summary of its impact, see: http://streetchildworldcup.org/impact/ and look at a selection of videos from the 2014 SCWC collection (below).
Most last from 3 to 4 minutes, but the one about Team Tanzania is longer
Street champions take over Rio airport
Welcome to Rio
Team Philippines
Kick off – and Opening Ceremony
It’s more than a game
Team Tanzania (where you need to bypass the advert at the beginning). It’s 20 mins long but informative
From Street Child to Soccer Star