“When people see me on the streets they think I am worthless – they say I am just a street child, but when they see me playing football, they say I am a person, I am person like them.”
Andile, Team South Africa 2010

Whilst the world gears up for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, few know there is another World Cup taking place there, which carries parallel importance.

A World Cup not just about football. A World Cup that gives hope. A World Cup that brings together the most vulnerable children on the planet. This October, the Street Child World Cup will take place in Doha, Qatar, shining a spotlight on children living on the streets and championing their rights for a more fair and just society.

From Bolivia to Burundi; India to Indonesia; there will be 28 teams of girls and boys representing 24 countries in Qatar. While football unites teams on the pitch, away from the grass, the children connect through art and child-friendly Congress sessions.

Street Child United, the organisers of the event, work specifically to combat the negative perceptions and treatment of street children; each event creates a lasting legacy that positively impacts the lives of not just the young people who participate, but all street children globally. This year the legacy focuses heavily on education. With the Qatar Foundation as the event partner, this sits at the heart of their work and aligns with their ethos of unlocking human potential through education.

Andile’s words are a testament to football’s ability to unite and empower on a global scale. Whilst the Street Child World Cup won’t quite deliver the football skills of Messi or Ronaldo, its participants will inspire in equal measure.

Having overcome challenges most would struggle even to comprehend, this is their time! Their time to wear their national colours. Their time to represent their country. Their time to tell the world, ‘I am somebody’.

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