This International Soccer Tournament Helps Kids Get Off The Streets

 

This special soccer world cup is for kids in need everywhere.

The Street Child World Cup is a soccer tournament that brings together over 200 underprivileged kids from 21 different countries. Each team is made up of kids representing their country — some of whom are orphans or battling homelessness. The goal of the event is to raise awareness for the large number of ids living on the streets worldwide.  

“So, if you have children representing their country, wearing their national jerseys, suddenly, the people in their country are on their side,” explained the tournament’s co-founder John Wroe. “The three key demands they have are birth registration, access to education, protection from violence.”

The tournament is a positive environment for the kids and can give them the courage to speak out.

“When I was involved with the Street Child World for the first time, I realized that I can speak out, that I can do whatever I can in order to make the voice of street children [from] all over the world to be heard and their rights to be applied,” said former participant Sadock John.
The annual event started in 2016 and the 2018 tournament will be held in Russia.