Imagine a homeless street child sifting through a mountain of garbage with bare hands trying to find something worthwhile that can buy him a meal or two. He hunts through rotting meat, broken glass, used needles and steal jewellery from dead bodies to earn money. Imagine the same boy turning into an international celebrity overnight. Doesn’t it seem a miracle? It does. This is the power of football that Mr. John Wroe, CEO of the Street Child Football World Cup recognised and used it not only to highlight the problems that millions of street children across the world face but also turn some of the miserable lives into examples of success.
“We quickly realised that such an event could create a global platform, where negative views of street children could be challenged, even transformed,” said John wroe.
Wroe said that inviting 250 street children from 19 different countries, children initially without birth certificates, who don’t actually legally exist and then obtaining birth certificates, then passports and eventually visas to travel, was unimaginable.
In a wide ranging interview with Farooq Shah, Managing Editor, Kashmir Observer, Wroe said he is interested in projects that can work locally to bring about change for these people – especially in the areas of protection from violence, access to education and birth registration.
Excerpts from the Interview.
You founded the idea of the Street Child World Cup and now it’s a mega success spread over five continents. What were the motivation, inspiration and energy behind this idea?
The simple but brilliant idea of a world cup for street children came from a 12 year old girl. I and my friend Chris Rose from the Amos Trust, both passionate football fans and players, had the freedom to run with the idea. We quickly realised that such an event could create a global platform, where negative views of street children could be challenged, even transformed. And we knew that if we can change how street children are seen, we can change how they are treated. My job is to get the majority of people in every country in the world to be on the side of its street children – football creates a level playing field and really helps us to do that.
It must have been pretty confusing, if not challenging, to kick start the project, particularly with regard to the selection of countries from which you would pick up the children.
We seek to identify the very best grassroots projects working with street children in each country. We are interested in those projects that can work locally to bring about change for their young people – especially in the areas of protection from violence, access to education and birth registration. These three issues were identified by the former street children we work with as being the most crucial issues for the well being of street children world-wide.
Kick starting the Street Child World Cup has not been too difficult – I’ve always felt that the whole world conspires with us, that this is a calling not a job. It’s incredibly rewarding, and I am surrounded by some very talented people. I am very clear about what needs to be achieved and I don’t deviate. In the 21st Century, it’s completely unacceptable that any child should have to live on the streets anywhere in the world.
No child should have to live on the streets – together, we can make this a reality.
When a task is spread over many continents, the task of coordinating the efforts automatically becomes a daunting one. What kind of mechanism did you put in place to achieve what you wanted to?
We give Street Child United away. This issue, this dream, this vision now belongs to you. We deliberately approach everyone with open arms. We have an incredibly bold ambition, but we keep things small. Using the power of sport to get the world to see street children and using a congress to get the world to listen to their voices is not complicated. We keep things simple and we get by on few resources. Globally we have 3 full time and 4 part time staff. And a thousand volunteers who will run through walls for what we do.
Did the local governments, local NGOs and other social bodies help to make your task easier?
We have partnerships with 19 incredible NGO’s who support local children off the streets in their countries. We have multiyear partnerships with four funding partners including Save the Children and Muslim Hands. Our events are run by 100 amazing volunteers, who raise money to cover their costs and the costs of one of the young people attending.
What was their initial reaction? Did you encounter any impediment or opposition while doing so?
A few countries of course deny that they have any street children. And if they have street children, some think, “why would we send them to a world cup so that the whole world knows about it?” But it’s a global issue. It is amazing at our events when street children from Burundi or the Philippines meet other street children from Egypt or Ukraine. Something happens, they realise that being a street child is not their fault. They stop blaming themselves. They feel empowered to speak out in solidarity with street children throughout their countries.
If you sit and think about it, there are so many reasons not to do what we do – we know we are attempting something extremely difficult on so many levels. For example, inviting 250 street children from 19 different countries, children initially without birth certificates, who don’t actually legally exist and then obtaining birth certificates, then passports and eventually visas to travel. I know it’s not a rational thing to do – but the prize is so great. We’ve just held our 3rd international event, and we’ve never failed to get a child there. Of course it’s been hugely difficult – but it has been achieved. By the whole world conspiring with us. By being on the side of the most marginalised children on the planet. After each event, we see how the young people are using their participation to create a continued platform at home and the change that is happening as a result, and we know that it is completely worth it. It’s what brings us alive.
You have picked up children from countries ravaged by civil war, terrorism and drug menace. How big a challenge did it pose especially with regard to the security of your staff?
We identified the best projects working with street children and the projects themselves identify the right young people. We visit all our projects in person and we bring all our projects leaders together six months prior to each event for our Global Summit. Of course, street children don’t usually live and work in the safest parts of a city, but we’re in good hands. We’re normally shown around by local street children and project leaders who know their cities well. We could not be in better hands. We take the personal safety of our staff and volunteers very seriously. But of course you have to go, you have to see for yourself, you have to feel and you have to understand. You can’t do this work from a distance.
Of these countries, Pakistan is a big leaf of your success book. Some nine children selected out of 125 participated in Street Child World Cup-2014. Given the security scenario of Pakistan where polio workers have been shot by terrorists, how would you rate this success?
Quite phenomenal. The Azad Foundation and Muslim Hands working together has led to quite remarkable change. The people of Pakistan have taken Street Child Ambassadors to heart as have the Pakistan media.
After the Street Child Games in March 2016, Pakistan Squad was received at the airport by a large gathering that included Parliamentarians, Sindh Sports Board representatives, Media, Families and Community Members of the children. Their story was told across several print and electronic media, appearing on the programmes like: Chai Time on Jaag TV, Sports Show on Dunya News, Aap Ki Kahani on Dawn News, Morning Show on ARY News and Morning Show on AAJ TV.
The purpose of these media appearances is to highlight the international advocacy efforts of Street Child United and our partners to promote the rights of street children, to promote Azad Foundation’s Sports for Development Programme and to publicise Azad’s ongoing campaign on the right to identity for street-connected children.
Street Children are often regarded as part of the daily rubbish our societies throw on the road. You picked these up from the heaps of rubbish and turned them into some kind of international celebrities. How warm is the feeling?
These young people, like all children, are born with human rights. The Azad Foundation and Muslim Hands supported them, nurtured them and gave them the confidence and self-belief to become “Somebody”. We provided a global platform, a level playing field using sport to cut through the stigmatization they face, where the world could see them for who they truly are – remarkable, ambitious, clever, resourceful, determined survivors who inspire everyone they meet. I am incredibly proud of them all and am truly humbled in their presence. And I have the utmost respect for the people who have worked with them to survive. I am grateful that in my life I have been able to meet inspirational former street children like Meher and Usha and Erica. When I see how they are dedicating their lives in the service of other street children in their countries, I smile from ear to ear and have a lump in my throat. It’s all pretty amazing.
Turning heroes out of rubbish, applause, cameras, spotlight—there has to be something in place to compliment their change of lifestyle otherwise there would be a serious backlash.
Sure – we work only with the very best Street Child support projects, who demonstrate their effectiveness in supporting the young people before, during, and especially after our events.
What is the backup plan for such children after they have participated in such international events? I mean their boarding and lodging, food, education etc?
There is an individual learning plan and care plan created for each child by the local project. They report to us 3, 6 and 12 months after an event, and we prioritise project visits. To achieve lasting change will take time, so investment in long-term relationships with the projects is worthwhile.
Events such as the one in Arsenal Football Stadium in London in November 2015 wherein you invite people from all walks of life on the pretext of a social get together eventually turn into fundraising campaigns. Is it a regular feature and what is the response of the people from whom you expect contributions towards this cause?
People understand football. It’s a universal language, and the people who speak it also get fair play. Coming to a gala dinner and hearing Arsenal Invincible Gilberto Silva speak about why he supports Street Child United is very effective.
Gilberto’s family experienced homelessness when he was very young – he went on the lift the World Cup for Brazil and went through a whole premier league season without losing a single match. Street Children are determined survivors – what better role model can you have than the Invincible that is Gilberto Silva. I get goosebumps when I remember his unique support for what we do.
What are your future plans particularly when you know the problems ahead are pretty enormous? You’re on a journey from which you can’t afford a U-turn you see.
Three key issues have been identified by our Young People: protection from violence, birth registration / right to a legal identity and access to education. We will work with our partners to bring about lasting change for street-connected children in these 3 areas, and our major events – the 2018 SCWC in Russia, and the proposed 2019 Street Child Cricket World Cup in England, will act as tipping points for our campaigns in these 3 key areas. I believe that the General Comment on Street Children going before the United Nations in 2017 will also be significant, and we are glad that the voices of the children participating in the 2016 Street Child Games are prominent in it thanks to the International Consortium for Street Children. Life on the streets is incredibly hard, but especially harsh for girls. In 2016 we had more girls than boys represented at the Street Child Games and their unique voices were incredibly powerful. Each of our three key themes is magnified when you look through the lens and experience of girls who have to live and work on the streets. Strong female voices will be prominent on the journey to Moscow.
This must be giving you an outline of the extent of the problem of street children with regard to a specific country. Which country do you think is affected most?
It’s a global problem that requires a global solution. There are so many countries that are making good progress in supporting children to leave the streets.
The menace of terrorism taking over countries is unfortunately showing no signs of abating. The death and destruction wreaked by terror groups is sparing no country—Egypt, France and Belgium being the latest victims. Do you think football can replace a gun or at least, can football be used to overcome this slur?
Football brings people together. Football has magic. Football can transform. Look at Leicester City this year. It’s unbelievable what this United Nations team has done – French, Algerian, English, Danish, German, Jamaican, Japanese, Argentinian, Ghanaian, uniting one of the most diverse cities in Britain. With real depth – if ever there was a team that is more than a club, it’s Leicester City. Half way through this season there was a sleep out at the King Power – local people slept rough at the Stadium to show solidarity with street children, and even Claudio Ranieri stopped by to show his support. Week in week out there is a sensational atmosphere at Leicester. That stadium really rocks and the singing comes from every corner of the ground. Leicester City brings hope. 12 months ago they were nobody and now they are top of the Premier League. Nobodies become Somebodies. A brilliant metaphor for Street Children the world over: If Leicester can do this everybody can.
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