For the first time ever, street children in Pakistan are taking part in the Street Child Football World Cup this week in Brazil.
It’s a global movement which aims to bring attention to the rights of street children.
14-year-old Bilal Khan is practicing football with his football team. It’s not just football that brought them together, all of them live on the streets.
They’re practicing hard now for the Street Child World Cup in Brazil. Bilal can’t wait for the moment he puts on the green shirt and waves the Pakistan flag on the field.
“I never thought that one day I would go to Brazil to take part in an international sports event.. This is my first time. I would like to thank Allah and Itfan Maqbool for giving me a chance. Football is my passion.”
Itfan Maqbool is from the Azad Foundation – an NGO working with street children that is preparing the Pakistan team for the World Cup. He says the main idea is to try and make these children’s dream come true.
“These children will not only be playing football, but they will also become a part of a unique international conference that aims to challenge the negative perception and attitudes towards street children around the world. This platform will also be used to highlight the need for child protection policy and its implementation as well as a plan of action for them in the future.”
Pakistan has one of the world’s largest populations of street children – around 1.5 million.
In Karachi alone, there are more than 30 thousand children living on the streets. According to the Azad Foundation, street children are often thrust into the hands of criminals, drug dealers and human traffickers. Some 90 percent are survivors of physical or sexual abuse.
12-year-old Raheem Basit has been living on the streets for the last three years. “My father is an alcoholic. He beat me a lot when he’s drunk. My mother died when I was three. That’s why I left home and I never want to go back.”
The Street Child World Cup this year in Brazil will have street children from 20 countries representing their nation. Team Pakistan is paving the road to Rio de Janeiro by practicing and competing in local games. 28-year-old coach Abdul Rasheed says the challenge is getting them to play well as a team.
“I selected those children who know how to play football. And then I gave them training and assessed their psychosocial, interpersonal communication and football skills. For the last seven weeks, I’ve been giving them training. Now they’re good enough to participate in a world event.”
Itfan Maqbool from the Azad Foundation says this is an important platform for street children to represent their country. He says they’re on the way to becoming stars…
“The Street Child World Cup is a global movement for the realization of the rights of street children. It’s important to protect them and give them opportunities. All children are entitled to have a space in the tournament. And it’s designed to take place just before the FIFA World Cup 2014.”
12-year-old Faheem is very excited during the training on the field. He promises to try hard to win the prize, but what’s more important is saying to the world that they’re representing Pakistan.
